Suwa

Suwa City, located in the central part of Nagano Prefecture, is the hometown of director Makoto Shinkai and also the real-life sacred place that served as the prototype for "Itomori Lake," a core scene in the film "Your Name." The biggest highlight here is undoubtedly Lake Suwa. To relive the emotion of the "Kataware-doki" (twilight) moment from the film, it is recommended to visit Tateishi Park, located halfway up the mountain. From there, overlooking the scene, the circular lake basin topography and the surrounding mountains perfectly replicate the view Taki saw during "Kataware-doki" (twilight), especially at sunset, when the evening sun casts its glow on the lake, as if a comet is about to streak across the sky. Besides the pilgrimage, there is also the famous Suwa Grand Shrine (one of Japan's oldest shrines, known for its spectacular Onbashira Festival) and Kamisuwa Onsen (hot springs) by the lake, making it an excellent place to experience "Japan's original scenery."