ABOUT
About this spot
Suwa Shrine, also known as Chinzei Taisha, stands in Kaminishiyama-machi, Nagasaki. Locally it is called "Osuwa-san" and has long been the guardian shrine of the city. It enshrines Takeminakata-no-kami and Yasakatome-no-kami, and the grounds also hold Morisaki Shrine (Izanagi and Izanami) and Sumiyoshi Shrine (the three Sumiyoshi deities). The shrine traces its origin to three shrines enshrined in Nagasaki; in the Sengoku period the area came under Christian control and the shrines and temples there were destroyed. In 1625, Aoki Kensei revived the three shrines on Maruyama hill (now the site of Matsunomori Tenmangu), which is the root of today's shrine. In 1641 the shogunate granted the present site, and the main hall was completed and the deities moved in 1651. A fire in 1857 burned the buildings down, but the shrine was rebuilt in 1869 and took its present form after major renovations in the 1980s. A sacred horse statue stands before the worship hall, made by Kitamura Seibo, who also made the Nagasaki Peace Statue. The climb itself is a highlight: 193 stone steps lead up to the shrine. The roughly 70-step "Nagasaka" below the main gate is a well-known spot to watch Kunchi dances for free, and the "Lost Child Notice Stone" erected in 1879 still stands. The grounds are dotted with distinctive komainu guardian dogs, including the kappa komainu beside the approach to Inari Shrine, the upside-down komainu at Haraedo Shrine, a thorn-removing komainu and a wish-making komainu, forming a "komainu walk". In 1914 Japan's first English-language fortune slips (omikuji) appeared here. The main event is the Nagasaki Kunchi festival, held 7 to 9 October. It is said to have begun in 1634, when the Maruyama and Yoriai districts offered dances to the shrine. The grounds are especially lively at this time. Visit in the morning outside the Kunchi season and climb the steps at your own pace. Allow about an hour for worship and the komainu walk. Wear comfortable shoes because of the many steps. To the left of the worship hall is Nagasaki Park, said to be the oldest park in Nagasaki, with a small animal corner and the wooden sweets shop Tsukimi-chaya. The Suwa Jinja tram stop is about a 5-minute walk away. By car it is about 6 km from Nagasaki IC, and a free car park for 50 cars is available.
Last updated October 18, 2026