Tsujidō Suwa Jinja (辻堂諏訪神社)

Suwa Jinja

Torii and a stone marker engraved "諏訪神社"

Suwa Jinja (諏訪神社) is a Shinto shrine located southeast of Tsujido Station in the Tsujidomotomachi District of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture. It is currently a kenmu-sha (jointly administered shrine) of Koudaijingu, and enshrines Takeminakata-no-Mikoto (建御名方命) and Yasakatome-no-Mikoto (八坂刀売命) — kami (deities) originally worshipped at Suwa Taisha, a Shinto shrine near Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture. Suwa Jinja is believed to have been founded in 1159.

In the Kamakura period (1185–1333), Suwa Taisha rose to prominence as a shrine revered for war and bravery, attracting visits from samurai and influential families. Many villages along the route from Kamakura to Suwa have enshrined goshintai (objects believed where kami reside) brought back from the shrine.

To officially receive a divided spirit from Suwa Taisha, it had to be granted into a "nagigama" (sickle), which then served as the goshintai of the new shrine. However, because this could only occur once every six years, natural objects — stones, plants, or other items from Suwa Taisha — were used as goshintai.

In the case of Suwa Jinja in Tsujido, the nagigama unfortunately no longer exists, presumably lost in a fire, and a different object currently serves as a goshintai.

Seen as a protector in wartime, the popularity of Suwa worship grew nationwide, with Tsujido being no expection, between World War I and World War II. Before being sent off to war, local soldiers would undergo rituals at Suwa Jinja, and the entire village would gather at Tsujido Station to see them off.

Suwa Jinja's Reitaisai (grand annual festival) is held every July 26–27. The date corresponds with the Misayama Festival, originally a harvest celebration held from July 26–28 (according to the lunar calendar) at Suwa Taisha. After the Meiji period (1868–1912) shift to the Gregorian calendar, most Suwa branch shrines moved their festivals to August 26–28. However, Suwa Jinja, which had likely been unmanaged until its major reconstruction in the Taisho period (1912–1926), never adopted the date change and continues to celebrate in July.

Suwa Jinja during Reitaisai

A major highlight of the festival is the appearance of four elaborate ningyo dashi (doll floats) from the neighboring areas of Higashicho (東町), Nishimachi (西町), Minamicho (南町), and Kitamachi (北町). These 8-meter floats feature life-sized dolls and rotating platforms and are believed to date back to the early Meiji period (1868–1912). In 1993, they were designated as cultural assets by the city of Fujisawa.

The original shrine hall was destroyed by fire in 1631 and again in 1824, with reconstruction completed in 1825. It underwent several repairs after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, but as aging progressed, it was eventually dismantled. As part of a major reconstruction project during the Heisei period (1989–2019), the new shrine hall and its accompanying facilities were rebuilt between August 1998 and July 2000.

Reference:

• 南町お囃子保存会. (n.d.). 辻堂両諏訪神社. 南町お囃子保存会. http://minamichou.com/?page_id=181