 Most viewed - Izumo 出雲市 |
Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden with the iconic giant shimenawa sacred rope weighing 5 tons. Built in 1981. 神楽殿と注連縄325 views
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Izumo Taisha's Honden built in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿270 views
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Giant torii as it looked years ago, minus the new paint job.197 views
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Izumo, Shimane manhole. Shows Hinomisaki lighthouse.183 views
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Haiden and Honden behind it.177 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablet for the Year of the Dog.171 views
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Izumo Taisha's Haiden worship hall where you can hold prayers and other ceremonies like in a church. Rebuilt in 1959 after the previous one was lost in a fire in 1953. 拝殿163 views
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Haiden and shimenawa sacred rope 拝殿. The Haiden was built in 1959 after the original building was destroyed by fire in 1953.161 views
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Sando path to the shrine. 参道155 views
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Lots of people took selfies here in front of the torii and big stone pillar engraved with "IZUMO TAISHA." For Instagram of course.148 views
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Without the tents.140 views
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Second torii to Izumo Taisha.132 views
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Lots of people took selfies here in front of the torii and big stone pillar engraved with "IZUMO TAISHA." For Instagram of course.129 views
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Omikuji charms.129 views
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Izumo Hinosaki Lighthouse 出雲日御碕燈台126 viewsWent there by bicycle.
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124 views
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JR Izumo-shi Station in the 1990s.122 views
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Izumo Taisha's Honden, a National Treasure. The V-shaped roof ornaments (chigi), an unmistakable trademark of Shinto, also look slightly different from other shrine architectural styles.122 views
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Giant shimenawa straw rope of Izumo Taisha Shrine's Kaguraden, the largest sacred rope in Japan. Weighs 5 tons.122 views
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Tachikue Gorge 立久恵峡121 views
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Taisha Station, closed in 1990 and preserved as an Important Cultural Property. 大社駅120 views
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This center path is reserved for the gods visiting Izumo Taisha. Humans have to walk on the side paths to the shrine. 参道120 views
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On New Year's Day 2018, many people visit Izumo Taisha Shrine by car. Lots of parking was provided, but I always saw the "Full" sign.117 views
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Map of Izumo Taisha's central buildings centering on the Honden.101 views
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Photo of the Izumo Taisha Honden. Built in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿98 views
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97 views
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Izumo Taisha Shrine is one of Japan's Top Three most famous and important Shinto shrines. Historically, it may be Japan's oldest shrine. The Honden hall is a National Treasure.95 viewsIzumo Taisha Shrine's first torii called Otorii (Giant Torii). I visited Izumo Taisha on New Year's Day Jan. 1, 2018. 大鳥居
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Honden (largest and tallest structure) flanked on both sides by smaller shrines.95 views
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94 views
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94 views
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New Year's94 views
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The large roof of the Honden Hall (god's residence) can be seen in the center.93 views
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93 views
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It is unknown exactly what Izumo Taisha's Honden Hall looked like during the 13th century Kamakura Period. Based on the evidence they could find, five researchers built their own scale models of what they thought the Honden Hall looked like.93 views
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Closeup of bronze bell design.93 views
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Rear side of the giant shimenawa straw rope.92 views
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Rear view of the shrine scale models.92 views
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Old tsuzumi shoulder drum and koto.92 views
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Izumo Taisha's Honden built in the Taisha-zukuri style as seen from the left corner. National Treasure. 本殿91 views
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Taisha-zukuri architecture.91 views
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91 views
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Haniwa figures91 views
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91 views
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The Honden is flanked on both sides by smaller shrines.90 views
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Izumo Taisha has many smaller shrines surrounding it. 90 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.90 views
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90 views
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Iwami kagura dance costumes90 views
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90 views
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Retro style building on the way to the shrine.89 views
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Smaller shrine. 氏社89 views
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Fence surrounding the Honden.89 views
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Shokokan, a museum of dolls. Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. 彰古館89 views
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Rabbits or hares at Izumo Taisha, symbol of fertility and marriage.89 views
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89 views
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89 views
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West Jukusha Shrines where visiting gods lodge during the Kami-ari-zuki festival. There's also a twin building on the east side. 十九社 八百萬神89 views
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Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.89 views
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Small dishes for a sip of sake if you give a small donation. They also had this in front of the Honden. 89 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.89 views
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Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018.89 views
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People believe that the original shrine was on high pillars accessible by this long, sloping wooden steps. Really awesome.89 views
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89 views
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Pottery kiln89 views
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89 views
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Map of Izumo Taisha Shrine. Not as huge as Ise Jingu, but large enough.88 views
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Back of Izumo Taisha's Honden in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿88 views
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Rear side view of the Amasaki-no-Yashiro, Mimukai-no-Yashiro, and Honden shrines. 東端垣から天前社・御向社・本殿を望む88 views
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East Jukusha Shrines where the millions of visiting gods lodge during the Kami-ari-zuki festival in autumn. There's also a twin building on the west side. 十九社 八百萬神88 views
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Under the giant shimenawa straw rope.88 views
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Entrance to Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.88 views
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Small pond next to the Kaguraden.88 views
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Kaguraden entrance area88 views
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88 views
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New Year's kadomatsu at Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo. 88 views
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The museum's centerpiece exhibit is this scale model of Izumo Taisha's Honden Hall from the 10th-century Heian Period. 88 views
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88 views
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Little priests going up the many stairs.88 views
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Pottery88 views
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88 views
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88 views
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About the Izumo no Okuni dancer. Quite a mysterious historical figure.88 views
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Third torii made of copper and the Haiden. 碧銅の鳥居と拝殿87 views
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87 views
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Back of Izumo Taisha's Honden in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. Rabbits or hares look on too. 本殿87 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablet for a good marriage.87 views
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Near the gate to the Honden are souvenir tents during New Year's.87 views
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Way to the Kaguraden Sacred Dance Hall.87 views
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Kaguraden Sacred Dance Hall 87 views
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Within the shrine grounds is the very impressive Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo. (島根県立古代出雲歴史博物館)87 views
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High wooden pillars supporting the Honden Hall so that it is closer to the gods.87 views
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87 views
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On New Year's Day 2018, cars and people crowd the road to the shrine.86 views
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Izumo Taisha's Haiden worship hall.86 views
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Omikuji charms.86 views
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86 views
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86 views
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Lots of construction going on in jan. 2018.86 views
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Closeup of the giant shimenawa straw rope.86 views
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Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.86 views
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86 views
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Very impressive model of the shrine.86 views
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Rear view of the shrine scale models.86 views
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86 views
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86 views
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Statue of Izumo no Okuni dancer near the first Otorii gate.86 views
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85 views
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Local manga figure based on the Izumo no Okuni dancer. She was from Izumo and originated kabuki in the early 17th century. 出雲阿国85 views
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Shimane's official tourism mascot named "Shimanekko," a yellow cat with a shrine roof cap. しまねっこ85 views
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Lawn outside Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo. 85 views
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Wonder how resistant this was to typhoons and earthquakes.85 views
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85 views
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Models of the different shrine building architencture in Japan.85 views
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Boat85 views
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Other museum exhibits included many different ancient artifacts like dotaku bronze bells that are all National Treasures.85 views
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85 views
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Iwami kagura dance masks85 views
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Closest train station to Izumo Taisha Shrine is Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Taisha Line. There are also buses running from Izumo-shi Station. 出雲大社前駅84 views
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Izumo Taisha-mae Station trains. If you're staying near Izumo-shi Station, taking a bus is more convenient.84 views
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This is the second and most popular torii at Izumo Taisha. With the big stone pillar engraved with "IZUMO TAISHA."84 views
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Back of Haiden.84 views
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You can walk completely around the main shrine buildings outside the fence at Izumo Taisha.84 views
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Soga Shrine, a smaller shrine behind the Honden. 素鵞（そが）社本殿84 views
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Shrine priests praying in front of the Honden on New Year's Day 2018.84 views
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Kaguraden Hall (for sacred dances) is famous for its gigantic straw rope. It looked pretty faded and I was told that it will be replaced in 2018. They replace it once every 7 years or so.84 views
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The elevated shrine supposed to make it closer to gods.84 views
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The five models look quite different although they are in agreement on some things like the number of pillars supporting the Honden. 84 views
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These two models are similar to the large model.84 views
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Iwami kagura dance masks84 views
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Torii pillar83 views
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Inside Izumo Taisha-mae Station on the Ichibata Taisha Line. Opened in 1930, now a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.83 views
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Soga Shrine, a smaller shrine behind the Honden. 素鵞（そが）社本殿83 views
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New shrine office under construction.83 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.83 views
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Dotaku bronze bells that are all National Treasures in Shimane.83 views
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Sign reads, "Izumo Taisha" (出雲大社). The shrine's officially named "Izumo Oyashiro" written with the same kanji.82 viewsIzumo Taisha worships Okuninushi (大国主大神), the Shinto god of marriage and Kotoamatsukami, the very first Shinto gods born in heaven even before Japan was created.
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Gate to the Izumo Taisha Honden, the god's residence.82 views
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Emblem on the gate.82 views
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82 views
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Remains of the giant pillars of the ancient Izumo Taisha.82 views
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About the Otorii.81 views
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Approaching the third torii.81 views
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Shrine library built in 1667 and moved here in 1914. 文庫81 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablets.81 views
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Lots of people took selfies here in front of the torii and "IZUMO TAISHA." For Instagram of course.80 views
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Sign says we are not to walk along center path in order to protect the roots of the pine trees. I'm also told that this center path is reserved for the gods visiting the shrine..80 views
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Sando path to the shrine. 参道80 views
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Water basin 手水舎80 views
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Gate to the Honden, the god's residence.80 views
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Barrels of sake decorating the perimeter near the gate to the Honden.80 views
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80 views
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80 views
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The Sando path to the shrine is actually in the center toward the left of the photo. But they have blocked off the center path to protect the roots of the pine trees. Now thay have made concrete sidewalks outside the center path.79 views
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Water basin 手水舎 I got there at around 8:30 am and it wasn't so crowded. Of course, there were people, but there was no problem walking to the shrine. 79 viewsNo stopping like at other famous shrines like Ise Jingu and Meiji Shrine on New Year's Day. Izumo Taisha was sparse in comparison.
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Izumo Taisha's Haiden worship hall's shimenawa sacred rope.79 views
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About the shrine library. Mito Komon once donated books to this library.79 views
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Inside Izumo Taisha-mae Station.78 views
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Shimenawa sacred rope 78 views
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Gate to the Izumo Taisha Honden. Photography was not permitted beyond this gate. It was just a small deck with an offertory box in front of the Honden's Romon Gate. They also sold small dishes of sake.78 views
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Carvings on the Gate to the Izumo Taisha Honden. 78 views
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78 views
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Second torii looking toward the exit.77 views
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75 views
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