Japan
Izumo
The shrine where eight million gods gather each October, leaving Japan godless.
Every October, the gods leave their shrines across Japan and gather here. In the rest of the country, the month is called Kannazuki — the month without gods. In Izumo, it is Kamiarizuki — the month with gods. The distinction has drawn pilgrims for over a thousand years.
Izumo Taisha is one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan, predating written records. Its shimenawa sacred rope, stretching thirteen metres and weighing five tonnes, hangs above the main hall where visitors clap four times instead of the usual two — two claps for yourself, two for the person you hope to meet. The shrine is dedicated to Ōkuninushi, the deity of relationships and good fortune. The surrounding town retains an unhurried Meiji-era atmosphere, with soba shops lining the approach road and a preserved Taishō-period railway station still in daily use.
Solo
The shrine's spiritual weight lands differently when experienced alone. The soba trail along Shinmon-dōri and the quiet Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo fill a contemplative day.
Couple
Izumo Taisha is Japan's pre-eminent shrine for en-musubi — the tying of romantic bonds. Couples clap four times together beneath the shimenawa, then share warigo soba from stacking lacquer bowls.
- Izumo Taisha is considered the oldest shrine in Japan — its shimenawa sacred rope weighs five tonnes.
- Every October, eight million Shinto gods are said to gather here — the rest of Japan calls it the 'month without gods'.
- The approach road to the shrine passes through pine groves planted in the 1600s, still shading the path.
- Warigo soba — cold buckwheat noodles served in stacked round lacquer boxes — is eaten with a raw egg and dashi.
Izumo soba served round-style in three stacking lacquer bowls with dashi and toppings.
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