Synopsis

Izumo-taisha Shrine in Shimane Prefecture has a venerable reputation as a benefactor of love. This year marks the first relocation of the shrine in six decades, drawing visitors in greater numbers than usual. The “Sunrise Izumo” overnight train from Tokyo to Izumo is fully booked this November, a month considered sacred, known as “kamizai” in the lunar calendar, when the deities convene. Men and women of marriageable age, those seeking to end unhappy unions or forge new, fulfilling partnerships