⛪ Church / Cathedral
Izumo Taisha Grand Shrine
One of Japan's oldest and greatest Shinto shrines, hung with colossal sacred straw ropes.
Typical duration
90 min
Price
Free (grounds)
From port
55 km / 34.2 mi
Transfer time
75 min
Indoor / Outdoor
outdoor
Queue risk
medium
🕐 Best time to visit
Morning, before tour groups fill the approach
Izumo Taisha is among the oldest and most sacred Shinto shrines in Japan, dedicated to Okuninushi, the deity of marriage and good relationships, and said to host all the gods of Japan each autumn. Its great hall is hung with colossal shimenawa - sacred straw ropes weighing several tonnes - and worshippers here clap four times rather than the usual two. The long pine-lined approach and the surrounding old town reward a slow visit.
Getting there from the port
About 75 minutes by hire car or taxi tour; rail is long and multi-leg