Meals
Lodgings
Ideha Bunka Museum
Access
[Difficulty Level A] A 90-minute Trip! Stone Steps Walking to the Top
You will climb 2,446 stone steps to the top of Mt. Haguro.
The slippery stone steps are very dangerous with sandals, pumps, or dress shoes.Sneakers, rubber boots, and walking sticks are available for free rental at the Ideha Bunka Museum.
- Ideha Bunka Museum
Ideha Bunka Museum, located near the entrance to the pilgrimage route to Mt. Haguro, is the sole official museum dedicated to showcasing the history and the culture of the Three Mountains of Dewa, as well as to research on Shugendo.
- Zuishin Gate
Now, off we go!
Once you cross the Zuishin gate, the entrance to the pilgrimage route to Mt. Haguro, you are in the sanctuary.
- Mamakozaka
Make your way on the pilgrimage route down the Mamakozaka slope.
This is the route that has been given three stars by the Michelin Green Guide Japan!
- Harai River
With the vista of the Suga-no-taki Fall, you cross the Harai River…
- Jiji-sugi
Jiji-sugi, a Japanese cedar tree more than 1,000 years old, is waiting for you.
This giant tree has been watching the whole history of Mt. Haguro.
- Five-storied Pagoda of Mt. Haguro
Next, you will arrive at the Five-storied Pagoda of Mt. Haguro.
With just a short walk into the mountain, there extends a completely different world.
- Ichi-no-saka
Passing by the Five-storied Pagoda, you will find the Ichi-no-saka slope. There are three major slopes; make your way on your own pace.
- Ni-no-saka & San-no-saka
After the steeper Ni-no-saka slope, you will tackle the San-no-saka slope.
There is no path without an end; you will eventually reach the mountaintop.
- Mt. Haguro’s Summit
Going up through the last slope of San-no-saka, you are finally at the top of Mt. Haguro!
There, you can view the magnificent sky. With a thatched roof as thick as 2.1 meters, the Sanshin-gosaiden Shrine enshrines the deities of Mt. Gassan, Mt. Haguro, and Mt. Yudono all together.
- Dewa Sanzan Shrine/Sanjin Gosaiden
In front of the deities of the Three Mountains of Dewa, bow twice, clap your hands twice, and bow once again as a way to make your prayer.
The pilgrimage route you trek for 90 minutes is as long as 1.7 kilometers (about 1.06 miles). The legend says that the pilgrimage route is a birth canal for pilgrims to be reborn. Walking through on this route may help you to have a new state of mind.