Chrononaut M Journey to Izumo in January 2024
The journey to Izumo in January 2024 began with a visit to Hinomisaki Shrine. Initially planned to focus on Izumo Taisha on the first day, further reading and route planning led to the decision to rent a car from Izumo Airport. The revised plan was to first visit Hinomisaki Shrine on the western tip of the Shimane Peninsula, then head south to Izumo Taisha, and finally visit Inasa Beach at sunset.
Access
Hinomisaki Shrine is about a 20-minute drive from Izumo Taisha. The scenic route offers stunning views of the Sea of Japan on the left side as the elevation increases. There are several spots along the way where you can stop to enjoy the scenery, but the most breathtaking view is just a few minutes before reaching Hinomisaki Shrine. From the car window, you can see the magnificent Shinto architecture surrounded by forest, with the Sea of Japan in the background. The view is so beautiful that it feels like stepping back in time.
Deities
Amaterasu Omikami (Sun Goddess)
Kamusu Sanoo no Mikoto (Storm God)
and more than ten other gods
Origin
The name Hinomisaki Shrine appears in the ancient “Izumo no Kuni Fudoki” as “Misaki Shrine.” According to mythology, Kamusu Sanoo no Mikoto held a Kashiwa leaf in his hand and said, “I will live where this leaf falls.” When he threw the leaf, it landed on “Onzaka Hill” behind the current shrine. The shrine’s emblem, the three oak leaves, is derived from this story.
Blessings and Benefits
The shrine is particularly known for protection from misfortune. Other benefits include matchmaking, marital harmony, family prosperity, traffic safety, maritime safety, industrial prosperity, and safe childbirth.
Highlights
The shrine’s Gongen-style architecture, designated as an Important Cultural Property, is remarkably beautiful. The inner shrine, dedicated to Kamusu Sanoo no Mikoto, was relocated from Onzaka Hill and can be reached by climbing stone steps next to an ancient pine tree. The front view of the shrine dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami is stunning, and the view from the inner shrine is equally spectacular.
Within the shrine, there are nineteen deities enshrined. Offering prayers to all of them can be quite a task, considering the number of offerings needed. The precincts are filled with old pine trees and surrounded by mountains with the Sea of Japan to the rear, creating a truly divine atmosphere.
Additional Points of Interest
In the shrine grounds, there is a tree grown from the seeds of the “Ukonn no Tachibana” from the Kyoto Imperial Palace’s Shishinden. Planted by the Takahashi family, a medical family from Hinomisaki, in the Edo period, this tree has been carefully nurtured in Izumo City and recently transplanted to Hinomisaki Shrine.
After visiting the shrine, be sure to walk to the beach behind the shrine. Standing on the beach and gazing at the expansive Sea of Japan, one can imagine the bustling trade and rich cultural interactions of the Japan Sea region in ancient times, filling you with excitement.
