Most viewed - Izumo Taisha on New Year's Day 出雲大社の元日 |
Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden with the iconic giant shimenawa sacred rope weighing 5 tons. Built in 1981. 神楽殿と注連縄306 views
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Izumo Taisha's Honden built in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿247 views
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Giant torii as it looked years ago, minus the new paint job.181 views
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Haiden and Honden behind it.154 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 1953.139 views
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Izumo, Shimane manhole. Shows Hinomisaki lighthouse.138 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablet for the Year of the Dog.124 views
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Without the tents.121 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117 views
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Sando path to the shrine. 参道116 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.114 views
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Omikuji charms.111 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.110 views
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Second torii to Izumo Taisha.109 views
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Giant shimenawa straw rope of Izumo Taisha Shrine's Kaguraden, the largest sacred rope in Japan. Weighs 5 tons.105 views
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104 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102 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.102 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.99 views
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Honden (largest and tallest structure) flanked on both sides by smaller shrines.78 views
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Photo of the Izumo Taisha Honden. Built in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿76 views
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Map of Izumo Taisha's central buildings centering on the Honden.75 views
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Map of Izumo Taisha Shrine. Not as huge as Ise Jingu, but large enough.71 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71 views
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Haniwa figures71 views
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71 views
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About the Izumo no Okuni dancer. Quite a mysterious historical figure.71 views
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The large roof of the Honden Hall (god's residence) can be seen in the center.70 views
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70 views
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Entrance to Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.70 views
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Old tsuzumi shoulder drum and koto.70 views
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Closeup of bronze bell design.70 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69 views
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69 views
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69 views
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69 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.69 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. 69 views
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Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2018.69 views
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Iwami kagura dance costumes69 views
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68 views
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Taisha-zukuri architecture.68 views
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Izumo Taisha has many smaller shrines surrounding it. 68 views
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68 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablet for a good marriage.68 views
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Lots of construction going on in jan. 2018.68 views
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Kaguraden Sacred Dance Hall 68 views
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Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.68 views
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New Year's68 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68 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.68 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.68 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68 views
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68 views
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The elevated shrine supposed to make it closer to gods.68 views
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Little priests going up the many stairs.68 views
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Wonder how resistant this was to typhoons and earthquakes.68 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.68 views
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Rear view of the shrine scale models.68 views
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68 views
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68 views
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68 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.67 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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Shokokan, a museum of dolls. Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. 彰古館67 views
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Back of Izumo Taisha's Honden in the Taisha-zukuri style. National Treasure. 本殿67 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67 views
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67 views
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Near the gate to the Honden are souvenir tents during New Year's.67 views
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Rear side of the giant shimenawa straw rope.67 views
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Under the giant shimenawa straw rope.67 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)67 views
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Remains of the giant pillars of the ancient Izumo Taisha.67 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. 67 views
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High wooden pillars supporting the Honden Hall so that it is closer to the gods.67 views
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Very impressive model of the shrine.67 views
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Rear view of the shrine scale models.67 views
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Pottery kiln67 views
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Pottery67 views
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Iwami kagura dance masks67 views
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Statue of Izumo no Okuni dancer near the first Otorii gate.67 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.66 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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Retro style building on the way to the shrine.66 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."66 views
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Third torii made of copper and the Haiden. 碧銅の鳥居と拝殿66 views
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66 views
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Smaller shrine. 氏社66 views
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Fence surrounding the Honden.66 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66 views
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Soga Shrine, a smaller shrine behind the Honden. 素鵞(そが)社本殿66 views
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Izumo Taisha ema prayer tablets.66 views
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Way to the Kaguraden Sacred Dance Hall.66 views
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Closeup of the giant shimenawa straw rope.66 views
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Izumo Taisha's Kaguraden.66 views
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66 views
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66 views
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People believe that the original shrine was on high pillars accessible by this long, sloping wooden steps. Really awesome.66 views
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66 views
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66 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. 66 views
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66 views
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66 views
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Other museum exhibits included many different ancient artifacts like dotaku bronze bells that are all National Treasures.66 views
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Dotaku bronze bells that are all National Treasures in Shimane.66 views
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66 views
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66 views
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On New Year's Day 2018, cars and people crowd the road to the shrine.65 views
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Izumo Taisha's Haiden worship hall.65 views
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The Honden is flanked on both sides by smaller shrines.65 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65 views
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Small pond next to the Kaguraden.65 views
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Lawn outside Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo. 65 views
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New Year's kadomatsu at Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo. 65 views
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These two models are similar to the large model.65 views
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Models of the different shrine building architencture in Japan.65 views
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Boat65 views
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65 views
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Iwami kagura dance masks65 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..64 views
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Back of Haiden.64 views
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You can walk completely around the main shrine buildings outside the fence at Izumo Taisha.64 views
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Rabbits or hares at Izumo Taisha, symbol of fertility and marriage.64 views
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Soga Shrine, a smaller shrine behind the Honden. 素鵞(そが)社本殿64 views
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64 views
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Shrine priests praying in front of the Honden on New Year's Day 2018.64 views
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Kaguraden entrance area64 views
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64 views
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Souvenir shop selling all kinds of Izumo Taisha goods.64 views
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64 views
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64 views
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64 views
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Omikuji charms.63 views
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Shrine library built in 1667 and moved here in 1914. 文庫63 views
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63 views
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New shrine office under construction.63 views
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63 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62 views
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Izumo Taisha-mae Station trains. If you're staying near Izumo-shi Station, taking a bus is more convenient.62 views
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About the shrine library. Mito Komon once donated books to this library.62 views
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62 views
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About the Otorii.61 views
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Approaching the third torii.61 views
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Water basin 手水舎61 views
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Izumo Taisha's Haiden worship hall's shimenawa sacred rope.61 views
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Gate to the Honden, the god's residence.61 views
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Torii pillar60 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.60 views
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Lots of people took selfies here in front of the torii and "IZUMO TAISHA." For Instagram of course.60 views
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Sando path to the shrine. 参道60 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.60 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. 60 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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Shimenawa sacred rope 60 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.60 views
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Barrels of sake decorating the perimeter near the gate to the Honden.59 views
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Gate to the Izumo Taisha Honden, the god's residence.59 views
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Emblem on the gate.59 views
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Carvings on the Gate to the Izumo Taisha Honden. 59 views
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Second torii looking toward the exit.58 views
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Inside Izumo Taisha-mae Station.57 views
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57 views
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