出雲国
The name can be translated literally as "the month when there are no gods". In Shinto tradition it was said that the eight million gods of Japan left their shrines and congregated annually at Izumo Taisha. There the month was known as , "the month when the gods are present". However, the 無 character, which normally means "absent" or "there is not", is here probably originally used as an ateji, that is used only for the sound "na". In this name the "na" is actually a possessive particle, so "Kaminazuki" means "month of the gods", not "month without gods" "(Kaminakizuki)", similarly to "Minazuki", the "month of water". However, by false etymology this became commonly interpreted to mean that because in that month, all the Shinto "kami" gather at Izumo Shrine in Izumo province (modern-day Shimane Prefecture), there are no gods in the rest of the country with the exception of Hiruko, who does not hear the summons and is thus still available for worship. Thus, in Izumo Province, the month is called .