Mount Gas San Gate
The highest of the three sacred mountains, Gas‐san (the name means ‘moon mountain’) is covered in deep snow for much of the year – up to 5 or 6 metres. The mountain is officially ‘opened’ each year with a ceremony at the Shinto shrine at the summit, which we will reach following a two and half hour climb. Along the way there are lovely small ponds formed by the melting snow and an abundance of alpine flowers. At the summit, you will be purified by the wave of a priest’s shide (ceremonial wand) and finish our visit to the shrine with a drop of the sacred drink – saké.
Haguro-san 羽黒山
Mount Haguro (414m) is the smallest of the three and buses go as far as the summit, although you should walk the 2446 stone steps, as it isn't very strenous and takes less than an hour.
On your way, you will pass a 600-year old wooden Five-Story Pagoda (五重塔, "gojuto") built without a single nail.
The summit of Mount Haguro is defined by a shrine and torii. The main attraction is the Sanzan Gosaiden (三山合祭殿), venerating the spirits of all three mountains.
Gas-san & Yudono-san 月山・湯殿山
Mount Haguro (414m) is the smallest of the three and buses go as far as the summit, although you should walk the 2446 stone steps, as it isn't very strenous and takes less than an hour.
On your way, you will pass a 600-year old wooden Five-Story Pagoda (五重塔, "gojuto") built without a single nail.
The summit of Mount Haguro is defined by a shrine and torii. The main attraction is the Sanzan Gosaiden (三山合祭殿), venerating the spirits of all three mountains.
Gas-san & Yudono-san 月山・湯殿山
Gassan (1,984m) is the heighest of the three peaks. Buses drop passengers at Gas-san eighth station (月山八合目, Gassan Hachigome, ~1400m). From there it's a fairly easy two and a half hour hike to the summit, passing through the Midagahara Alpine plateau and 9th station. The Gas-san Shrine stand on the peak itself (entry ￥500).
Mount Yudono (1,504m) is another two and a half hour walk. The first 40min descend, then it is a steep hike up before reaching Yudono-san Shrine (湯殿山神社), the holiest of the three, although it is just a big rock and a torii.
Yudono-san can also be accessed via the three km trail from the Yudono-san Hotel to Senninzawa.
Buddhist Mummies 即身仏
Yamagata prefecture is home to a rarity known in Japanese as Sokushinbutsu or Buddhist Mummies.
These are monks who have meditated while fasting for years until death resulted from it, their body having lost most of their flesh and become "mummified".
The Dainichino Temple on Road 112 between Tsuruoka and Yudono-san has one of these sokushinbutsu in display.
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