Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine

Izumo Taisha is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, dedicated to Okuninushi no Okami, the deity of relationships and nation-building. The main hall stands 24 meters tall, built in the taisha-zukuri style, which is among the earliest forms of shrine architecture in Japan. Historical records suggest it once stood 48 meters. The Kagura-den's sacred straw rope weighs 5.2 tons and measures 13.6 meters. In the 10th lunar month, all Shinto deities from across Japan are said to gather here. Visitors clap four times during prayers: twice for themselves, twice for their partners.