Lake Suwa's 'God's Crossing' remains absent and highlights changing climate

Shinto priests at Nagano's Lake Suwa recorded an 'open sea' season after the miwatari (God's Crossing) failed to appear, continuing an absence that began in 2018. The shrine's consecutive observations, kept since 1443, are used by researchers to track long-term change.

Shinto priests and parishioners gathered before dawn at Nagano's Lake Suwa to watch for miwatari, known as the "God's Crossing." The phenomenon appears when the lake surface freezes fully and cracks form ridges that have long been linked to local ritual. The shrine's consecutive observations run from 1443, and priests have added temperature and ice-thickness notes in recent decades. After a full freeze in late January, the surface melted and on February 4 the priest declared an "open sea," meaning the miwatari did not appear this season. Key facts: - The miwatari (God's Crossing) has not been observed since 2018, extending a multi-year absence. - The shrine's chronicle contains consecutive observations dating to 1443, with priests formally recording the event from 1683. - Researchers note full lake freezes require several days below −10°C, and morning temperatures have often been warmer since the 1980s. - On February 4 the priest declared an "open sea" for this season and the outcome will be entered into the shrine's records. Summary: The continued absence of the miwatari reduces occasions for the shrine's ritual and contributes to a long-term observational archive used by researchers. Shrine officials and researchers report the recent pattern alongside broader warming trends, and this season will be recorded as an "open sea."