Country Japan District Suwa Area 66.87 km² Local time Saturday 11:38 PM | Region Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu) Phone number 0266-27-1111 Population 20,160 (Oct 2016) Prefecture Nagano Prefecture | |
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Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9) Address 4613-8 Nishitakanochō, Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano-ken 393-8501 Weather 0°C, Wind N at 3 km/h, 96% Humidity Points of interest Lake Suwa, Shimosuwa Hot Spring, Suwa Shrine Shimoshaharumiya, Tanga Hot Spring, Harmo Museum | ||
Shimosuwa (下諏訪町, Shimosuwa-machi) is a town located in Kiso District in south-central Nagano Prefecture, in the Chūbu region of Japan. As of 1 October 2016, the town had an estimated population of 20,160 and a population density of 301 persons per km². Its total area was 66.87 square kilometres (25.82 sq mi).
Contents
- Map of Shimosuwa Suwa District Nagano Prefecture 393 0000 Japan
- Geography
- Surrounding municipalities
- History
- Education
- Railway
- Highway
- International relations
- Local attractions
- Noted people from Shimosuwa
- References
Map of Shimosuwa, Suwa District, Nagano Prefecture 393-0000, Japan
Geography
Shimosuwa is located in central Nagano Prefecture, approximately 50 kilometers from the prefectural capital of Nagano city and 200 kilometers from Tokyo. The town is bordered on the south by Lake Suwa. The town has an altitude of 760 meters at the town center, and is 82% forested.
Surrounding municipalities
History
The area of present-day Shimosuwa was part of ancient Shinano Province, and was administered as part of the territories of Suwa Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate. During the Edo period, Shimosuwa-shuku developed as the 29th station on the 59-station Nakasendō highway connecting Edo with Kyoto and was also a post station on the Kōshū Kaidō.
The village of Shimosuwa was created with the establishment of the municipalities system on April 1, 1889 and was raised to town status on June30, 1893.
Education
Shimosuwa has two public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the town government, and one high school operated the Nagano Prefectural Board of Education.
Railway
Highway
International relations
Local attractions
Shimosuwa is the location of two of the shrines that make up the famous Suwa Taisha or Suwa Grand Shrine. The Harumiya (春宮) and Akimiya (秋宮) shrines are symbolically renewed every six years during the Onbashira festival. Huge trees are cut in a Shinto ceremony, then the logs are dragged from the mountains down to the shrines.
Shimosuwa is also the site of several onsen or natural hot spring spas.