Izumo Taisha Coloring Pages

The God of Matchmaking

Izumo Taisha is a very old shrine in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture.
The god loved here is Okuninushi no Okami. He is famous as the god of matchmaking, who connects people together.
He is a kind god who also appears in the story where he saved the White Hare of Inaba.

One of the Biggest Sacred Straw Ropes in Japan

The 1st coloring page shows a building called the Kaguraden.
The giant sacred straw rope hanging on the front is about 13.6 meters long and weighs about 5 tons!
That is heavier than 3 adult cars! It is one of the largest sacred straw ropes in Japan.
It is made by twisting lots of straw together, and it is replaced with a new one every few years.

The Worship Hall and the Bronze Torii Gate

The 2nd page is the Worship Hall, where people pray. The big curved roof and the sacred straw rope are great things to see.
The 3rd page shows the view of the Worship Hall looking through the Bronze Torii Gate. Covered lanterns stand on the left and right, and big pine tree branches cover the sky.
This Torii gate has a different shape from the Great Torii Gate of Itsukushima Shrine and Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Kamiarizuki

In the old calendar, October is usually called "Kannazuki" (the month with no gods). That is because the gods from all over Japan gather at Izumo, leaving other places behind.
But in Izumo, where the gods gather, this month is called "Kamiarizuki" (the month with gods).
In today's calendar, it falls around November.

Differences Between the 3 Coloring Pages

The 1st page of the Kaguraden shows only the building without a background. The giant sacred straw rope fills up the picture, so you can take your time coloring its twisted shape.
The 2nd page of the Worship Hall shows the view from an angle, so you can clearly see the layers of the curved roofs.
The 3rd page is a detailed picture that includes the Torii gate, the lanterns, the big pine tree branches, and the Worship Hall in the back.
The pine needles and the stone path are drawn very carefully, so adults can enjoy taking their time to color it too.
Around Izumo Taisha, there are many shops along the path to the shrine and places to eat Izumo Soba noodles, making it fun to explore after your visit.
During Kamiarizuki in November, a festival is held to welcome gods from all over Japan, and the shrine grounds are filled with a very special and solemn feel.

Color the sacred rope with straw colors

Color the giant sacred rope using light yellowish-brown or cream color.
If you use a slightly darker brown for the shaded parts of the twists, the twisted shape will pop out and look 3D!
Color the tassels hanging down with the same colors, making just the tips a little darker.

The roof is rust-green

The roof of Kaguraden is covered with copper plates, so it is a bluish-green color called copper rust green.
If you color it with dull green or blue-green, it will look like the real thing!
For the roof of Haiden, try using dark brown or gray to show the color difference from Kaguraden.

The wooden buildings are deep brown

The buildings at Izumo Taisha feature a simple, deep natural wood color without paint.
Use different shades like brown and dark brown for the pillars and walls to give them a calm look.
For the third bronze torii gate, coloring it with dark green or blackish-green will make it look grand and heavy!

Use two greens for the pine leaves

For the big pine tree in the third page, color the leaf clusters with dark green, and layer a little yellow-green near the tips.
The leaf clusters will look 3D, making the pine tree look big and strong!
If you layer dark brown and gray together for the trunk, it will look like a bumpy, ancient pine tree trunk.
Color the place where the fire lights up inside the lantern with yellow or orange, and it will look like it is glowing!
Gently color the sky light blue. Leave the clouds white!

The Main Shrine Was Very Tall Long Ago

The main shrine today is about 24 meters tall. That is very tall for a shrine building!
But legend says that long ago, it was even taller, at 48 meters.
In 2000, people found the remains of huge pillars made of three big trees bound together on the grounds. Because of this, people now think that a giant main shrine really did exist.

Clap Your Hands "4 Times" When You Pray

At most shrines, you clap your hands 2 times when you pray.
But at Izumo Taisha, it is the rule to clap 4 times.
Give it a try when you go to pray!

The Way the Sacred Rope Hangs

People say that the sacred rope at Izumo Taisha hangs in the opposite direction compared to most other shrines.
It is thought to be this way to match the direction the god is facing.

The Sacred Rope Is Made in a Town Nearby

The huge sacred rope at the Kagura-den is made by the people of Iinan Town in Shimane Prefecture using rice straw grown in their area.
In the summer of 2026, it was replaced with a new giant rope for the first time in 8 years.