Category: Mt. Haguro
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Dewa Sanzan Experience: Remembrance in Japan’s Sacred Mountains
A Spiritual Encounter with the Sokushinbutsu (Self-Mummified Monks) and in-depth exploration into Japan’s ancient ancestor worship custom ENTRIES FOR THIS EXPERIENCE HAVE NOW CLOSED. Overview Step into the sacred heart of Japan’s mountains. Here, prayer, nature, and ancestral memory come together. You will be guided by yamabushi, mountain monks with over 1,400 years of walking…
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Daishinbo Three Peaks Dewa Sanzan Experience
Overview Since ancient times, pilgrims have come to Dewa Sanzan, the Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa in northern Japan, to seek renewal and a fresh start. Walking these mountains is seen as a journey of rebirth, where each step brings you closer to a new chapter in life. On this program, you will complete the…
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Saikan: Shrine Lodging on Mt. Haguro
Meticulously placed stones line the path off Haguro-san‘s stone stairway that leads up to the ancient entrance of an enchanting place, Saikan. Saikan is a former temple that provided generations of Yamabushi mountain monks all they needed for training; altars for rituals, Shojin Ryori (Ascetic Cuisine), Shiroshozoku garments for purification, and of course, lodging. These…
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The Shoreisai Festival on Mt. Haguro
What better way to welcome in the new year than with the symbolic burning of an evil demon to a crisp? Well, the annihilation of a demon twice is all but one small part of the much larger Shoreisai festival that starts with the most gruelling of Yamabushi rituals on the Dewa Sanzan, the Fuyunomine Winter…
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The Dewa Sanzan Hanamatsuri Flower Festival
Put simply, the warmer months are an excellent time to visit the Dewa Sanzan, and not just for the Dewa Sanzan Flower Festival. Not only did Matsuo Basho visit the Dewa Sanzan during this time, but Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono are open for hiking, the Mt. Haguro Five Storied Pagoda Light Up is on, and…
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Japan’s Spiritual Powerhouse: Dewa Sanzan
Take a step through the Zuishinmon gates and into the cedar forests of Mt. Haguro and you will instantly be whisked into another world, the world of the Dewa Sanzan. Located in the middle of Yamagata Prefecture, the Dewa Sanzan is the collective name for the three sacred mountains of the former Dewa Province: Mt.…
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Why You Simply Must Try Dewa Sanzan Shojin Ryori
Why You Simply Must Try Dewa Sanzan Shojin Ryori If you’ve paid a visit to a Zen temple in Japan before, chances are you would have tried Shojin Ryori. Known for its almost exclusive use of local vegetables, zero waste policy, and unprecedented impact on Japanese cuisine, Shojin Ryori spread throughout Japan along with the…
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Autumn on the Dewa Sanzan
Autumn on the Dewa Sanzan “There are days that are clearly summer days, and then there are days that are clearly autumn days. However, we never say ‘today is summer, and tomorrow is autumn’.” Master Hoshino of Daishobo Pilgrim Lodge on Mt. Haguro Master Hoshino of Daishobo Pilgrim Lodge is famous for saying that the…
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All about Mt. Haguro’s Five Story Pagoda
A Marvel for the Modern Era: The Five Story Pagoda of Mt. Haguro Put simply, the Five Story Pagoda of Mt. Haguro is a masterpiece. That this entirely wooden structure has stood for centuries in the middle of a forest deep in snow country, through earthquakes, warfare, and political upheaval, is tantamount to the deep…
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The Ultimate Guide to Accessing the Dewa Sanzan
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…