Yamagata: Dewa Sanzan



Dinner at Shukubou

We drove a car to Yamagata prefecture to visit Dewa Sanzan. Dewa sanzan is the mountains for Japan's ancient mountain worship and it consists of 3 sacred mountains (Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono). Many pilgrim and practitioners of Shugen-do visit the mountains.  We stayed at shukubo (temple Lodging). According to Shinto priest of shukubo, Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan Mt. Yudono signify this world, the world after death, rebirth respectively. So the order of visiting shrine is also decided  same as above order.
The dinner there was made from fresh seasonal vegetable of Yamagata and it was served with a glass of sacred Japanese wine.



Pagoda at Mt.Haguro

Visiting Mt. Haguro - about 10 min. walk from the entrance, a five storied pagoda stands on the way to shrine. It is registered as National treasure and considered built around 931 - 938 by Masakado Taira. The pagoda stood firmly, calmly surrounded by cedars. Looking the pagoda  I felt like time was stopping in here. And it made me realize I was one of small element same as a leaf or a insect in the nature. Eternal, uncontrollable atmosphere was there.

Visiting Mt. Gassan - as it expresses heaven, the shrine located very high. We drove a car up and up. I could understand the view from near top actually dividing up the lower world and heaven. The top of the mountain was open marshland like enlightened world.

Torii of Mt.Yurdono

Visiting Mt. Yudono - There is saying; "Not to tell what you saw and heard at Mt. Yudono to others". Mmm...I can't tell... but it was very interesting experience. Just say, I felt mother nature.

Kirishima, Kagoshima

View of Onami Pond from the top of Karakunidake

My brother invited us to Japanese inn with hot-spring in Kagoshima prefecture to celebrate our parents' silver wedding. Kagoshima is the place I grow up. Since weather was nice in this season, we had planned climbing   mountain the day before the celebration.
We got up 3 am, took 6 am airplane from Haneda airport. The mountain we climbed was Mt.Karakunidake which is the highest peak of Kirishima mountain rage.
Even though I climbed the peak twice in my past, the view was still astonishing. Below the peak I saw Onami Pond – the beautiful crater-lake, Mt. Sakurajima – active volcano floating on Kinko Bay...I could even see the Mt. Kaimondake located far south of Kagoshima.

The top of Karakunidake

Next day we visited ryokan (Japanese inn with hot-spring) where my brother made the party reservation. We didn't tell our parents that I and my husband are coming to the party from Tokyo. So it was a surprise for them. We waited them at lobby. They came. But they didn't notice us at all. I sat on the sofa across from the sofa my farther was sitting, our eyes met, his strange face approached me saying "Are～(Uh-oh...)" . We enjoyed Japanese style course meal and hot-spring in nature.

As we get old and live far a way, it became difficult for family  to gather like this. So it was precious moment to me.

family photo at the inn.