Let us now exit the inn and stroll along the trail, where the Susukigawa River runs along. It is a natural aquarium — a habitat for char and salmon, of course, but sculpin and salamanders also call this river home.

Legend has it that the river’s water comes not from rain, but from the heavens themselves. As a result, villagers have kept an ancient custom of bathing in its waters as a purification rite before visiting the shrine.

Many of the Matsumoto City shrines have their inner shrines located around Myojinkan. While one of those is indeed Susukigawa’s own, the god enshrined there actually sailed from here on a silvergrass boat, giving himself over to the current until it led him inside Matsumoto City. A different shrine, the Susukimizu Shrine, was then built at the place the god arrived. To illustrate how important the water is here, consider that Matsumoto is famous for its soba noodles. However, this is because the lack of water led them to cultivate buckwheat instead of rice. The deity that protects that precious water is also enshrined at Susukigawa.

The abundantly flowing waters of the mountains and valleys are responsible for the arable regions near the foothills, watering the rice fields and helping develop religion and culture. Their fountainhead is right here. That is why this place hosts an inner shrine and many gods besides – gods who are said to flock here for the hot springs. Everything is connected.

Nothing awaits us beyond this point, not even houses. As such, you will not even find tap water. The taps at Myojinkan run with pure mountain water, the same water they use in their cuisine. The ryokan is located inside a quasi-national park, an area where development is essentially forbidden. However, because Myojinkan has existed since before that designation, it is miraculously allowed to persist. Thus, it could be said that Myojinkan is the guardian of this area, the source from which all the waters of this region flow.

※This guide was created based on documents and interviews and includes some interpretation done by us at ON THE TRIP. Theories differ between experts, so try to find out what really happened on your travels!