Interesting and Fun Facts about Japan #2

Izumo-taisha, the Japanese shrine in Shimane Prefecture which is dedicated to happy relationships, blossoming romance, and marriage is possibly the oldest shrine in Japan. In fact, nobody actually knows how old it is. There are records from the Heian period circa 950 that states the shrine was already fully erect and was the highest man-made structure in Japan at the time, rising 48 meters. How long it had already been there, however, remains a mystery. 

The iconic rope, called a shimenawa, which hangs above the main hall (rebuilt in 1981) weighs a whopping 5 tons! That's over 11,023 lbs.!

I went to Izumo-taisha with my lovely wife back in 2006. She was my fiance at the time, so maybe there is some truth to the whole 'good luck / happy marriage' thing regarding Izumo-taisha. If you ever visit Japan, it's a wonderful place to visit.

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