Local Guide
5 power spots in Matsue

In October of the lunar calendar, gods from all over Japan gather in Shimane Prefecture. In particular, Matsue City is dotted with famous match-making sites and shrines that boast the same status as Izumo Taisha, making it a shame to pass by them. If you have taken the trouble to visit these "holy places of matchmaking," you are sure to find a place that will bring you closer together. We have carefully selected some of the best-known power spots in Shimane Prefecture that you should definitely stop by when visiting the prefecture.

This is a rare shrine that enshrines a husband and wife deity. Visit the "sacred place of marriage" where legend dwells.

The main deities are Susanoo-no-mikoto and Inata-hime, and the benefits include marriage, harmony between husband and wife, and safe delivery of children.
The main deities are Susanoo-no-mikoto and Inata-hime, and the benefits include marriage, harmony between husband and wife, and safe delivery of children.

Have you ever heard of the legend of Yamata-no-orochi, the eight-forked serpent in Japanese mythology? The story is that Susano-o-no-mikoto killed a serpent with eight heads and eight tails and saved Inata-hime (Princess Inata). The couple later became husband and wife and built a palace here, and the shrine is known as one of the most sacred places for matchmaking in the prefecture.
The shrine is deeply connected with mythology, and is a must-visit power spot for those who wish to pray for a good marriage.

Fortune-telling at Kagami-no-ike, a pond of mirrors spreading over a mythical setting

Kagami no Ike (Mirror Pond) is said to have been used by Inata-hime as drinking water and a mirror for her appearance when she took refuge.
Kagami no Ike (Mirror Pond) is said to have been used by Inata-hime as drinking water and a mirror for her appearance when she took refuge.

After visiting the shrine, receive a "Kagami-no-ike Fortune Telling Paper" (100 yen) at the sacred card-giving place and go to "Sakusame-no-mori" (Forest of Kagami). After walking through the bushes, go to Kagami-no-ike (Mirror Pond) and try fortune-telling about good marriages. Float the paper in the pond, place a 10 yen or 100 yen coin on it, and pray.
The words will float out from the paper, so look through it carefully. If the paper sinks within 15 minutes, a good marriage will come quickly, and if it does not sink for more than 30 minutes, it is not yet ready. Furthermore, if the paper sinks near you, you will be related to someone close to you, and if it sinks far away, you will be related to someone far away.

Yaegaki Shrine (Yaegaki Shrine)
  • Address 227 Sakusa-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 11 minutes drive from JR Matsue Station
  • Direction Take a bus from the South Exit of JR Matsue Station, get off at Yaegaki Shrine and walk about 1 minute.
  • Hours of Operation Jinrei Conferment Office and Treasure House】8:30〜17:30
    December to February: 9:00-17:00
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Free of charge *Fortune-telling paper for Kagami-no-ike (100 yen per sheet)
  • TEL 0852-21-1148
  • Parking Available

A power spot in a hot spring resort with a "wishing stone

The
The "Wish Stone," the sacred object of the shrine, is said to have appeared suddenly from the mountain in ancient times, and was enshrined in the shrine by the villagers of that time.

The location is Tamatsukuri Onsen, the most popular hot spring resort in Shimane Prefecture. This shrine, where the guardian deity of Tamatsukuri resides, is a spiritual spot where a "wishing stone" is enshrined that is said to grant wishes.
After receiving a "wish stone" at the shrine office located near the entrance of the approach to the shrine, complete your prayers at the hall of worship and go to the "wish stone," which is the sacred body of the deity. Gently touch the "Kanae-ishi" and pray in your heart. You can take the "Kanae-ishi" back home as a good-luck charm after receiving power from the sacred body.

Put the "wish stone" in a good-luck charm bag and take it home!

The
The "Wishing Stone" (600 yen), available at the shrine office, includes a wish stone, a wish card, and a good luck charm bag. The pattern of the bag is a surprise when you open it.

Write your wish on two copies of the "wish cards," place one in the wallet in front of the shrine, and put the other in a good luck charm bag along with the "Kanoi-ishi" that contains the power of the "Kanoi-ishi. The wish card placed in the wallet will be handed down to the deity by the priest. After the wish is granted, many people return to the area to return the stone to the shrine and undergo another purification ceremony.
Tamatsukuri Hot Spring, where the shrine is located, is also known as "God's hot water" and "hot water for beautiful skin" because of its excellent quality. There is a spot nearby where you can draw hot spring water for free, so be sure to stop by when you visit.

Tamazukuri Yujinja Shrine
  • Address 508 Tamatsukuri, Tamayu-cho, Matsue City, Shimane MAP
  • Direction About 6 minutes by car from JR Tamatsukuri hot spring station
  • Hours of Operation Worship】24 hours
    Shrine Office】9:00〜12:00, 13:30〜17:30
    Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays: 8:30-17:30
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission fee Free of charge *Kanoishi: 600 yen
  • TEL 0852-62-0006
  • Parking Available

The main shrine, designated as a national treasure, is a must-see. Ancient shrine enshrining the ancestors of the gods

The thick pillars, high underfloor, and outward projecting mune-higashibashira (pillars) are characteristic of the oldest Taisha-zukuri style in Japan.
The thick pillars, high underfloor, and outward projecting mune-higashibashira (pillars) are characteristic of the oldest Taisha-zukuri style in Japan.

Quietly located in the suburbs of Matsue City is an ancient shrine that enshrines the couple deities, the "Parents of Gods". The main deities are Izanami-no-okami and Izanaki-no-okami, known as the founding deities of Japan, and their benefits include marital bliss, childbirth, easy childbirth, marriage, and prosperity of commerce and industry.
The most notable feature of the shrine is the magnificent main hall, which has been designated a national treasure. It is said to be the oldest Taisha-zukuri shrine pavilion in existence, and the superbly colored murals inside the main hall are also a highlight.

A shrine quietly nestled in a sacred forest

It is believed to have been the center of Izumo in ancient times because the Izumo Provincial Government was located nearby, and there are many ancient tombs in the area around the shrine.
It is believed to have been the center of Izumo in ancient times because the Izumo Provincial Government was located nearby, and there are many ancient tombs in the area around the shrine.

The shrine stands quietly in a quiet forest. As you pass through the Ichino-torii gate from the approach to the shrine, you can feel a dignified and divine atmosphere in the silence. After purifying your hands at the moss-covered hand basin, climb the 50 stone steps to the main shrine. The steps are a bit steep, so if the climb is too difficult for you, choose the gentler "Onnazaka" (women's hill).
Nearby is the Izumo Kanbe no Sato, a hands-on facility where visitors can experience folk tales and crafts from the San'in region, and the Yakumo Fudoki-no-oka Exhibition and Study Hall, which exhibits artifacts from ancient Izumo and a manuscript of the Izumo Province Fudoki, making a visit there before or after your visit a must.

Kamosu Shrine
  • Address 563 Oniwa-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approx. 15 min. by car from JR Matsue Station
  • Direction From JR Matsue Station, take the Matsue City Bus. 3 min. walk from Kanbe-no-sato stop.
  • Business hours 24 hours
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0852-21-6379
  • Parking Available

The "Ichimiya" Grand Shrine in Izumo Province, comparable to Izumo Taisha Shrine

The vermilion Yakumo Bridge spans the Iyugawa River that flows in front of the shrine, creating a beautiful harmony with nature.
The vermilion Yakumo Bridge spans the Iyugawa River that flows in front of the shrine, creating a beautiful harmony with nature.

The Izumo Taisha Shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Shimane Prefecture, and in fact, there is an ancient shrine in the suburbs of Matsue City that is comparable to the Izumo Province Ichinomiya Shrine. The shrine is dedicated to "Susano-o-no-mikoto," and its deity is known to bring good harvests, good fortune, love fulfillment, and match-making.
The temple grounds include a hall of worship with a large shimenawa rope, a dance hall used for dedication of dances, and a thatched-roof shrine with a beautiful thatched roof. If your schedule permits, visit the shrine in the morning on a sunny day.

Kumano-taisha", a shrine believed to be the origin of fire

The thatched-roofed
The thatched-roofed "fire hall" with walls made of cypress bark. The walls are made of cypress bark.

Susano-no-mikoto, the deity of the shrine, is the god who introduced one of the fire-making methods, the kirimomi method. Kumano Taisha is also known as "Hinomoto Hidetsuzome no Yashira," or the Shrine of the First Fire of Japan, and is considered to be the birthplace of fire.
Every year on October 15, the "fire-making festival" is held, and the "Kame-tayu ritual" is performed, in which the priest of Izumo Taisha visits the shrine to receive the tools used to make the fire. Kumano Taisha Shrine is closely related to Izumo Taisha Shrine, and is known for its blessings for love and luck in money. Yaegaki Shrine is also located nearby and should be visited in conjunction with Kumano Taisha.

Kumano Taisha Shrine
  • Address 2451 Kumano, Yakumo-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 40 minutes from JR Matsue Station by car.
  • Hours of Operation Awarding office】8:30〜16:30
    Prayer】9:00〜16:00
    Prayer】24 hours
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission fee Free of charge
  • TEL 0852-54-0087
  • Parking Available

A hole-in-the-wall power spot that connects the afterlife and this world

The site is located in the suburbs of Matsue City. The site is located in the suburbs of Matsue City, deep in the mountains up a slope from the national highway, and has a mysterious atmosphere.
The site is located in the suburbs of Matsue City. The site is located in the suburbs of Matsue City, deep in the mountains up a slope from the national highway, and has a mysterious atmosphere.

This is the legendary site of "Kizumihirasaka," which in mythology is said to be the boundary between the afterlife (Yonsen no Kuni) and the present world. The multiple rocks that resemble "Chibiki no Iwa" create a mysterious atmosphere amidst the tranquility of the place.
It is said that Izanagi-no-mikoto, a male deity, visited Hades through Hadeshi-hirazaka to see his deceased wife Izanami-no-mikoto, but was surprised by her changed appearance and blocked the entrance to Hades with Chibiki-no Iwa. The thought of the entrance to the other world beyond the rock gives one a mysterious feeling of power that gives one goosebumps.

Actually the most powerful! Is Kizumihirasaka the place where mythology began?

There is also a
There is also a "Letter to Heaven," a post box where visitors can post letters to the deceased.

When Izanaki no Mikoto purified himself after returning from Hades, Amaterasu Omikami was born from his left eye, Tsukuyominomikoto from his right eye, and Susano-onomikoto from his nose. The "three noble children" who later played an active role in the world of mythology were born from the nose of the mountain.
In other words, Kizumihirasaka is thought to be the origin of mythology, and there is a theory (......) that the Land of Hades may have been the origin of the name of the place "Shimane," or "Land of Roots. Although it is a hidden place, it is one of the most famous power spots in the prefecture.

Yomotsuhirasaka
  • address (e.g. of house) 2407 Iya, Higashi Izumo Town, Shimane Prefecture MAP
  • Direction 20 min. walk from JR Iya Station
  • TEL 0852-55-5840 (Regional Development Division, Higashi Izumo Branch Office, Matsue City)
  • Parking Available
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.