Lake Suwa
In antiquity, the water level of Lake Suwa was five to six meters higher than it currently is; the lake thus originally came up near the "Honmiya" before it shrunk into its present size. Indeed, the wooden "torii" gate at the shrine's northwest end is known as the "Namiyoke" (波除 'Wave-Repelling') "Torii". The shrine is now located approximately 5.2 kilometers (3.23 miles) away from the lake's shores.