Trek Up the Holy Mountain, Mt. Haguro (with Shojin Ryori)

The air is crisp and clear along the path up Mt. Haguro. Centuries-old cedar trees with thick trunks shade the five-story pagoda, ancient shrines, and the long-beaten trail that spans across Dewa Sanzan (the three mountains of Dewa). This tour will take you through the forest track up to the summit of Mt. Haguro, the most accessible of three holy mountains that have played host to an ancient pilgrimage known as the “journey of rebirth” for over 1400 years. Each mountain represents a different stage in the journey: Haguro-san is birth, Gas-san is death, and Yudono-san is rebirth.

Your guide is a local Yamabushi (mountain ascetic) and will provide you with insights on ascetic rituals and major landmarks. Past the Zuishinmon Gate at the base of Mt. Haguro, you will access the holy land of the Dewa Sanzan and enter the dense forest.

The woodlands house a wooden five-story pagoda, curiously isolated from the other temple or shrine grounds, it’s a rare model of Japanese religious architecture. Peaceful and quiet, your journey through the forest includes a stop at a teahouse during summer and fall to take a breather and enjoy the overlook the Shōnai planes. Upon reaching the top of the mountain, you will enjoy a visit to the Sanjin Gosaiden Shrine, which consecrates all three of the Dewa Sanzan mountains, and explore the sacred grounds.

If your zen pilgrimage has been interrupted by sore muscles and a growling belly, soon this will be rectified! Your next stop is an energy-restoring Shojin Ryori restaurant built in 1689 as a sacred building and now repurposed to welcome visitors. “Clear body, a clear mind,” they say. What can be better than the traditional vegetarian cuisine that monks and ascetics use to nourish themselves during their training?

Finally, you will make your way down the mountain and return to the station by bus, with a full belly from the meal and serene feeling of being more in touch with nature.