Frog Shrine

#2024wish #japan #nagano This is the Nakamichi District in Matsumoto City situated in Nagano Prefecture, Chubu region. It is a small and quaint city surrounded by snowy mountain alps. This is a good base for trips into the Japanese alps like the Kurobe-Tateyama Alpine route and Kamikochi. They have small traditional shops along an old street and the street is nicknamed the “frog street”. There are many different frog statues and even a Frog shrine! Just how unique and interesting is that?! Apparently, in the past, construction of Yohashira Shrine and businesses improved, allowing people to buy items and return home after worshipping. The two acts sound phonetically identical to the word for frog (kaeru) in Japanese, thus spawning the street's colloquial label. Today, a frog statue stands at the entrance to the street to protect the businesses. I wish I can visit more unique shrines in 2024