How to get to the Dewa Sanzan

When it comes to unique experiences outside mainstream Japan, Yamagata's Dewa Sanzan should be at the top of the list. You can read our other articles about why you should visit this place, but this article is a comprehensive guide on all the best ways to access the Dewa Sanzan; plane, train, bus, or car.

Where are the Dewa Sanzan?

The Dewa Sanzan refers to the three sacred mountains of the former Dewa Province: Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono. Dewa Province encompassed modern-day Yamagata and Akita Prefectures on the west coast of the Tohoku region in northern Honshu. These days the Dewa Sanzan lie entirely in Yamagata, in the Shonai region along the Sea of Japan coast. They also split the Shonai region from inland Yamagata, so you can access Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono from either side.

For any Dewa Sanzan experience, we highly recommend staying in a Shukubo Pilgrim Lodge on Mt. Haguro, or at Saikan at the top. This puts you in by far the best location to reach all three peaks, and staying in a Shukubo or Saikan all but guarantees an immersive cultural experience only available on the Dewa Sanzan.

The remote location of the Dewa Sanzan can be a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing in that only those who truly want to visit do so. It's a curse in that public transport can be infrequent and expensive, and if you don't have your own transport or don't speak Japanese, getting there can be a challenge. The best method will depend on where you're coming from, whether you have a JR Pass, and how much time and money you have to spare. This guide covers the options: train, plane, bus, or car.

Access the Dewa Sanzan By Train

Travel by train to the Dewa Sanzan is perfect for:

• Those with a JR Pass
• Those with time to spare
• Those who like to take in the view
• Those with the budget

If you have the time, we’d highly recommend taking the train up to Tsuruoka. The mountains and coast of the Sea of Japan in Yamagata Prefecture is one of the most beautiful places to travel in the country. Yamagata Prefecture is served by JR. This means the JR Pass and JR East Pass can both be used to get to Tsuruoka.

Trains to the Shonai Region

Surprisingly, the easiest way from Tokyo to the Shonai region of Yamagata Prefecture, where Tsuruoka lies, is not by Yamagata Shinkansen (Bullet Train). The number of trains available and timing between local and bullet trains means travelling via Niigata on the Joetsu Shinkansen and the Inaho Limited Express is often more convenient.

This route takes you through the mountains of Gunma and Niigata, and along the coast of the Sea of Japan. The scenery along this coastal route is worth the trip alone. The trip from Tokyo to Tsuruoka takes around four to five hours. Then, you can take the bus from Tsuruoka Station to Mt. Haguro, or Mt. Gassan.

This Niigata route is very popular amongst Japanese people due to the time and cost. Weekends and public holidays such as Golden Week around the first week of May and Obon in mid-August are very popular. It would be a good idea to avoid these times if possible, or to grab a reserve ticket as far in advance as possible. Travelling north from Niigata? Sit on the left-hand-side. Travelling south from Shonai? Sit on the right. This ensures you get the most of the views out onto the Sea of Japan.

Inland Yamagata by Train

Thinking about hitting up Mt. Zao, Yamadera, Ginzan Onsen, or the other attractions of Yamagata Prefecture on the way? Take the Yamagata Shinkansen called the Tsubasa. The Tsubasa is generally combined with the Yamabiko Shinkansen until Fukushima Station. If it is the coupled train, your ticket will be for one of carriages 11 to 17. Make sure you board the right carriage, as the two trains aren't connected inside and split at Fukushima. The Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shinjo in the north takes a little over three hours. A timetable can be found here. Be aware that not all trains stop at all stations once in Yamagata, so you may need to transfer.

Note that all seats on the Tsubasa are reserved. Travelling with small children? Under-sixes normally ride free on Japanese trains, but only if they sit on your lap. If you want a seat for them, you'll need to buy a child's ticket. We learned this one the hard way.

To get to Tsuruoka from northern Yamagata Prefecture (Obanazawa, Oishida, or Shinjo), take the Shinkansen to Shinjo and switch to a local train to Amarume. Then, switch to the Uetsu Main Line that takes you to Tsuruoka. If you're travelling from Yamagata City, Yamadera, Mt. Zao, Sagae, or Nishikawa, it's usually best to take the highway bus to Tsuruoka.

Access The Dewa Sanzan By Air

Air travel to the Dewa Sanzan is perfect for:

• Those transferring from / to Haneda Airport
• Those short on time
• Those who just want to get to the mountains

Flights to and from The Shonai Region

With two airports, Yamagata Prefecture has good flight access from a few locations around Japan. However, the most convenient airport to Tsuruoka, Shonai Airport (SYO), is only served by Tokyo Haneda Airport on ANA. The flights take about one hour.

Haneda airport is easily accessible from the centre of Tokyo, usually taking less than one hour by train or bus. If you're pressed for time, or for ease of access, take ANA.

Tokyo Narita, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to reach from the centre of Tokyo, taking 90 minutes to two hours. If you have a foreign passport, probably the best option is to take the Narita Express to take advantage of cheaper return travel back to Narita Airport. This only works if you are travelling from Narita, however.

Shonai Airport to the Dewa Sanzan

Shonai airport is located on the border of Sakata and Tsuruoka Cities, and the city centre of each city can be reached by car or taxi within 30 minutes. There is a shuttle bus to Tsuruoka Station that leaves 10 minutes after every arriving flight.

Flights to and from Inland Yamagata

Yamagata Airport (GAJ) has flights to and from Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Nagoya, and Sapporo on JAL. Fuji Dream Airlines serves the Nagoya route, and you can see Mt. Fuji on this route if the weather is right.

Be careful that Yamagata Airport is a little hard to access, especially in winter. However, there is an Airport Shuttle to Yamagata City that takes about 35 minutes. A timetable and more information can be found here. Buses from Yamagata Airport to central Yamagata City depart 15 minutes after every arriving flight. No reservation is required, and you can pay the fare when you get on the bus. In the reverse case, the shuttle buses to Yamagata Airport are designed to arrive 40 minutes before a flight departure.

There are a few options available to get to the Shonai region from Yamagata Airport. Of course, by far the easiest option is a rental car. However, other than that, you’ll have to take the bus to Yamagata Station, then take another bus from there to Tsuruoka. 

Accessing the Dewa Sanzan By Bus

Travel by bus to the Dewa Sanzan is perfect for:

• Those on a budget
• Those who want to travel overnight

Night buses from Tokyo and other locations

Buses to and from Tsuruoka and Tokyo are very popular amongst the price-conscious. Buses are operated by Shonai Kotsu and Kokusai Kogyo. Shonai Kotsu has buses from Ikebukuro, Shibuya, and Shinjuku in Tokyo, Tokyo Disneyland, and Tokyo DisneySea in Chiba. The buses on offer all depart at night and take around 7 or 8 hours arriving in your destination the next morning.

Buses from Sakata, Inland Yamagata and Sendai

You can take the bus from Sakata Station or Sakata Aeon Mall to Tsuruoka station, but the train is usually more convenient and cheaper. There are buses that go from Sendai Station via Yamagata City to Tsuruoka. More information can be found here.

Access The Dewa Sanzan By Car

Tohoku Expressway

If you have a car, getting to Yamagata is basically a matter of travelling north on the Tohoku Expressway. After Murata take the exit onto the Yamagata Expressway, and head towards Sakata. Then take the Shonai Asahi exit and head to Mt. Haguro (Google Maps link).

Once there: Getting around the Dewa Sanzan

If possible, we highly recommend getting a rental car within Yamagata Prefecture as public transport can be infrequent and slow. Also, Mt. Yudono doesn't have any public transport, so getting to or from there will require a private car or taxi of some sort.

When using public transport, besides the direct buses from Mt. Gassan, the only way to access Mt. Haguro is by bus from Tsuruoka Station. This means that if you're coming from Sakata City, Shinjo City, or Shonai Airport, you'll have to make your way to Tsuruoka station first. It takes about 40 minutes from Shonai Airport to the Shukubo Village of Mt. Haguro by car.

Tsuruoka Station to Mt. Haguro

Buses from Tsuruoka Station to the bottom of Mt. Haguro run all year and take about 40 minutes. If you’re staying in a Shukubo, most likely you will want to stop somewhere before Haguro Zuishinmon. Daishinbo and Daishobo are closest to Sakura Koji bus stop.

Most of these buses go all the way to the top of Mt. Haguro, Haguro Sancho, where Sanjingosaiden (Dewa Sanzan Shrine) and Saikan are. This is also where the Dewa Sanzan Flower Festival and Hassaku Festival take place. More information for buses between Tsuruoka Station and Mt. Haguro and Mt. Gassan can be found here.

Tsuruoka Station to Mt. Gassan Hachigome

Shonai Kotsu runs buses to the 8th Station of Mt. Gassan (Hachigome) on set days during the Mt. Gassan hiking season. More information can be found here. This bus goes via both the Toge Pilgrim Lodge village at the base, and the summit of Mt. Haguro.

Experiences on the Dewa Sanzan

If you're looking for unique experiences to do on the Dewa Sanzan, check out Yamabushido. Yamabushido is a local company that provides ample opportunities for self-development. Simply put, there is no better experience on the Dewa Sanzan than training with the Yamabushi.

Other spots in Yamagata Prefecture

In addition, there are numerous other locations surrounding the Dewa Sanzan that are well worth the visit. Mt. Gassan is home to Hijiori and Shizu Onsen (hot spring) villages, and there are many other Onsen villages around. In fact, Yamagata Prefecture is famous for having an Onsen in every municipality. Tsuruoka itself has four famous Onsen towns; Yutagawa, Yunohama, Yura, and Atsumi, all located in convenient locations to reach the Dewa Sanzan. Not to mention the super-famous Ginzan Onsen.

Other popular locations for visiting Mt. Gassan include Nishikawa and Sagae. While you’re in the region, why not check out other famous locations in inland Yamagata? Mt. Zao is available for skiing in winter and hiking in the summer, Yamadera is always available for a spiritual hike, which will put you in touch with your inner Matsuo Basho.

Conclusion

There are many options for accessing the Dewa Sanzan, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Many people use a combination of two, most often flying to Shonai then taking the train to their next destination. I hope this article has provided you with the information you need to be able to access the Dewa Sanzan in a way that is appropriate for you and your group.