Shimosuwa, Nagano

Shimosuwa
下諏訪町
Town
Shimosuwa Town Hall

Flag
Seal

Location of Shimosuwa in Nagano Prefecture
Shimosuwa
 
Coordinates: 36°4′10.4″N 138°4′48.7″E / 36.069556°N 138.080194°E / 36.069556; 138.080194Coordinates: 36°4′10.4″N 138°4′48.7″E / 36.069556°N 138.080194°E / 36.069556; 138.080194
Country Japan
Region Chūbu (Kōshin'etsu)
Prefecture Nagano
District Suwa
Area
 • Total 66.87 km2 (25.82 sq mi)
Population (October 2016)
 • Total 20,160
 • Density 301/km2 (780/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+9 (Japan Standard Time)
Symbols  
• Tree Sakura
• Flower Azalea
Phone number 0266-27-1111
Address 4613-8 Nishitakanochō, Shimosuwa-machi, Suwa-gun, Nagano-ken　 393-8501
Website http://www.town.shimosuwa.lg.jp/
Lake Suwa from Shimosuwa town

Shimosuwa (下諏訪町, Shimosuwa-machi) is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, 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 is 66.87 square kilometres (25.82 sq mi).

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.

Transportation

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.

Notable people from Shimosuwa

References

  1. ↑ "International Exchange". List of Affiliation Partners within Prefectures. Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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