Izumo City Photo by SHOKO TAKAYASU

IZUMO
Izumo City

Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture

Izumo City

During Kamiarizuki, the month of the gods, deities from all over Japan gather at Izumo Taisha Shrine.
After the “Divine Counseling” meeting where various bonds are forged,
a sacred banquet called “Naorai” is held at Mankusen Shrine,
and the gods depart with hopes of meeting again.

Izumo is a place where the origin stories of Japan are passed down, including sumo,
and where the largest royal tomb clusters of the Yayoi period
and the unearthing of 358 bronze swords leave traces of ancient power.

It is also a place where visitors have long formed important bonds.

ACCESS

Shimane Prefecture

OSAKA IZUMO CITY
Osaka
From Shin-Osaka Station
About 3h 50m total
Shinkansen Shinkansen
About 50m
Okayama Station
Train Train
About 3h
Izumo City, Shimane

Izumo Taisha Shrine

Izumo Taisha Shrine enshrines Okuninushi-no-Mikoto, who forms the precious bonds that allow all living things to flourish together. Within the grounds is Nomi no Sukune Shrine, dedicated to Nomi no Sukune — ancestral deity of the Izumo no Kuni no Miyatsuko and the founder of sumo. Every year, the “Nomi no Sukune Wanpaku Sumo Tournament” is held at the nearby ring to pray for the growth of children.

Izumo Taisha Shrine Photo by SHOKO TAKAYASU
Inasa Beach Photo by SHOKO TAKAYASU

Inasa Beach

Inasa Beach is the setting for the myth of the transfer of the land, and welcomes gods from all over Japan during Kamiarizuki. Sono-no-Nagahama is said to be where the “tug rope” from the land-pulling myth became a 13.5km coastal sand dune, and beyond that is Mt. Sanbe, where the rope was anchored. To the north stands Hinomisaki Shrine, said to protect Japan through the night — natural landscapes connected to mythology that shift and change each day.

In Izumo, shrines are carefully protected, including Susa Shrine where Susanoo-no-Mikoto is said to have appeased the spirits, and festivals and kagura dances are still performed today. The area around Izumo Taisha Shrine, which has welcomed many worshippers since ancient times, has a unique food culture including Izumo soba, uzuni simmered dishes served at festivals, and Izumo zenzai, as well as folk crafts rooted in the daily lives of the people.

Photo by SHOKO TAKAYASU