Every 60 years the stunning Izumo shrine buildings are reconstructed. Lafcadio Hearn called it the premier shrine in Japan, and it is thought to be even older than Ise. This is where all the kami of Japan gather every year, and there is a kind of dormitory where the myriad kami are put up.
A photographer named Yukhito Masuura has documented the rebuilding rituals, and his photos are being exhibited at the moment in New York’s Foto Care. It promotes the aesthetic of Kehai, namely the idea of truth and beauty contained in the natural world. ‘I would like t show the world the evidence that it is possible to continue beauty and maintain a sustainable society for more than 1000 years,’ says the photographer.
The collection is unique, for Masuura is the only photographer to have been given access to all rituals. Some of the photos are stunning….
(For more about the wonderful Izumo Taisha, click the Izumo category in the righthand column of this page.)
The ‘dormitory’ where kami stay during the kamiari festival
Rooftop view of the katsurogi crossbeam and the diagonal chigi
Moving the kami unde a protective sheet so as not to be polluted by human sight
The characteristic Izumo shimenawa, largest rice rope knots in the world
Fence around the Izumo compound
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