Suwa, Industrial city in Nagano Prefecture, Japan
Suwa is a city in Nagano Prefecture along the northern shore of Lake Suwa, surrounded by mountains and natural hot springs at an elevation of around 2490 feet (760 meters). The streets run parallel to the water and lead through residential neighborhoods with low buildings and precision manufacturing facilities.
During the Edo period, the location served as a castle town and developed into a center for watchmaking and precision machinery in the 20th century. After World War Two, companies producing electronic components and measuring devices established themselves here.
Local craftspeople maintain a centuries-old tradition of precision work, still producing timepieces and technical instruments in small workshops today. At the public bathhouses along the lakeshore, residents meet to use the hot springs and talk with one another.
The train station connects the city with Tokyo and Nagoya in about two hours and offers connections to other places in Nagano. Walking paths along the lake and to the public baths are flat and clearly marked.
In winter, natural cracks form on the frozen surface of the lake through pressure changes, creating geometric patterns known as Omiwatari. People once believed these lines showed the path of a deity walking across the ice.
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