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Izumo Taisha: The Shrine You Must Visit At Least Once
Once a year, Japan’s multitude of gods leave the rest of the country. Where do they gather? At Izumo Taisha.
By Jay Allen
Once a year, Japan’s many gods hold an annual conference — the Kamihakari (神議り) — to discuss matters such as agriculture and marriage. Their gathering place? Izumo Taisha (Izumo Grand Shrine; officially Izumo Ooyashiro), a sprawling, awe-inspiring shrine located in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. Learn why people in Japan say that Izumo Taisha is worth at least one visit in your lifetime.
Izumo Taisha and enmusubi
Izumo Taisha is a Shinto shrine that enshrines the god Ookuninushi-no-ookami (大国主大神). In Shinto mythology, Ookuninushi, one of the descendants of the god Susanoo, was the original ruler of the Earth who ceded the land to a descendent of Amaterasu. This reputedly began the imperial line of succession from the Shinto goddess Amaterasu that persists through today’s imperial family. In exchange for this kindness, Amaterasu gave Izumo Taisha to Ookuninushi.
In the rest of Japan, November is known as Kannazuki (神無月), or the month in which there are…
