YAMAGATA
North Japan’s premiere location for a spiritual rebirth
“It is the very mind itself that leads the mind astray; Of the mind, do not be mindless.”
– Takuan Soho
For centuries, millions have flocked to the precarious cliffs, gushing rivers, bountiful forests, serene landscapes and flora and fauna of Oku in search of a spiritual awakening, including two very influential figures in Japanese history.
Prominent master of Zen and proficient gardener, painter, calligrapher, tea master, poet, and author Takuan Soho was banished to Dewa no Kuni (present-day Yamagata and Akita Prefectures) in 1629 for protesting the Shogun’s interference in temple matters, before later becoming an instrumental advisor to later Shogun who effectively ruled Japan for more than 200 years.
“Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home”
-Matsuo Basho
By the mid to late 1600s, Japan’s premiere Haiku poet Matsuo Basho had reached the top of the literary world affording him unavoidable luxury on his travels. In search of philosophy and creativity, Basho knew he had to travel further than ever before, even if it led to his death. Rumours of the people living by the philosophies of old on the border to the lands where the native Japanese Emishi tribes lived attracted Basho in an unprecedented way. These travels to Oku culminated in the quintessential Japanese classic The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Join the many millions who have made the pilgrimage to Oku over the millennia in search of a spiritual awakening.
For over 1400 years, Yamagata Prefecture has been the home to hundreds of pilgrimages on the mystifying Dewa Sanzan; Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono. Not to mention the prefecture is also the location of the famous Yamadera temple hanging off the edge of a cliff, and the towering Mt. Chokai, a.k.a the Fuji of the north, making it the best place to experience the spiritual side of the land of the rising sun.
Read More: Channel Matsuo Basho on the Dewa Sanzan
Media Coverage
Location
Get Immersed in The Spiritual Core of Japan
Escape to the spiritual core of Japan, Yamagata Prefecture.
Adventures
See our range of exciting activities designed for your self-development
Get Reborn with Yamabushido Training on the Dewa Sanzan
- Train under the guidance of a Yamabushi Master
- Experience the metaphysical rebirth felt by Yamabushi for millennium
- Put your body and mind to the test in the ice-cold waterfall meditation
- Explore the Japan Heritage Dewa Sanzan
Join Master Hoshino, the 13th generation Yamabushi Master of Daishobo Pilgrim Lodge, and the Yamabushido team as they embark on a Haguro Shugendo-style pilgrimage of rebirth on the Dewa Sanzan.
Yamabushi-Guided Kochu Pilgrimage on Mt. Haguro
Dewa Sanzan Shrine and Mt. Haguro
- Get immersed in the Michelin-starred towering cedars and stone stairway of Mt. Haguro
- Join an ancient Kochu pilgrimage with a certified Yamabushi
- Take part in the breathtaking official worship ritual at Dewa Sanzan Shrine
- Discover the ancient connection between Buddha, Kami gods, with nature that the Japanese have had for millennia.
Taste life as a Yamabushi on Mt. Haguro. Your Yamabushi guide will take you from your Shukubo Pilgrim Lodge up Mt. Haguro, stopping for a small meal at Nino-zaka Teahouse, before arriving at Dewa Sanzan Shrine at the top for the official worship ritual.
Learn How to Maintain a Zen State of Mind
Yamadera
- Get lessons in Zen straight from the mouth of the master
- Zen Meditation in the famous temples of Risshakuji, otherwise known as Yamadera
- Discover the hidden ancient haunts of the monk who founded the famous mountain temple
- Try your hand at calligraphy like the Buddhist monks of old
Let us take you to the original spots the founder, Jikaku Daishi trained in, and tell you the origin story. Just a hint, it’s not where you think it is. Get to know everything there is about Yamadera Temple, the famous temple on the precipice of a cliff.
Escape to a Zen monastery
Zenpoji Temple, Tsuruoka
- Zen Meditation in a purpose-built meditation hall
- Calligraphy under the guidance of Zen monks
- Ancient rituals that have been passed down through the centuries
Try Zen Meditation in the specially-built meditation hall, wake up to the prayer session that has been continuing non-stop for more than 100 years, or try your hand at Japanese calligraphy. Accommodation available.
Learn the Ancient Secrets of Noh Masters
Kurokawa, Tsuruoka
- Learn the history and culture of Kurokawa Noh
- Explore the historical town of Kurokawa
- Come face to face with some of Japan’s oldest Noh masks
Explore the town of Kurokawa in Tsuruoka, and earn all about Kurokawa Noh, some of the country’s oldest Noh theatre.
Garner an Appreciation for the Source of Life
Dewaya Nishikawa
- Forage for fresh mountain vegetables in the new green of spring
- Search for mountain mushrooms amongst the autumn leaves
- Expert foragers to guide you
- Decadent dinner matched with local sake tasting
Dewaya is a Ryokan, traditional Japanese Lodge, in Nishikawa on the inland Yamagata side of Mt. Gassan. The nearby forests of the mountains are covered in edible vegetables and mushrooms that are ripe for the picking. Join the team on one of their expeditions, and help prepare a feast for the ages complete with local sake.
Blog
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 …
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. …
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 …
Locations
Mt. Haguro
Where the present world’s troubles are overcome
With its stone stairway and five-storied pagoda situated amongst the hundreds of towering cedars and the thickest thatched roof in Japan at Sanjin-gosaiden Shrine, Mt. Haguro is a definite must-see.
Nearby Sanjin-gosaiden Shrine lies Saikan, a former temple that now hosts many pilgrims to the Dewa Sanzan.
Located at the food of the Dewa Sanzan are the Shukubo, pilgrim lodges built in the 1600s specifically for those making a pilgrimage on the Dewa Sanzan. In its heyday, this village hosted more than 3 million pilgrims annually, providing not only lodging, but a place for pilgrims to change into the traditional Shiroshozoku garments and purify their bodies by eating the Shojin Ryori (ascetic cuisine) before heading out on their pilgrimage of rebirth.
Mt. Gassan
The world of the afterlife where we meet our ancestors
From the mist-covered Midagahara marshlands, to the rocky mountain paths over ice and snow, the 1,984m (6,509ft.) Mt. Gassan is the tallest of the three Dewa Sanzan.
When we die, it is said that our souls spend an arduous 33 years training, starting in the lower-lying mountains such as Mt. Haguro, until eventually reaching the top of Mt. Gassan where we turn into gods.
As such, Mt. Gassan is the metaphoric border into heaven where we can meet our deceased ancestors, and represents the world of the afterlife.
Mt. Yudono
The world of the future where we come face-to-face with our future selves
Mt. Yudono is home to the most sacred part of the Dewa Sanzan, the object of worship in Mt. Yudono Shrine. So sacred, in fact, that there is an age-old rule forbidding any mention of it.
Mt. Yudono was also the training ground for the Sokushinbutsu. Otherwise known as Buddha Mummies or Living Buddha, Sokushinbutsu are self-mummified monks that sacrificed their lives to leave evidence of reaching enlightenment in the current world, and in the hopes of providing salvation to the people.
Yamadera
Yamagata City
Yamadera is a picturesque temple hanging on the precipice of a cliff founded over 1,000 years ago. Notable for its views, a climb up the 1,015 steps is akin to climbing up to paradise.
Matsuo Basho didn’t originally plan on visiting Yamadera Temple, however, when questioned multiple times on whether he had been there, it was obvious he simply had to go.
Learn more about the hidden side of Yamadera with this experience brought to you by Megurun, the team behind the Yamabushido programs.
Zenpoji Monastery
Tsuruoka City
Zen monks have been training at Zenpoji Monastery for over a millennium. Dedicated to the ocean, the temple is home to one of Tsuruoka City’s five-storied pagodas, the only city in Japan to have more than one, illustrating the strong spiritual
beliefs of the townspeople.
Zenpoji has a shrine where two dragon gods reside, with dragons traditionally symbolising water in the east.
The temple offers Zen experiences such as meditation and calligraphy, and guests are also welcome to stay there. Learn more with a Zen experience hosted by Megurun, the team behind the Yamabushido programs.
Food: The Essence of Life
All life comes from the mountains. The leaves fall on the trees, and the bacteria help develop nutrient-rich mulch. The rain and snow fall and carry these nutrients down through the rivers and across the plains providing the grains, vegetables, and fruits with the necessities of life. Necessities that also sustain the wildlife, and the birds and fish alike. The rivers flow into the sea and provide nutrients to the creatures in the ocean. The mountains provide food, the essence of life.
The bountiful mountains, plains, rivers, lakes, and sea have provided the people of Yamagata with hearty meals for centuries. Yamagata Prefecture is known as the home of rice production in Japan, and is home to the only UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in the country, Tsuruoka City. The unwavering spiritual belief of the people of Yamagata has lead to a distinctive food culture based around worshipping nature.
Yamagata prefecture is covered with places to devour the unique food culture of this very special part of Japan that can be tried at the numerous restaurants, temples, shrines, and accommodation facilities.
Yamagata’s Finest Cuisine
Dewa Sanzan Shojin Ryori Cuisine
The Shojin Ryori of the Dewa Sanzan is a major reason why Tsuruoka City was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Try the large variety of dishes sourced straight from the surrounding mountains. You can try Dewa Sanzan Shojin Ryori in the Shukubo, or at Saikan on Mt. Haguro. Contact us for more.
Dewaya Furumai Ryori Cuisine
Freshly foraged mountain vegetables and mushrooms are on the menu with the Dewaya Furumai Ryori Set.
Yamadera Fumotoya Cuisine
Taste the flavours of the season with the locally-sourced ingredients in Fumotoya’s famous set meal.
Accommodation
SHUKUBO: PILGRIM LODGES
Shukubo are lodges dedicated to pilgrims. Each has their own prayer hall for Yamabushi to change into their Shiroshozoku garments, and Shojin Ryori ascetic cuisine for purification before entering the mountains.
Make the most of your stay
To help you get the most out of your stay on the Dewa Sanzan, we can help you find a place to stay. Simply fill out the form and we’ll get back to you within two working days.
RYOKAN: TRADITIONAL INNS
Put yourself in an age gone by with a stay in one of Yamagata’s many Onsen Ryokan, traditional hot spring inns.
Make the most of your stay
To help you get the most out of your stay on the Dewa Sanzan, we can help you find a place to stay. Simply fill out the form and we’ll get back to you within two working days.
TEMPLE AND SHRINE STAYS
Wake up to chanting monks and try Zen Meditation or Calligraphy at one of the many temples and shrines in Yamagata.
Make the most of your stay
To help you get the most out of your stay on the Dewa Sanzan, we can help you find a place to stay. Simply fill out the form and we’ll get back to you within two working days.
Access
Plane, train, bus, or car, find the best way to access Yamagata.Read our article all about accessing the Dewa Sanzan.
Plane
Yamagata is one of few prefectures in Japan to be served by two airports, Yamagata Airport and Shonai Airport.
Train
Yamagata is famous for its Shinkansen Bullet Train complete with foot spa, and the Inaho that runs along the coast of the Sea of Japan.
Bus
Yamagata is served by multiple bus companies connected within and without the prefecture.
Car
Although Yamagata is served by a public transport system, the infrequency means that arguably the best means of transport within the prefecture is by car.
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Book a stay at Zenpoji Temple
Zen Experiences at Zenpoji Temple
Zen Experiences at Yamadera Temple
Mountain Vegetable and Mushroom Foraging with Dewaya Ryokan
Kurokawa Noh Experience
