出雲 (Izumo-shi) ~ A sacred place in Japan

Another conference in another city. This time I got a chance to visit Izumo-shi, I really don't know anything about this city, to be honest this is the first time I heard the name Izumo. It is located in Shimane prefecture on the japan sea coast and home for the infamous Izumo-taisha which is the oldest shrine in Japan. Nothing much to see in this city, You should go to other city like Matsue (the capital of Shimane prefecture) if you want more attraction. 

Izumo can be reach by plane or shinkansen. There are flights from Osaka(itami Airport) and Tokyo to Izumo airport. If you wish to go by shinkansen, you can take shinkansen until Okayama then from Okayama you can continue with rapid train(or bus) to Izumo-shi station (around 3 hours). I went by plane (around 25000円 return), only Japan Airlines (JAL) operates the flight to Izumo. Hotels are mainly located around JR izumo-shi station.

I wanted to visit other city like Matsue, but I only have short time. I stayed for one night and only managed to visit the shrine after the conference had finished. I arrived at noon 10.30, it was only 30 minutes flight from Itami airport (Osaka) to Izumo airport. 

Local Cuisine, yes this is my favourite part for each trip. Izumo is famous for its Izumo soba, and izumo soba is the first thing I ate when I arrived. From my opinion izumo soba is more chewy than others soba, taste wise is not much different, it tastes soba anyway. the most popular is this three stack of soba with three deifferent topping, I forget the japanese name for this menu (mariko soba~if I correct). Ah...I remember the soba soup in Izumo taste sweeter than others.

Izumo soba

The second famous local cuisine is a desserts "ぜんさい” (Zensai); mochi serves with Azuki (sweet red beans), It can be serves cold or room temperature. Since it was very hot and sunny when I visited the shrine, so I ordered the cold one. I don't really like Azuki honestly, too sweet for me. But this time with shaved-ice it wasn't so sweet at all. Both of the soba restaurant and the desserts cafe that I visited are located in front of the Izumo-shrine, near the starbucks. 

zensai

Izumo shrine can be reach by bus or train from izumo station or matsue station. I took the bus from Izumo eki that costed 470 yen, but if you don't pick the bus ticket when you get on the bus you have to pay 520 yen. It is 30 minutes bus ride and during the ride all you can see is wine yard or rice fields. I got off at izumo-taisha mae bus stop then walked about 10-15 minutes to reach the gate. 

The main gate to the shrine

 Walk again for 10 minutes, only by then you'll see the worship hall  with a straw rope hung across half of its length. I forgot to mention that along the road that approaching  the shrine you'll see the statue of okuninushi . 

Statue of okuninushi 

worship hall (small one)

Worship Hall, with the biggest straw rope hung across 

Behind the worship hall you will see the Main Hall which stand 24 meters tall, but my supervisor who came with me said that the original was higher than that. We can't enter the main hall but you can walk around the outer fence of the main hall then you'll see some small shrine/old building.

The main Hall

The gate to the main hall

One of the small shrine/house outside the main hall

 Behind the main hall you will see this cute rabbit statue in a various state. There is this mythology about Okuninushi and the rabbit. But they are really cute, I like the praying rabbit one.

After finished with the shrine, we walked 20 minutes to the old JR taisha station. This station was closed in 1990 but they keep and maintain the original building and turned it into a museum. It was creepy actually, they have this old locomotive that was built in showa 17th (japanese year) and used for 32 years. 

Short trip, but I am glad to have the opportunities to visit this grand shrine. Maybe if I don't have conference here, I wouldn't visit this shrine. I didn't know that it is a sacred shrine. My next conference is in Fukuoka for 3 nights 4 days in fukuoka. I went this may to Fukuoka, I'll try to visit places that is not popular tourist destination in Fukuoka.

~~Never let your memories bigger than your dreams~~ An inspiring quote I read today from IG user.