Izumo Taisha is one of the oldest and most important Shinto shrines in Japan — some traditions date it to the age of the gods before recorded history. The shrine is dedicated to Okuninushi no Mikoto, the deity of nation-building and relationships, and is considered the source of all earthly marriages. Prayers at the shrine are typically clapped four times rather than the standard two — a local practice that marks the shrine's status outside the usual ritual conventions.
The current main hall (honden), dating from 1744, is the tallest traditional shrine building in Japan, though photographs are not permitted inside. The approach through the torii gates, across a broad causeway lined with pine trees and stone lanterns, sets up the arrival effectively. The massive shimenawa (sacred straw rope) hanging at the Kagura-den hall is one of the largest in Japan — about 13 metres long and weighing over five tonnes — and the sight of coins stuck in the rope by pilgrims aiming good luck has made it one of the most photographed objects in the region.