![]() If you follow the road that passes in front of the shrine grounds, you will soon arrive at Inasa-no-Hama beach. Izumo Taisha is easily accessible by car, bus, or train, and the area around the shrine bustles with tourists and visitors to the shrine, especially on the weekends. A large shrine gate, said to be the largest in Japan, towers over the main road to Izumo Taisha and welcomes visitors to the area. Izumo Taisha is located on the western end of the Shimane Peninsula, in the Taisha area of Izumo City. Also, a traditional sealant called kokuso, made from a mixture of lacquer, small fibers, and wood dust, is used to fill in any spaces between these boards. The boards that run downwards from the top of the main hall are slightly carved in the middle to create a path for water to flow down, and then outside, the roof. Izumo Taisha’s roof foundation consists of three thick layers that are also designed to prevent any leaking or water damage should any water actually make it through the hiwada. What is really impressive, however, is how carefully put together the supporting foundation underneath the roofing is. The thickness of the roof is deliberate, as it has been designed to prevent any rain from leaking through. Why so many? Due to its thickness, about 9000 nails are used per each square meter of roof. These nails are only made in one location in the entire country, but for this sengu, 800 kilograms (1760 pounds) worth of bamboo nails were produced. These extra-length strips of hiwada are either 105cm or 120 cm long, and it is the combination of the three lengths of bark that gives the main hall of Izumo Taisha its unique, impressive curve.Īll of these strips of hiwada are held in place by bamboo nails, as regular nails would soon rust and damage the bark. Although other shrines and temples throughout the country are also roofed with hiwada, they only use strips that are 75 cm in length, and while Izumo Taisha also uses strips of that length, it is the only place in the entire country to use longer strips as well. With a thickness of almost one meter, and a total area of 590 m 2, it takes over 640,000 strips of cypress bark, weighing nearly 47 tons, to roof the entire shrine. 60 years is considered to be the general limit for a cypress bark roof to last, so after that time has passed, the entire roof is replaced. Birds also pull out pieces of bark to make their nests in the roof, and large patches of moss grow near the eaves. The roof of the shrine, which is made of bark ( hiwada) from Japanese cypress trees ( hinoki), is totally exposed to the elements, and after 60 years, the wind, rain, snow, and sun take their toll on the roof. ![]() The current main hall of Izumo Taisha, having been built in 1744, is almost 270 years old, and as mentioned before, its 24-meter height makes it the tallest shrine building in the country.
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