Dewa Sanzan (出羽三山) refers to three sacred
mountains with a shrine near or on its peak. The Sanzan
in the name literally translates to three mountains and
Dewa comes from the old name the area used to be
called. Dewa Sanzan is known as having the longest
history of mountain worship that goes back more than
1400 years. Located in Yamagata Prefecture, Mt.
Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono are the center for
the Shugendo religion that heavily focuses on mountain
worship. Shugendo blends both Shinto and Buddhist
practices and performs various feats that test their
endurance as a way to transcend the physical world.
Yamabushi refers to people who traversed through
sacred mountains to gain spiritual energy. One of the
most extreme practices of Shugendo was the
sokushinbutsu where if a person was successful they
would have completed a self-mummification process and
be declared a living Buddha. It has been banned today
since it is a form of suicide, but evidence of these
practices can be seen at the Churenji and Dainichibo
Temples.
These mountains represent three generations of the Pure
Land. Bosatsu the Goddess of Mercy represents birth in
the Pure Land on Mt. Haguro, Amitabha the Buddha of
the afterlife is placed at Mt. Gassan, and Dainichi Buddha
of reincarnation is worshipped at Mt. Yudono as it is to be
the last destination to reach. There are pilgrimages
people can participate in to follow mountain ascetics by
stopping at each of the sacred mountains. The journey is
referred to as Sankan Sando where the end is to
invigorate you and symbolize rebirth. Mt. Haguro is
opened all year round, but due to weather conditions Mt.
Gassan and Mt. Yudono are not. The best time to go on
the pilgrimage is between July and mid-September when
all three are open. Mt. Yudono is considered the most
sacred of the three as it is stationed behind the two and
maintains very strict rules that prevent people from
photographing, filming, and speaking about what they
have seen on the grounds.
When traveling through the Dewa Sanzan you may have
a chance to see the Yamabushi making a pilgrimage and
blowing the conch shell also known as Horagai. If you
want a guarantee on seeing the Yamabushi then attend
the various festivals held in the area. The Hassaku
Matsuri in August at Mt. Haguro is the biggest festival at
the temple. It is a fire festival that is used to pray for a
bountiful harvest in the coming year. On New Year’s Day
there is a festival of purification known as the Shoreisai.
The celebration combines acrobatic dancing and fire with
ascetic rituals. If you want to experience the lifestyle of
the ascetic monks, then there are offers available to
follow in their footsteps for a week and it will not be easy.
It is an experience that will test you mentally and
physically in order to reach spiritual fulfillment.
