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 The Dewa Sanzan; 'Three sacred mountains of Dewa', bring visitors from all over Japan, to hike through the mountains, ski, admire the beautiful scenery, pray at the shrines and practice Shugendo, an ancient religion whose followers, called Yamabushi, practice asceticism at certain times of the year. In autumn, a week long pilgrimage around the three mountains takes place. In this, the Yamabushi do not wash, they are deprived of food and sleep, and perform purification rituals including long hikes, immersion in a cold waterfall and the nanban-ibushi which involves spending time in a room filled with the smoke of burning peppers and other irritants!
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The three sacred mountains are Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono. Mount Haguro is the smallest of the three mountains at just 414 metres, but is now the most visited. It is the most easily accessible and is certainly worth the 40 minute bus ride from Tsuruoka. The climb begins at the main torii entrance gate from where one descends the first flights of stone steps. From three one crosses a bridge and passes a waterfall on the path to the beautiful five storied pagoda. This serene wooden structure was built some 600 years ago and stands among 1000 year old cedar trees. From the pagoda the climb begins in earnest, up the 2,446 stone steps to the Gosaiden shrine and History museum at the summit. Due to the tall trees Haguro does not command the views of the other two mountains but the peaceful surroundings and attractive buildings provide an equally impressive serenity. The shukubo pilgrims lodges in the Toge district at the foot of the mountain offer a welcoming place to stay for all visitors and serve the meatless, fishless shojin food eaten by the Yamabushi.
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Mount Gassan which separates inland Yamagata from the coastal Shonai region, is the largest of the three mountains with a peak of 1984 metres. The mountain is in the centre of Yamagata prefecture and dominates the scenery from many regions, with its long white slopes and imposing size. Gassan receives huge amounts of snow, often up to 8 metres which means the Gassan ski slope is still in use until July. Unfortunately due to the winter snowfalls, the ski-slopes are not accessible until mid-April and there are also hiking courses for late summer. As Gassan is the largest mountain for miles around the views are breathtaking.
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 A little further towards the sea is Mount Yudono. This is usually the last of the three mountains visited by pilgrims as Haguro is said to represent birth, Gassan death and Yudono rebirth. The shrine at Mount Yudono is still religiously revered to the extent that photography is not permitted and all visitors must remove their footwear. The 'god' of the shrine is a large rock, coloured red by a mineral-rich hot spring. The walk up to the shrine also offers some beautiful scenery.
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If the asceticism practised by the Yamabushi sounds tempting, a similar tour is available for visitors also in autumn. The three day trip involves most of the rituals of the real thing but condensed into three days. Only for the brave and stupid. The mini pilgrimage is organised by the Ideha Cultural museum located at the foot of the mountain in the Toge district of Haguro town. TEL. 0235-62-4727 |
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Although the shrine at Haguro is open all year round because it receives less snow than Gassan and Yudono, this does not mean there is no snow. The climb to the top is certainly not advisable in winter as the stone steps are not even visible, although one can probably drive up the road. The five-storied pagoda at the bottom of the climb can be accessed through most of the winter, and is probably even more beautiful when covered with snow. |
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There are apparently 33 lotus leaves, gourds and sake cups engraved into the steps. These are said to bring luck to those who find all of them. I hope you have better luck than me as I have never found even one! |
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