Photo: Saigen Jiro, CC0.
Izumo Taisha area
landmark
Izumo Taisha area
出雲大社周辺
Overview
Japan's oldest shrine compound and the surrounding pilgrimage village in western Shimane.
Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine is one of the oldest Shinto sites in Japan and the ancestral home of Okuninushi, the deity of relationships. The compound's giant shimenawa rope, replaced once a decade, is among the largest in the country. The surrounding village holds the smaller Soga-no-Yashiro shrine just inside the gates, the long-running Izumo Soba Warigo restaurant on the approach, and Yomeiji Temple a short walk to the south-east. Most pilgrims arrive on the seasonal one-day train from Matsue and spend half a day on the shrine grounds plus the surrounding lanes.
Local tips
Bow twice, clap four times (not the standard two) at the main hall — Izumo Taisha follows its own etiquette. Visit early morning to beat the tour-bus arrivals.
Practical info
- Japanese name
- 出雲大社周辺
- Nearest station
- Izumotaisha-mae (10 min walk)
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