By the MOOK Travel & Lifestyle Editorial Team

When visiting Japan, praying at temples and buying an ema (wooden prayer plaque) or omamori (protective charm) is a must-do. Among Japan’s many shrines, Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture is the most famous for praying for romantic connections. Every year during the lunar October, it draws large crowds of worshippers hoping to find love.

Izumo Taisha is Japan’s oldest shrine, enshrining the great deity Ōkuninushi, known as the “Highest Hall.” It is also famed for blessing good relationships. Each lunar October, known across Japan as “Kannazuki” (Month Without Gods), all the nation’s deities are said to gather at Izumo Taisha to meet with its chief deity, Ōkuninushi-no-Kami, to discuss matters of love and marriage for mortals—such as who will meet whom and who will spend their life together. It’s believed that sincere prayers here can lead you to your ideal partner, making the shrine especially popular among singles.

To pray for love at Izumo Taisha, the most iconic spots are the massive straw ropes (“shimenawa”) at the Worship Hall and Kagura Hall. The one at Kagura Hall is 13 meters long and weighs 5 tons, making it the largest in Japan. Legend says that if you stand under the shimenawa and toss a coin upward without it falling, it’s a sign of good fortune—so you’ll see many people earnestly trying their luck, with plenty of coins stuck in the ropes, creating a fun sight.. Aside from tossing coins at the shimenawa, unlike most Japanese shrines where the standard prayer format is “two bows, two claps, one bow,” Izumo Taisha follows the ancient tradition of “two bows, four claps, one bow,” adding two extra claps. Visitors should take note of this difference.

【Info】