Moopon

One of Japan’s oldest shrines, Izumo Grand Shrine, Izumo Taisha (出雲大社) lies in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture.

No one knows the exact date of when the shrine was constructed.

However, the existence of the shrine was apparent in the early 700s according to Japan’s oldest chronicles.

Izumo Taisha’s main deity (kami) is the Okunininushi no Okami. According to legend, Okuninushi was creator of the land in which Japan lies as well as the ruler of Izumo.

He also has another role, which is the deity of good relations and marriage.

At Japanese shrines, before a prayer, we clap twice.  However, at Izumo Taisha, we clap four times—twice for ourselves and twice for our partner, present or future.

The Kamiari Festival is held at Izumo Taisha every year, from the 10th to the 17th day of the 10th lunar month.

 During this period, it is said Shinto’s eight million deities from across Japan gather at Izumo Taisha.

 The 10th lunar month is known as Kamiarizuki (“month with deities”) in Izumo and Kannazuki (“month without deities”) elsewhere in Japan.

Izumo Taisha’s grounds are quite large and spacious.  There are many torii gates and halls, that visitors can explore the grounds to see and experience the magnificence of this shrine.
 

Some places of special importance:

 Matsu no Sando: walking north of the large wooden torii gate (entrance into the shrine), the road divides into 3 paths by the pine trees.  Please do not use the center path, as it is said this path is reserved for the deities.  

 Shimenawa in Worship Hall (Haiden): as visitors enter the main shrine grounds, they will see a wooden structure with a huge sacred straw rope (shimenawa) hung across the structure. The shimenawa signifies the presence of a deity and separates divine space from the mortal world. Large shimenawa are a characteristic of this region, found also at other shrines in Izumo.

 Main Hall (Honden):  behind the worship hall, Honden is 24 meters tall.  It is the tallest shrine building in Japan.  The current structure, built in 1744, is constructed architecture style is called Taisha-zukuri.  Taisha-zukuri is a purely Japanese style which predates the entry of Buddhism into Japan.

 Jukusha:  in the outer fence area there are two long wooden structures on both sides of the main sanctuary. Jukusha is where the deities meet when they gather for their yearly meeting.
  

Access Information:
Izumo Taisha is located in the outskirts of Izumo City, about one hour west of Matsue. Izumo's main railway station is called Izumoshi Station.
 

From Izumoshi Station
From the railway station, Izumo Taisha can be reached by either train or bus.
*By Train:
**Via Ichibata Railways. Transfer trains at Kawato Station.  Disembark at Izumo Taisha-mae Station.  The journey will take about 20 minutes and the one way fare is 490 yen.
From Izumo Taisha-mae station, it takes about 5 minutes on foot to the shrine.
*By Bus:
**Board the bus from bus stop number one.  There is a bus departing the station every 30 minutes or so.  The bus ride should take about 25 minutes and the cost is 520 yen one way.
 

From Matsue City
From Matsue, Izumo Taisha is most easily reached by Ichibata Railways:
*By Train:
**Board the train from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station.  Transfer trains at Kawato Station. Disembark at Izumo Taisha-mae Station.  The journey will take about 60 minutes and the one way fare is 810 yen. (Visitors have the option of purchasing a one day pass for unlimited usage of Ichibata trains for 1500 yen)
From Izumo Taisha-mae station, it takes about 5 minutes on foot to the shrine.
**For Japan Rail Pass holder, taking a JR train from Matsue to Izumoshi Station (25-40 minutes) may be better.  For access information from Izumoshi Station, refer to the above “From Izumoshi Station” section.


 

The Otome Toge Maria Chapel (Otome Tōge Maria Seidō) was built in 1951 in memory of Christian martyr.At the beginning of Meiji Period (1868-1912).
This small rustic chapel stands in the woods west of Tsuwano Station.

Christianity was prohibited in Japan during the Edo Period (1603-1867) but there are some Japanese Christians who continued to practice their religion secretly.
After the Meiji Restoration (1867), some of them made their belief public after, partly unknowing that the ban was still in place. These Christians, mostly from Nagasaki, were sent in groups to various parts of Japan to be persuaded to abandon their religion.

One of these places was Tsuwano, where the Otome Toge Maria Chapel currently stands.Torture ensued when persuasion tactics failed, and 36 of the Christians did not survive the ordeal owing to torture.

There is a monument with a statue of Virgin Mary and a man in a cage beside the chapel, depicting the story of one of the Chirstians who was locked up and left in the cold, but stood steadfast because he reportedly saw the apparition of Virgin Mary every night.    

Facility Information:
Hours: Always open
Closed: Opened All Year Round
Admission: Free
Access Information: It takes about a 20 minute walk to get there from Tsuwano Station.

 

The Tsuwano Castle Ruins (Tsuwanojō-seki) built on a mountain ridge, 200 meters above the town center, 370meters above sea level.
The castle was first built in the late 12th century.
In the early 1600s, stone walls were added to the castle, but the main keep fired in 1686 after being struck by lightning.

The keep was never rebuilt, and the castle was decommissioned in the 1870s after the Meiji Restoration, leaving only its stone foundations today.A chair lift makes the approach to the castle easier, although around 20 minute hike through the woods is still required to get to the ruins of the main fortifications.

Grass covers the grounds where the buildings formerly stood, but the walls of the multiple circles of defense still make for an imposing sight.
Another good one is the panoramic views over Tsuwano Town that can be enjoyed from there.   

Chair lift
Hours: 9:00 to 16:30
Closed: Available on Saturdays, Sundays  from December to end February 
Admission: 350 yen (one way), 450 yen (roundtrip)
Access Information: It takes about 30 minutes to walk from Tsuwano 

 

This museum is dedicated to the local illustrator Anno Mitsumasa, who specializes in picture books and children's books.
The museum displays Anno's works and features a library of his books and a classroom with nostalgic interior decor from the Showa Period.
Its museum shop sells his books and original goods. The museum is located across the street from the station.
 

Facility Information
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at16:45) 
Closed: December 29 th to 31st and second Thursday in Mar, Jun, Sep and Dec Admission: 800 yen