Mankusen Shrine

Overview

Mankusen Shrine, also known by its traditional name Makuse-no-yashiro, stands in Hikawa, Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture. Enshrined as an auxiliary shrine within the precincts of Tachimushi Shrine, it holds a special place in Izumo belief: it is said to be the final stop for the eight million kami who gather in Izumo during the tenth lunar month before they return to their home provinces. The shrine has no main sanctuary hall; instead, behind the worship structure stand a sacred tree (himorogi) and a stone enclosure (iwasaka), preserving an ancient form of worship.

Highlights

• ●A special shrine said to be the gods' final stop during their gathering in Izumo
• ●An archaic rite with no main hall, honoring a sacred tree and stone enclosure behind the sanctuary
• ●A Shikinaisha of Izumo Province, enshrined within Tachimushi Shrine's grounds
• ●Known for the Karasade rite that sees off the kami during the god-present month

History

Mankusen Shrine has long been known among the shrines of Izumo Province and is counted among its Shikinaisha, the shrines listed in the ancient Engishiki records. Tradition holds that when the myriad kami assembled in Izumo during the god-present month conclude their divine affairs, they lodge here one last time and hold a farewell feast before departing. This parting rite, called Karasade, is a form of worship unique to Izumo, carried on to this day as the community sees the gods off. The absence of a main hall, with the kami received instead at a sacred tree and stone enclosure, reflects an archaic style of worship that predates shrine architecture.

Map

35.3747, 132.7871 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Set out from a station such as Izumoshi toward Hikawa, taking in the rural scenery of the Izumo Plain
2. 2Visit Mankusen Shrine, enshrined within the precincts of Tachimushi Shrine
3. 3Take time to view the hall-less sanctuary honoring the sacred tree and stone enclosure
4. 4Combine your visit with nearby shrines linked to the god-present month, such as Izumo Taisha

Did you know?

💡 Because tradition names it the shrine where the gods make their final stop, visitors come to pray for good relationships and for the successful conclusion of matters and life's turning points. Its form, with no main hall but a sacred tree and stone enclosure, is regarded as a remnant of nature worship from before formal shrine buildings, and it is often chosen as the closing stop on a pilgrimage tracing Izumo's god-present festivals.

Nearby spots