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*''Japanese'': 出雲大社 ''(Izumo taisha)''
The Grand Shrine at Izumo is one of the oldest and most important [[Shinto shrines|shrines]] in the [[Shinto]] tradition, along with [[Ise Shrine]]. Located in [[Shimane prefecture]], it is most strongly associated with the deity [[Okuninushi|Ôkuninushi]].
==History==
The shrine is mentioned in the ''[[Nihon shoki]]'', as well as in the ''[[Fudoki|Izumo fudoki]]'', the most complete of the surviving provincial ''fudoki'' "gazetteers" of the 8th century.
==Layout==
The main shrine is separated from the outside, secular/profane, world by three layers of fences, from the Wild Fence (''Aragaki'') which is the outermost, to the Pure Fence (''Mizugaki''), to the Jade Fence (''Tamagaki''), the innermost of the three. Entrance deeper into the shrine beyond the Jade Fence is restricted only to those closely associated with the shrine, or to those with special permission.<ref>Gallery labels, Masuura Yukihito, "Shrines of the Gods," College of Creative Studies, UC Santa Barbara, Jan 2014.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/13140062245/in/dateposted-public/]</ref>
The Main Hall of the shrine has been designated a [[National Treasure]]. It is periodically rebuilt, but always incorporates elements of the earlier structure, including the Uzu Pillar (''Uzu-bashira'')
A 22-meter tall [[torii]] gate at the shrine, erected in 1915, is one of the tallest in the country.<ref>Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', University of California Press (1996), 122-123.</ref>
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==References==
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[[Category:Shrines]]