Suwa Shrine

The diverse collection of komainu (guardian lion-dogs) with fun legends behind them was a pleasant surprise. Visited at night and it was so peaceful. The stairs up are a bit long, but totally worth it for the calm atmosphere and beautiful city lights at the top. A perfect spot for a quiet moment in Nagasaki.

Worth all the steps up to the shrine and temple. The steps can be a bit rocky so be careful. Once you’ve made it to the top it’s a great view of the city. You can walk around the temple but can’t go in. Don’t forget to walk around the side and back where you will find the torii gates and it’s a great photo opportunity. There’s toilets and vending machines off to right at the main temple. You can access the park from here too.

This was the only shrine in Nagasaki where I received a goshuin, which cost around ¥500. It was drizzling when we visited, making the stairs slippery and uneven, so be sure to hold on to the handrails. The climb up is quite long, but reaching the shrine and offering a prayer made it all worth it. Visited in the last week of September.

A beautiful and peaceful shrine, perfect for those looking to experience a spiritual and cultural site in the city. With no entrance fee and fewer crowds during the weekdays, it offers a quiet and reflective atmosphere. The temple grounds are well maintained, featuring traditional architecture, sacred monuments, and a serene ambiance. As an important Shinto shrine, it holds deep historical and cultural significance. A great place to explore, appreciate Japan’s spiritual heritage, and enjoy a moment of tranquility 🧘away from the city's busy streets.

We visited Suwa Shrine 諏訪神社 in October. This is a sprawling Shinto shrine located a top a very long set of stairs. During our visit, they were setting up for a festival so there were plenty of workers climbing up and down the stairs. It was super hot on this day which made the climb up the stairs a bit tiring. One you get up the main steps, there's plenty of things to look at and you can also walk to other nearby shrines in the area.

One of the most beautiful and tranquil shrine in Nagasaki! The shrine being located at a mountain top takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the city which helps to relax and calm you.The shrine itself was large, spacious and well-kept which added to the tranquilness. The highlight for me was it has one of the best overview shot of the city of Nagasaki that I have seen. I managed to get a goshuin and a limited edition autumn charm which was awesome. Overall, highly recommend making a pitstop here to reset your mind and body!

Beautiful big shrine overlooking Nagasaki. It’s a bit of a hike up the 277 stone steps but well worth it. There is a koi pond, a waterfall, and a small shrine with many torii behind it. Nearby there is a free zoo, an “unusual road” with trees growing down the middle, and another shrine Matsumori Tenmangu with a cute flock of chickens.

For anyone looking to visit here for late night walks, this place was hauntingly serene. Barely any visitors around 10pm. The koi pond and main temple are accessible at all times. However, the long walkway with many toriis was unfortunately closed off after regular visiting hours. No entrance fee just walk up and explore peacefully

Of all the temples we visited in Nagasaki this one was the best one. It was located on a hill with views of Nagasaki so be prepared for a hike up and down unless you take a cab. The front entrance was the most scenic and a straight climb up around 200 plus steps. There also was a back way that we took from the Museum of History and Culture. The path meandered through a residential area but also had terraces snd benches scattered along the way if you wanted to stop and rest. On the temple grounds were a nice garden, short row of toriis and many small altars scattered around. The main temple was closed off with glass doors and seemed to be hosting a small ceremony when we visited. Overall very picturesque and serene. Not many visitors on a weekday afternoon so we were fortunate.