Izumo Taisha, officially called Izumo Ōyashiro, is one of the most ancient and important Shintō shrines in Japan. The shrine is rebuilt every 60 to 70 years to maintain the power of the gods it enshrines and to maintain the architectural techniques needed to maintain it. In the Heian period, the hall was previously much taller than at present, raised on stilts with a gangway up to it. This is evidenced by the remains of enormous pillars discovered at the site. One of these is displayed at the shrine, and a model in the shop at the entrance show what it may have looked like.