Suwa

Suwa (諏訪市; Suwa-shi) is a city/town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. She is belongings and have deep cultural connections to Lake Suwa. As of 1 March 2019, the city had an estimated population of 48,972 in 20,698 households, and a population density of 452 persons per km². The total area of the city is 109.17 square kilometres (42.15 sq mi).

Per Japanese census data, the population of Suwa peaked around the year 2000 and has declined since. Suwa has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 15 members.

History

This section also includes a part of Touhou lore since it influenced Suwa city itself.

Historical Context

The area of Suwa city were habited since Paleolithic era. The Grand Shrine of Suwa (existing since the 7th century) consists of two sites on Lake Suwa: the Upper Shrine in Suwa and Chino, and the Lower Shrine in Shimosuwa. Suwa Clan controlled these area since Nara Period (710-794), with a symbolic child priest (ōhōri) considered a reincarnation of the god Takeminakata, and real authority held by the position of jinchōkan.

According to legend, during the Yamato period, the god Takeminakata fought and defeated the iron-wielding goddess Moreya using a wisteria vine, leading to his worship in the region as a mountain god. Despite political changes, the shrine remained important. During the two Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281, Takeminakata supported Japan. The Takeda Clan conquered Suwa in 1542, but valued Takeminakata. Later, under the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Suwa clan returned to power and ruled the Suwa domain. But, the Meiji reforms in 1868 ended Suwa's priestly authority. During the post-Meiji reformations, on 1 April 1889, village of Kamisuwa was founded. On 20 April 1891, Kamisuwa got elevated to town status. After merging with Shiga and Toyoda villages, Kamisuwa became the Suwa city on 10 August 1941.

City

Suwa city was officially formed on 10 August 1941 when Kamisuwa merged with the villages of Shiga and Toyoda.

The last Suwa ōhōri died in 2002.

When the Touhou Project Mountain of Faith was released in 17 August 2007, Suwa has became more popular because of the Moriya Shrine owned by gods Kanako Yasaka, Suwako Moriya and the shrine maiden Sanae Kochiya. The Moriya Shrine is based on the real-life Suwa Grand Shrine.

Climate

Suwa has a climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and relatively mild but cold winters. The average annual temperature in the city is 11.4 °C (52.5 °F), while the average annual rainfall is 1,301.5 mm (51.24 in) with July as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 24.1 °C (75.4 °F), and lowest in January, at around −1.1 °C (30.0 °F).

Local Attractions

• Omiwatari (御神渡り) is a currently rare (because of the global warming) phenomenon that happens at Lake Suwa. During the cold night, lake is being frozen and ice forms like a dragon's tail. There's a local folklore that Yasakatome, Takeminakata's wife, arrives from the Northern shrine to the Southern shrine to visit her husband.
• Onbashira festival held every six years (in the years of the Tiger and the Monkey). As part of the event, very large trees up in the hills are felled and brought down into the valley, pulling them with ropes and sliding them down hills. To demonstrate their bravery, young men from the area ride on the logs as they hurtle down the slopes.
• Sunritz Hattori Museum of Arts (サンリツ服部美術館, Sanritsu Hattori bijutsukan), located on the shore of Lake Suwa. Designed by Shōzō Uchii, it opened in 1995.
• Takashima Castle (高島城 Takashima-jō). The castle is also known as "The Floating Castle of Suwa" (諏訪の浮城 Suwa-no-uki-shirō) or Shimazaki Castle (島崎城 Shimazaki-jō). It was the home to the Suwa Clan.

Relationships

Friends

• Shimosuwa - We have similar traditions but we're located on different sides of the Suwa Lake.
• Chino - Together we're a part of Upper Shrine.
• Japanese Red Cross - I need to have some medical examinations every year.

Frenemies

• Moriya - I see that you were named after mine native god (including Suwako) associated with me. Also you have some shrine for your character, just don't bet your hand that in my city, someone else claimed the shrine.

Symbolics

Yuru-kyara

Official mascot of the Suwa's city and police station is a moe-kyara character named Suwa-hime (諏訪姫), a princess who lived in Takashima Castle 500 years ago during Sengoku Period. She is recorded as a concubine of Takeda Shingen. She's pure-hearted and slightly airheaded girl who accidentally time-traveled to the present times while playing behind the castle. With her innocent and cute charm, she quickly became the neighborhood's favorite character. Now she's living with high school girl named Suwako. The "town's youngest daughter" who easily bonds with anyone and gets to enjoy meals at other people's homes. The first Western ( Indian, but all Indo-European) dish she ever ate was curry.

• Gender: Female
• Favorite food: curry, salt yokan and pickled daikon

She has a friend named Suwako who is 16-years old and a high school girl with strong personality and good grades who loves to visit places lonely to take pictures and nap. During her long-awaited visit to Takashima Castle, she was suddenly hit on the head by Suwa-hime who fell from above, and she decided to take on the risky task of guiding her. Now Suwa-hime lives together at her house.

Characters are owned by PMOA/PLUM company, the same one who makes figures of characters like Zundamon.

Suwa-hime is also included in TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Rally Challenge organized in April at Chino and her team won.

How to draw

Flag of Suwa

Suwa has a drawing rating of intermediate.

1. Draw a ball.
2. Fill it with purple.
3. Draw the seal of Suwa in white in the middle.
4. Add Japanese eyes and you're done!

Color Name		HEX
	Purple	#51185F
	White	#FFFFFF

Gallery

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