Suwa-jinja Shrine

Between 7 and 9 October, this enormous shrine comes to life with the dragon dance of Kunchi Matsuri, Nagasaki's most important annual celebration. Inside you will find a number of cutesy komainu (prayer dogs!). Be sure to see the kappa-komainu (water-sprite dog, which you pray to by dribbling water on the plate on its head) and the gan-kake komainu (turn-table dog). The latter was used by prostitutes, who prayed that storms would arrive soon, forcing the sailors to stay at the port another day.

Suwa-jinja was established in 1625 and its forested hilltop setting is meditative indeed. Tram lines 3, 4 and 5 run to the Suwa-jinja-mae stop.