Yamagata Prefecture
Wander through the ancient cedar forest along 2,446 stone steps on what is known as “the mountain of the present”.
Mt. Haguro is one of the Dewa Sanzan, a group of three holy mountains that have been the site of an ancient pilgrimage known as the journey of rebirth since they were first enshrined over 1,400 years ago.
During this tour, we will explore the history and mysteries of this sacred land and make our way up to the top of this mountain where we will make a prayer at the Dewa Sanzan Shrine and dine on traditional Shojin Ryori, the traditional cuisine of the Yamabushi monks who continue to train on the Dewa Sanzan to this day.
This experience was featured on NHK World with our creative director Derek Yamashita, who has climbed this mountain over a hundred times, where he presented the rich history of the Dewa Sanzan and the Yamabushi.
Experience Mt. Haguro
What's Included
Walk up the ancient stone trail up Mt. Haguro together with a Yamabushi guide and translator.
Explore an ancient and serene cedar forest with trees up to 1,000 years old.
See the Five-story Pagoda in the dense forest.
Make a prayer at the Sanjin Gosaiden Shrine.
Dine on shojin ryori in a temple restaurant.
Return down the mountain or take a bus back to the base.
Cost
from 35,000 yen per person
Experience Availability
All-year round
Average Duration
Approximately 4 hours
Meeting Location
The Zuishinmon Gate
Haguromachi Touge, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0211
Minimum amount of participants
2 people
Important notes
Hiking may be limited in the winter due to heavy snow.
Participants should be in good health to climb to the top. Those with difficulty climbing the mountain can opt for a bus ride instead, your transport covered by yourself.
Experience availability may vary. Reserve to confirm availability.
Experience Mt. Haguro
At 414m (1358 ft), Mt. Haguro is a low-lying mountain that is by far the most accessible of the Dewa Sanzan both in terms of accessibility and hiking time. It is easily climbable by anyone in good health and also, has buses that can take you up and down from the peak for those wishing to skip the climb, transport covered by you.
We will start our experience right in-front of the Zuishinmon Gate at the base of Mt. Haguro.
From here, we will stop along the trail to see the many landmarks along this trail and learn about the many Yamabushi rituals that have taken place for over a thousand years on this mountain. This includes the Five-story Pagoda of Mt. Haguro, which has been designated as a national treasure of Japan, that was built over 600 years ago. This pagoda is unique for its bare wood structure that stands in the middle of towering cedar trees instead of on temple grounds, as is usual in Japan.
As we continue up the mountain, we will pass through towering lines of cedar trees that are 300-600 years old and take in the silence and serenity of this mountain. During the summer and fall, there is also a teahouse mid-way up this trail where we can stop and take in the views of the Shonai Plains from its outlook.
Reaching the top of this mountain, we will visit the Sanjin Gosaiden Shrine, which enshrines all three of the Dewa Sanzan mountains and explore the temple grounds.
We will then make our way to Saikan, a temple restaurant first built in 1689 that now has lodging and meals available for visitors to Mt. Haguro. Here we will try Shojin Ryori, the ascetic cuisine of the Yamabushi monks that was developed as part of their training which could last for months as they isolated themselves in these mountains.
Following our meal we will make our way back down the mountain and finish the tour.
Inquire about a Mt Haguro tour
You can send a booking inquiry for your experience below. After we receive your inquiry, we will confirm the booking with our partners and send you a booking confirmation email at least 3 days before your desired date.
Please note this form does not confirm the availability of an experience or reserves an experience straightaway.
Please note this form does not confirm the availability of an experience or reserves an experience straightaway.
Cancelation policy
Our general cancelation policy for our experiences is below. Cancelation fees may vary according to exceptional circumstances.
Note that last minute tour bookings made within the cancellation period will immediately be subject to the cancellation policy upon booking.
7 business days or more before date of experience
Free
5 business days or more before date of experience
30% of total price
3 days or more business day before date of experience
50% of total price
3 days or less before date of experience
100% of total price
