Izumo Taisha

Momo & Shimpei visited us from Tokyo, and we met them in Izumo, which is home to one of the most important shrines in the land. The shrine's resident deity is known for matchmaking, so it's a magnet for singles looking for partners. In October, all Shinto deities come to Izumo for a pow-wow, so the shrine also doubles as a hotel. But the coolest thing about a trip to Izumo is trying to lodge a coin in the enormous rice straw rope. Lori is a natural but the rest of us struggled ...