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Beautiful mountains and the history of faithYamagata Prefecture, with impressive, nature-filled mountains has a tradition of faith where the mountains and the people are deeply associated. Mount Gassan (alt. 1984m), Mount Haguro (alt. 414m) and Mount Yudono (alt. 1504m) were the objects of faith as domains of the gods, and called the “Dewa Sanzan” or the three mountains of Dewa. They all have shrines atop each mountain which are collectively referred to as the “Dewa Sanzan Jinja”. According to its official history, the prince of Emperor Sushu sailed over the Sea of Japan and arrived at Yaotomeura beach (present Yurahama in Tsuruoka, Yamagata). Then, led by a three-legged sacred bird, he visited Mt. Haguro and after going through severe mortification, the god “Hagurosan Daigongen” appeared in response. He then went on to open the shrines on Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono. The mountains went through changes during the long history, and many Buddhist temples were built under the influence of the “Shinbutsu Shugo” or the syncretistic fusion of Buddhism and Shintoism prevalent in the Heian era, when it became famous as a big spiritual center. Then when Shinto and Buddhism again became separate in the Meiji era, they were redefined as Shinto shrines, and the faith continues to date. |
Walk the approachNakata visited Hagurosan Shrine and Dewa Shrine with the senior priest Yuichiro Nakano. |
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The “shugendo” tradition continuesThe major characteristics of the “shugendo” in Mt. Haguro is the idea of experiencing “sankansando“ and “gishisaisei”, both concepts of regeneration through asceticism. |
ACCESS
- Dewa Sanzan Jinja
- 7 Touge, Touge Aza, Haguro Machi, Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture
- URL http://www.dewasanzan.jp/