Each October in the lunar calendar, all of Japan's deities are said to gather at Izumo Taisha for the Kamiari-sai (Month of Gods) festival, making this ancient shrine the nation's spiritual epicentre of autumn. The festival features sacred Kagura dance performances, ceremonial rites, and traditional processions along tree-lined approaches dressed in fall colour. The shrine's towering sacred straw rope, the largest in Japan, and its surrounding ancient cedar and pine forest create an atmosphere of profound mystery during the koyo season.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Autumn Leaves
- Season
- Autumn
- Month
- Late October to Early November
- Region
- Chugoku
- Prefecture
- Shimane
- City
- Izumo
Highlights
- ◆Japan's most sacred matchmaking shrine during its most important festival
- ◆Sacred Kagura dance and traditional ritual performances
- ◆Ancient cedar and pine forest with autumn understorey colour
- ◆Spiritual processions along the pine-lined Shinto approach road
- ◆Rare opportunity to witness living Shinto tradition