[Shinto Shrine] Tsujido Suwa Jinja (辻堂諏訪神社)

Suwa Jinja during the Reitaisai

Suwa Jinja (諏訪神社) is a Shinto shrine located southeast of Tsujido Station in the Tsujidomotomachi District of Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Suwa Jinja (辻堂諏訪神社)

Torii & stone monument engraved "諏訪神社"

It is a kenmu-sha of Koudaijingu and enshrines Takeminakata-no-Mikoto (建御名方命) and Yasakatome-no-Mikoto (八坂刀売命), kami from Suwa Taisha in Nagano Prefecture.  The shrine is believed to have been founded in 1159 and its current building was completed in July 2000.

One of the main events at Suwa Jinja is the Reitaisai (例大祭), an annual festival held from July 26-27.  During this festival, four ornate doll floats from the neighboring areas of Higashicho (東町), Nishicho (西町), Minamicho (南町), and Kitacho (北町) are brought to the shrine as offerings.  These 8-meter floats, featuring life-sized dolls and capable of rotating, are believed to have been crafted during the early Meiji period.  In 1993, they were designated as cultural assets by the city of Fujisawa.