Gassan

One of the three sacred Dewa mountains, Gassan offers the unusual experience of summer skiing from April through July on its lingering snowfields high above the surrounding lowlands. White-robed yamabushi mountain ascetics have trained on these slopes for over 1,400 years as part of their spiritual practice combining Buddhist and Shinto traditions. The peak hosts alpine meadows blooming with wildflowers, while the Gassan Shrine near the summit welcomes pilgrims completing the sacred Three Mountains of Dewa circuit.