A Quiet Journey West, Part 1　A Day of Gentle Connections at Izumo Taisha

There are days when a journey seems to arrive on its own.

For my husband and me, July 11 was one of those days.

According to the traditional Japanese practice of choosing auspicious directions for travel, the northwest happened to be favorable for both of us. Since it also fell on a day off, we decided to follow that invitation and drive to Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines.

The journey was about 246 kilometers (153 miles), taking roughly four hours by car.

It sounds like a long drive, but once we had decided, it never felt far.

Some places seem to draw you toward them long before you arrive.

Walking Through the Pine Approach

The first thing that welcomed us was a beautiful avenue lined with tall pine trees.

The path was quiet, shaded, and filled with the gentle scent of summer.

At the end of the approach stood an impressive bronze statue of Ōkuninushi-no-Ōkami, the deity enshrined at Izumo Taisha.

The statue is known as Musubi no Goshinzō—the Statue of Sacred Connection.

It depicts the moment when the deity receives divine power from two sacred spirits said to have emerged from the sea. In Japanese tradition, Ōkuninushi is widely known as the god of musubi—a word often translated as "connection" or "bond."

While many people associate this with romance, musubi also embraces friendships, family, opportunities, meaningful encounters, and the invisible ties that weave our lives together.

Standing before the statue, I found that meaning surprisingly comforting.

Four Claps Instead of Two

One of the unique customs at Izumo Taisha is its way of praying.

At most Shinto shrines in Japan, visitors bow twice, clap twice, and bow once more.

Here, however, the tradition is different:

Two bows, four claps, one final bow.

As we waited our turn, a young couple stood ahead of us.

Their four claps echoed lightly through the shrine grounds—

clap, clap, clap, clap.

There was something joyful about their rhythm that made us smile without saying a word.

Nearby, another family was celebrating a baby's first shrine visit, a traditional ceremony called Omiyamairi, where parents express gratitude and pray for their child's healthy future.

Watching their happy faces somehow made the entire shrine feel warmer.

The Giant Sacred Rope

Many visitors know Izumo Taisha for another remarkable sight:

the enormous shimenawa, or sacred straw rope, hanging inside the Kaguraden Hall.

I had seen photographs countless times.

Television programs had shown it again and again.

But standing beneath it in person was something entirely different.

Its sheer size made us stop in silence.

Sometimes, no photograph can prepare you for the feeling of being there.

Before leaving the shrine, we received a goshuin, a traditional calligraphy seal given at shrines and temples as a record of one's visit.

It was surprisingly simple.

Perhaps the simplest one I have ever collected.

Yet somehow, that quiet simplicity felt perfectly suited to Izumo Taisha.

A Very Hot Summer Day

Summer in Shimane was far hotter than we had imagined.

Even a short walk left us drenched in sweat.

While driving later that afternoon, we noticed the roadside temperature display.

36°C (97°F).

We looked at each other and laughed.

"So that's why it feels so hot."

If you plan to visit Izumo in midsummer, water quickly becomes your most important travel companion.

A Bowl of Soba That Completed the Day

After the heat, nothing tasted better than wariko soba, Izumo's famous local specialty.

Unlike ordinary bowls of soba, wariko soba is served in three small round lacquered bowls stacked one on top of another.

You begin with the top bowl and continue downward, adding the dipping sauce as you go.

It is a simple meal, but one that invites you to slow down and enjoy each bite.

The aroma of freshly made buckwheat noodles and their pleasantly firm texture were exactly what we needed after walking through the summer heat.

Before I realized it, every bowl was empty.

The Journey Has Only Begun

Looking back, I realize I spent less time thinking about prayers for good fortune than I did remembering how delicious the soba was.

Perhaps that is what travel really is.

We set out hoping to visit a sacred place, but we return carrying small, ordinary moments that quietly stay with us.

Our time in Izumo was only the beginning.

Next time, I'd love to share the peaceful streets of Matsue and the next chapter of our journey through western Japan.

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Travel Notes

📍 Date: July 11, 2026
📍 Place: Izumo Taisha, Shimane Prefecture, Japan
📍 Direction: Northwest (an auspicious direction in traditional Japanese practice)
🍜 Lunch: Wariko Soba at Yakumo