Throughout the province of Izumo, which appears in Japan’s ancient mythology, such as the legends of Kunibiki and of Yamato-no-orochi, there are many old shrines and temples.
The 10th month of the lunar calendar in Japan is known as the Month without Gods, however in Izumo it is known as the Month with Gods, because it is said that all the Gods of Japan descend on Izumo at this time.
During this period many rituals and festivals are held.
These days there are many occurrences which cast dark shadows over our lives and relationships and have an adverse effect on world peace.
It is as if our souls, the very root of our existence, and our way of life is being questioned.
Izumo is the perfect place for one to search within and find oneself living as part of the great universe.
The Izumo area has beautiful scenery, with the sea, mountains and rivers surrounding Lake Shinji and Naka-umi Lagoon, and life is simple and spiritually rich.
Happiness is not just an emotion of the individual, but rather comes from the chain of hope between people all wanting to find happiness.
For a long time the Izumo area has placed great importance on ‘en’, or the forces that connect us to one another, and we pray that this virtue will spread and touch all our hearts.
We established the Enza-no-kai in this area known as the birthplace of the Japanese spirit, with pride, and with the hope that many people will come together and make this spiritual journey, and that the goodness will ripple out and spread further and further.
The official pilgrimage logo. (Under application for design registration)The logo symbolizes the figure of 8 pilgrimage route around Lake Shinji and Naka-umi Lagoon. The red spots are the shrines and the blue ones the temples. It is also a symbol of infinity spreading out into the future.
