1.1 Introduction#

Izumo Taisha enshrines Okuninushi-no-Okami, a deity revered as the “Ruler of the Unseen World” and the head of all gods (a distinction separate from Amaterasu-Omikami of Ise Jingu, which I will elaborate on later). While the shrine’s grounds are vast and its atmosphere imposing, nothing is quite as breathtaking as its massive Shimenawa (sacred straw rope), weighing in at five tons.

This colossal rope, suspended across the front of the “Kagura-den” (Hall of Sacred Dance), is officially known as the Oshimenawa. It is a structure of staggering scale: 13.6 meters long, 9 meters in girth, and weighing 5.2 tons—making it one of the largest in Japan.

If you observe closely, you will notice the rope is twisted in a “thick on the left, thin on the right” direction—the exact opposite of the standard shimenawa found at ordinary shrines. This unique “reverse” twisting symbolizes the distinct divine status of Izumo Taisha. Standing beneath this giant dragon woven from countless stalks of straw, one feels incredibly small; the overwhelming sense of solemnity naturally inspires a deep awe for the divine.

Izumo also observes a fascinating tradition regarding the calendar. In the tenth month of the old lunar calendar (roughly synchronized with the Chinese lunar calendar), while the rest of Japan calls the month Kannazuki (“The Month Without Gods”), in Izumo alone it is called Kamiarizuki (“The Month of the Gods”). Legend has it that the eight million gods (Yaoyorozu no Kami) across Japan leave their local posts during this month to gather at Izumo Taisha for an annual grand assembly, where they discuss the fate and relationships (En) of humanity for the coming year.

It sounds a bit mystical, but here is what happened to us: We arrived in Izumo on Friday, December 19th. My wife’s original plan was to visit the shrine on the 20th (Saturday). However, after arriving at noon and dropping off our luggage, I was suddenly struck by an inexplicable “inspiration”—a strong, baseless impulse to go immediately. I proposed we head to Izumo Taisha right then and there. Considering my wife usually dictates the itinerary and I rarely object, my unusual insistence on “going now” was quite out of character.

As it turned out, the shrine—and that massive rope—absolutely did not disappoint.

What made it even more intriguing was the timing. Although I had done my homework and knew about the “Month Without Gods” vs. “Month of the Gods” tradition, my intuition assumed that late December would surely be the eleventh lunar month. I hadn’t realized that 2025 was a year with a “Leap June” in the lunar calendar, which pushed the months back. The day we visited—December 19th—was, precisely and coincidentally, the very last day (Tsugomori) of the lunar tenth month.

In other words, driven by that inexplicable impulse, we managed to catch the very final moments of the gathering of the gods in Izumo.