[Shimane ]Drama "VIVANT "Let's visit the filming location of !

Izumo Taisha Shrine is one of Shimane's most popular tourist spots. This is where the parents of the main character, Yusuke Nogi, played by Masato Sakai, had their wedding ceremony, which was filmed here.

In the film, Izumo Taisha Shrine appears in the scene in episode 5 where Yusuke Nogi shows a photo of his parents to Ari, played by Possessive Yamanaka, and in episode 9 when Taku Nogi, played by Kento Hayashi, and Akemi Nogi, played by Rin Takanashi, recall their wedding.

Izumo-taisha is a popular spot known as the best matchmaking shrine in Japan. The deity is Okuninushi no Okami, famous for the old tale "Inaba no Shirohagi (White Hare of Inaba) ". The deity is known not only for love, but also for bringing people together with all living things. Many visitors come to the shrine every year during Hatsumode and festivals to receive blessings.

The highlight of Izumo-taisha is the main shrine. The main hall of the shrine, called "Taisha-zukuri," is Japan's oldest shrine building style, and stands a whopping 24 meters high. Although visitors are not allowed to enter the shrine because it is a Shinto sanctuary, the overwhelming height of the building is worth seeing at least at a glance. The present building, constructed in 1744, was designated a national treasure in 1952. During the Great Sengu (Great Sengu Earthquake) in the Heisei period, the main roof, Senki, and other parts of the building were newly renovated.

One of the highlights of Izumo-taisha Shrine is the Kaguraden, where prayers, weddings, and various other rituals are held. Especially not to be missed is one of Japan's largest oshimenawa (sacred straw rope) in the front of the shrine. It is 13.6 meters long and weighs a whopping 5.2 tons, making it a dynamic and overwhelming sight.

"Facility Details "
Address：〒699-0701 Shimane Prefecture Izumo-shiOsha-choTargeting Higashi 195
Telephone number (shrine office): 0853-53-3100
URL：https://izumooyashiro.or.jp/

Next up is Matsue Castle, which continues to be loved by the locals as a symbol of Matsue City. This is the place where Yusuke Nogi asked his classmate Yamamoto, played by Takaya Sakoda, to help him find the real culprit in the misdirected money transfer case.

The scene is set in episode 3, where the two are shown sitting on a fence at the edge of a moat, holding a can of coffee and discussing the situation. At the time, I had no idea that Yamamoto was a tent monitor. ......

Incidentally, the Shimane Prefectural Office, located near Matsue Castle, was also used in the filming of VIVANT. This is the place where Nozaki, the public safety officer played by Hiroshi Abe, headed to Shimane to investigate the identity of Yusuke Nogi and made his first stop after arriving. Since it is not a tourist attraction, it is not possible to take a closer look inside, but if you visit Matsue Castle, you should at least take a look at the exterior as a set.

The Sakurai Family Residence is the spot where the Nogi family appeared in the film. Scenes were filmed here of Yusuke Nogi visiting his parents' house during his high school years, played by Kaeon Sakurai, and of Nozaki going to Kando Nogi, played by Jun Inoue, to ask him about the Nogi family.

VIVANT incorporates the actual history, culture, and industry of the area, and in the film, Nogi's family was one of the three families involved in the iron industry. The Sakurai family residence, where the filming took place, is also said to have been one of the "Three Families of Iron Mountain," along with the Tabe and Itohara families, and in the Edo period served as the head ironmaster of the Matsue domain. Well, you have really found the perfect location for your work. ......

Although it is located a little far from Izumo and Matsue cities, it is a must-visit place for drama fans as it is where an important scene in the story was filmed. Access by car is recommended when visiting.

Located about a 20-minute drive from the Sakurai Family Residence, Oni no Tongue Shake is the spot where the young Taku Nogi was filmed studying in episode 9. In the work, Taku was born as the second son of the Nogi family, so he could not take over the family business, but instead studied hard ...... in a reminiscence scene. Still, it is amazing that he could study so hard in such a wilderness and pass the entrance exam to the University of Tokyo. And after that, he was assigned to the Foreign Affairs Division of the Public Security Department, which is an official intelligence agency. What an elite man he is! Students who are fans of the drama may want to make a wish to pass the entrance exam for Tokyo University here.

The last place we will introduce is near Oharashinden in Okuizumo. This place appears as the location that Nozaki passed by in his police car on his way to the Nogi Honke.

Okuizumo has long been known for its tara iron and rice production. "In the film VIVANT, Nogone Beki, played by Koji Yakusho, recalls the past: "The mountains of Okuizumo are rich in iron sand of high quality. Once the iron sand is extracted, terraced rice paddies are built and rice is cultivated there. So to speak, tatara and rice cultivation developed in tandem. "

In addition to the spots introduced here, Matsue City Honjo Elementary School and the former Otani Elementary School were also VIVANT filming locations in Shimane Prefecture. Honjo Elementary School in Matsue City appears as Higashi Maizuru Elementary School in Kyoto City in the scene where Nozaki talks to Yusuke Nogi at his old school. The former Otani Elementary School also appeared as Tango Tsubasaen, the children's home where Nogi spent his childhood. Since neither of these places are tourist attractions, it is probably best to limit your pilgrimage to a glance at them.

It is also important to behave in a manner that does not disturb the locals when visiting a location. Never make loud noises or take photographs in a way that disturbs the people around you.

VIVANT, a Sunday theater drama that captivated viewers with its epic scale and tense storyline, was filmed on location in Mongolia, which is difficult to get to, but fans should definitely visit Shimane Prefecture, where you can trace the roots of the main character Yusuke Nogi and his father, Taku Nogi. If you are suffering from VIVANT loss after the drama is over, you should definitely make a pilgrimage to the holy places associated with them.