Ou

Ou in eastern Izumo was a centre of ancient provincial government and worship. The ruins of the provincial offices and temple stand near old burial mounds and shrines in the area south of Lake Shinji. At Ōba, Kamosu Shrine is associated with the hereditary rulers of Izumo, who once lived there. Even after the family moved its seat to Kizuki in the eighth century, it retained a residence beside the shrine for many centuries.