Matsubara suwa jinja

Matsubara Suwa Shrine stands on the shore of Lake Matsubara at an elevation of 1123 meters.
Several shrine buildings are lined up around the lake.
Matsubara Lake is a collective name for Inako, Nagako, and Otsukiko lakes, with Suwa Shrine located on the shore of Inako Lake.
The Suwa Shrine on the southern hill of the lake is called Kamisha (Upper Shrine), and the one on the lower side is called Shimosha (Lower Shrine).

Kamisha, facing the lake, is accompanied by Yamamiya and Kumano Gongen Shrines.
The worship hall is a large irimoya-zukuri structure.
Behind it stands the main hall, a nagare-zukuri structure with one bay.
The roof features katsuogi and chigi, with railings and side screens on the sides.
Despite its size, the structure is simple and unadorned, made of plain wood.

In contrast to the large worship hall of Kamisha, the small worship hall of Shimosha, located on the opposite shore, is a gabled structure.
The main hall, designated as a town cultural property, is housed in an enclosure at the back.

The front panel doors of the main hall feature a series of vertical carvings, including a shimenawa-decorated tai ichihyōshi (sacred sake bottle) on both sides.
The side walls prominently display large carvings of the Suwa god's emblem, the kashiwa leaf.
Except for the rear wall, which is plain, the upper sections are filled with carvings.
The lower section features pine trees, cranes, and turtles; the second tier has a dragon carving on the front transom, and various carvings of young leaves, lions, and elephants on the brackets and wooden noses.
The carvings are painted in vibrant colors, including white, red, green, and black.