Izumo Taisha is one of the most ancient and important shrines in Japan. It is located in the city of Izumo in Shimane Prefecture, on the western coast of the main island of Honshu. The shrine is dedicated to the god Okuninushi, who is believed to be the god of marriage and relationships, and it is also believed the Okuninushi created the land of Japan.
Japan boasts an incredibly rich and ancient history. Its primary religion, Shintoism appears a lot in this history and to understand Japanese history and culture an understanding of Shintoism is very much necessary. Because it is such an old and storied religion, Shintoism boasts an enormous amount of shrines and sacred sites. One of those sacred sites, is Izumo Taisha. Izumo Taisha is so old that there is no accurate record of when it was founded. It is one of the first shrines to have built in Japan, with estimates of its founding being around the early 700’s.
One of the most unique features of Izumo Taisha is its massive shimenawa, a sacred rope made of rice straw that is said to symbolize the boundary between the human and divine worlds. The shimenawa at Izumo Taisha is said to be the largest in Japan and is replaced every year during a special ceremony.
The main shrine is just beyond the entrance buildings and consists of three large inner shrines encircled by a wall. You can’t actually enter the main shrine; most Japanese pray near one of the entrances instead. At most Shinto shrines, the common prayer ritual involves bowing twice, claping twice followed by the ringing of a bell to summon the attention of the gods. However, Izumo Taisha is unique in that worshipers clap four times not two. As Okuninushi is the god of marriage and relations, the additional claps when worshipping at Izumo Taisha are to represent the partner in the relationship or the desired partner.
The best time of year to visit Izumo Taisha is during November which is known in Japan as the month of the gods. From the 10th-17th of the 10th lunar month, the Japanese believe that all the Shinto gods come to Izumo for a month long conference. When visiting Izumo Taisha, one can noticed the Jukusha near the shrine, which are the accommodation for the deities. During this time there are many festivals and events in Izumo so it is definitely worth a visit, however be warned that accommodation is limited.
Visitors to the shrine can also have a glimpse of the treasure hall, which contains paintings, and other various significant pieces. While Izumo Taisha is free to visit any time of the day, the treasure hall has a fee of 300JPY, and is open from 8:30am – 4:30pm
Hours and Admission
- Hours: 24/7
- Free
- Average Time Spent: 45 Minutes
- Official Website (Japanese)
Access
Getting to Izumo is relatively simple. There is a bus from Hiroshima station that will get you to the shrine itself in about two hours. The bus leaves every hour or so from right outside Hiroshima station. There is also a limited express train to Izumo station from Okayama station. I had to take this on the way back as I misread my bus ticket. It takes about three hours and costs about 5000 yen. The bus is approximately 3000 yen one way. There is a separate Izumo Electric Railway train from the main Izumo station to Izumo Taisha, you will need to go to a separate building to get on it and buy a ticket there. It costs about 500 yen one way.
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