Ashinaga Shrine

Ashinaga Shrine in Suwa City, Nagano, is an outer shrine of Suwa Taisha Kamisha, dedicated to Ashinazuchi no Mikoto. Situated on the hillside of the Kuwabara Castle ruins, it was once called Ogimiya for its thatched roof. During the Daido era (806–810), Arikazū, an ancestor of the Suwa Taisha Kamisha high priests, revered this shrine and built a grand hall, after which it was enrolled among the subordinate shrines of Kamisha. In earlier times, when Kuwabara was a single township, Ashinaga and Tenaga were worshipped together; they were later separated, with Ashinaga enshrined as the tutelary deity of Kami-Kuwabara. Revered as a deity of strong legs, the shrine draws pilgrims seeking protection for travelers and healing of leg ailments. The main hall, worship hall, and dance hall are designated Tangible Cultural Properties of Suwa City.