Lake Suwa: Your Name. Scenic Spots and Real-Life Locations Guide
Lake Suwa — The Model for the Lake in Weathering With You?
The internationally acclaimed animated film Your Name. was released in 2016. Have you seen this movie?
The director, Makoto Shinkai, is from Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
Many of his works show the beautiful nature and scenery of Nagano.
Lake Suwa (Suwa-ko) is said to be one model for the lake in Your Name. It is surrounded by mountains.
This peaceful lake and the sky and clouds above it strongly reflect Nagano’s landscapes.
The “Path of the Gods” — Omiwatari on Lake Suwa
In winter, the surface of Lake Suwa rises from the southern shore to the northern shore, forming white ridges across the ice.
This mysterious phenomenon is called Omiwatari, or “the crossing of the gods.”
According to legend, it shows the path taken by the male deity, Takeminakata-no-Kami from the Upper Suwa Shrine, as he visits the female deity, Yasakatome-no-Mikoto, of the Lower Shrine.
Scientifically, it happens when the ice expands and cracks due to extreme cold.
But people saw more than just a natural event. They saw a sacred path made by the gods.
This way of finding divine presence in nature reflects an important aspect of Japanese culture and spirituality.
It reminds us that nature and faith have always been deeply connected in Japan.
Yatsurugi Shrine — A Sacred Place to Welcome the Gods
Yatsurugi Shrine, located on the east side of Lake Suwa, is deeply connected to Omiwatari.
During the “Owatari Ritual,” priests walk on the frozen lake to confirm the path of the ice.
Then, they officially recognize it as Omiwatari.
Through this ceremony, people feel the presence of gods in nature.
It reflects a traditional Japanese way of faith.
In 2018, people were able to witness Omiwatari.
But in recent years, the lake has rarely frozen due to global warming.
As a result, the divine path has not appeared.
In this way, Japan’s nature, myths, and traditions show how deeply culture and faith are connected.
Tateishi Park — A Popular Spot Among Fans
Tateishi Park is located on a hill overlooking Lake Suwa. From here, you can take in a panoramic view of the entire lake.
It is said to be one of the models for the lake seen in Your Name.
It has become a well-known pilgrimage site for fans, attracting many visitors.
Especially at sunset, when the sun dips below the lake, the view is stunning. Many people come to take photos.
Japanese of the Day / 今日の日本語
- Word：君 (きみ / kimi) – you (informal)
- Meaning：Kimi is an informal way to say “you” in Japanese. It is rarely used in daily conversation today.
You mostly see it in movie titles, novels, or song lyrics. - Example：映画『君の名は。』は世界中で人気です。(Eiga “Kimi no Na wa.” wa sekaijū de ninki desu.)
(The movie Your Name is popular all over the world.) - Fun Fact：If someone says kimi to you in real life, it can feel distant or formal.
It is not commonly used in everyday conversation.
Lake Suwa and Yatsurugi Shrine still reflect the heart of Japanese culture.
In my Japanese Culture Course, you can explore how language connects with nature and tradition.
Let’s discover the stories behind Japanese words together.
◆ Would you like to practice speaking Japanese? ◆
In my lessons, you can use Japanese a lot and learn to speak naturally with me.
Near Lake Suwa, the setting for the movie Your Name,
you can also find the old Okaya City Hall, which was used in the filming of Godzilla 1.0.
Lake Suwa also appears as one of the filming locations in Banjo no Himawari:
Banjo no Himawari: The Sunflower on the Shogi Board – Movie Review and Locations
諏訪湖（すわこ）─『天気の子』の湖のモデル？
世界的に有名なアニメ映画『君の名は。』は、2016年に公開されました。あなたはこの作品を観ましたか？
監督をつとめたのは、長野県出身の新海誠（しんかい まこと）監督。彼の作品には、長野の自然や風景が登場します。
諏訪湖（すわこ）は、映画『君の名は。』に出てくる湖のモデルの一つだといわれています。
山々に囲まれた静かな湖、そこに広がる空と雲の描写には、信州（長野県）の風景が色濃く投影されています。
湖に現れる「神の通り道」
冬の諏訪湖では、南の岸から北の岸へかけて氷が盛り上がり、白い山脈のような筋ができます。
これは「御神渡り（おみわたり）」と呼ばれます。
諏訪大社上社の建御名方命（たけみなかたのかみ／男神）が、下社の八坂刀売命（やさかとめのみこと／女神）のもとへ通った跡だと伝えられています。
自然現象としては、寒さによる氷の膨張でできる裂け目です。
しかし、人々はそこに“神の通り道”を見ました。
自然の中に神の存在を感じるという考え方は、日本文化を理解するうえでも大切な視点です。
八剣神社──神を迎える祈りの場所
諏訪湖の東側にある八剣神社（やつるぎじんじゃ）は、「御神渡り」と深く結びついた神社です。
こちらの神社では「御渡り神事」が行われ、神職が氷の道筋を確認して「御神渡り」と認定します。
この行事は、自然の変化を通して神の存在を感じる、日本人の信仰の姿を伝えています。
2018年には御神渡りを見ることができました。
しかし近年は、地球の温暖化の影響で諏訪湖が凍ることが少なくなり、御神渡りを見ることはできなくなっています。
このように、日本には自然や神話、伝統行事を通して感じられる文化の豊かさがあります。
立石公園──ファンに人気の絶景スポット
立石公園（たていしこうえん）は、諏訪湖の高台にあります。ここからは、諏訪湖全体を一望できる景色が広がります。
映画『君の名は。』に登場する湖のモデルの一つといわれ、ファンの間で有名な聖地となっており、多くの人が訪れます。
特に、湖に夕陽が沈んでいく時間帯は、美しい光景が広がり、写真を撮る人の姿も多く見られます。
映画『君の名は。』の舞台になった諏訪湖の近くには、映画『ゴジラ-1.0』の撮影に使われた旧岡谷市役所もあります。
さらに、映画『盤上の向日葵（Banjo no Himawari）』にも、諏訪湖（Suwa Lake）がロケ地として登場します。：
Banjo no Himawari: The Sunflower on the Shogi Board – Movie Review and Locations
