# Dewa Sanzan

> The three sacred mountains of Dewa -- Haguro, Gassan, and Yudono -- have been a center for yamabushi mountain asceticism for over 1,400 years and represent birth, death, and rebirth.

- Prefecture: Yamagata
- Type: Shrine
- Address: Tsuruoka, Yamagata, Japan
- Official site: https://dewasanzan.jp/

Dewa Sanzan, the Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa, is one of Japan's most important pilgrimage sites and the spiritual home of Shugendo mountain asceticism. The three peaks each represent a phase of existence: Mount Haguro symbolizes birth and the present, Mount Gassan represents death and the past, and Mount Yudono embodies rebirth and the future. Mount Haguro is the most accessible, with its famous cedar-lined stone stairway of 2,446 steps passing the magnificent five-story pagoda, a National Treasure dating to the 14th century. Visitors can experience yamabushi training retreats that include meditation, waterfall purification, and mountain trekking in white pilgrim robes. The shojin ryori vegetarian cuisine served at the temple lodgings on Mount Haguro is recognized as part of Tsuruoka's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation.

## FAQ

### What are the Dewa Sanzan?

They are the three holy mountains of Haguro, Gassan and Yudono, a centre of Shugendo mountain worship for 1,400 years, representing birth, death and rebirth.

### How do I visit Mt Haguro and its five-storey pagoda?

From Tsuruoka Station take a bus to the Mt Haguro trailhead. A stone path of 2,446 steps climbs through giant cedars past the famous five-storey pagoda to the summit shrine; buses also run to the top.

### When can I visit Dewa Sanzan?

Mt Haguro is open year-round; Gassan and Yudono are generally open roughly July to September/October when free of deep snow. White-clad yamabushi pilgrims are a common sight in summer.

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Source: Dewa Sanzan — Japan Voyage