Category: The Narrow Road to the Deep North
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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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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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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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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…
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Dewa Sanzan Hiking and Itineraries
Why Hike the Dewa Sanzan? To truly get the most out of a Dewa Sanzan hike, it’s important to understand exactly how the three mountains became a centre for spiritual rebirth in the first place. Since ancient times, the Japanese have regarded mountains as an abode of the gods, a sacred location holding all of…
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Shukubo Pilgrim Lodges on Haguro-san
For the true Dewa Sanzan experience, for the true Japan experience, you can’t go past the Shukubo Pilgrim Lodges of Haguro-san. Shukubo are purpose-built lodges established long ago for those making a pilgrimage on the Dewa Sanzan. Although some people think of this as a form of temple lodging, that is not quite correct. Let’s take…
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Channel Matsuo Basho on the Dewa Sanzan
Channel Matsuo Basho on the Dewa Sanzan On an early spring morning in 1689, Matsuo Basho awoke from his sleep in Bashoan, his residence in Edo, modern-day Tokyo. By that time, Basho’s fame as a Haiku and Renga poet had afforded him a life of luxury. Wherever Basho travelled, his apprentices treated him like royalty.…
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Why to Add The Dewa Sanzan to Your Bucket List
Why to Add The Dewa Sanzan to Your Bucket List In recent years, more and more people have been searching for an escape from ordinary everyday life. Northern Japan’s Dewa Sanzan have been providing that location for more than a millennium. However, only recently has it started to gain traction as a top hiking destination…