Dewa Sanzan Shrine (Hagurosan)
A journey of rebirth through the three sacred mountains of Dewa.
Dewa Sanzan refers to the three sacred mountains: Mt. Haguro (Birth), Mt. Gassan (Death), and Mt. Yudono (Rebirth). The Sanjin Gosaiden at Mt. Haguro enshrines deities from all three.
History of the Shrine
Opened over 1,400 years ago by Prince Hachiko, Dewa Sanzan is a center of Shugendo (mountain asceticism). Pilgrims traditionally visit the three mountains in a specific order to experience a symbolic death and rebirth ('Ukkai').
Mt. Haguro represents the happiness of the present world, Mt. Gassan the afterlife, and Mt. Yudono the future rebirth. Walking these paths is a spiritual training to rejuvenate the soul.
The Enshrined Kami
What to See
The Five-Story Pagoda (Gojunoto) on Mt. Haguro is a National Treasure standing silently in a cedar forest, particularly magical in winter snow. The stone steps leading to the top tally 2,446 steps lined with centuries-old cedars (Michelin 3-star view).
At the summit stands the 'Sanjin Gosaiden', a massive thatched-roof structure (the thickest in Japan) housing the deities of all three mountains, allowing year-round worship even when Gassan and Yudono are snowed in.
Major Festivals
The 'Shoreisai' on New Year's Eve is a fiery ascetic festival involving competing 'holy fires'. Throughout the summer, you can see 'Yamabushi' (mountain priests) blowing conch shells.
Support Dewa Sanzan Shrine (Hagurosan)
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