Hiking guide to Mt. Haguro of Dewa Sanzan

Let Tim Bunting AKA The Kiwi Yamabushi guide you on Mt. Haguro, the first mountain on The Dewa Sanzan Journey of Rebirth.

Mt. Haguro changed my life. As the home to our yamabushi trainings, by far Mt. Haguro is the mountain I have climbed the most, more than 100 times at a guess, no other mountain even could even come close to that. However, every single time I climb this peak I discover something new about the history and culture of the Dewa Sanzan, or something new about myself, which is the biggest reason why I think you should all come and climb Mt. Haguro.

The journey of rebirth on the Dewa Sanzan begins with the majestic Mt. Haguro, the mountain where the present world's troubles are overcome. With its stone stairway and five-storied pagoda situated amongst the hundreds of towering cedar trees and Japan's thickest thatched roof at Dewa Sanzan Shrine, Mt. Haguro, is the perfect initiation into the world of the Dewa Sanzan mountains in Tohoku, North Japan.

While on the surface Mt. Haguro seems like a peaceful location, if you get into the nitty-gritty, it really isn't. For example, centuries-old feuds are happening between the two main groups of yamabushi, the Buddhist Haguro Shugen Honshu monks of Shozen'in Temple, and the Shinto Dewa Sanzan Shrine. In fact, during the Meiji Restoration from 1868 onwards, the Dewa Sanzan had its very own Order 66, when allegiances throughout the land were really put to the test. A time that changed this mountain irrevocably, as you will see.

See my detailed article on The Dewa Sanzan's Mt. Haguro at https://timbunting.com/haguro or my 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata project at https://www.timbunting.com/mountains.

Videos mentioned:

How Japanese people can be Shinto and Buddhist at the same time:
   • Japanese are Shinto AND Buddhist? How? Hag...  

The Hidden Side of Haguro
   • MUST-SEE mountain in north Japan  

Other mountains from the 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata project:

Mother. Hunter. Mountain. Mt. Hokari
   • How this ODD mountain came to be  

The Epitome of Autumn Leaves in North Japan: Mt. Taizo
   • 7-Hour hike of Japan's Autumn Leaves  

The Widow’s Peak: Mt. Ubagatake of Tohoku, North Japan
   • The Dark Backstory of Japan’s Widow’s Peak  

The Dewa Sanzan's Mountain of Death: Mt. Gassan
   • Japan's Mountain of Death: Mt. Gassan  

Hiking Japan: Mt. Maya | Mythical Beasts and Buddha's Mother
   • The Magical Legend of Mt. Maya  

Hiking North Japan: Mt. Fujikura
   • Why NOT to climb this idyllic peak  

The Yamabushi Peak of Sutras: Mt. Kyogakura
   • They buried WHAT on this mountain?  

North Japan's Waterfall Wonderland Mt. Atsumi
   • Japan’s waterfall mountain  

Conquering Japan on Mt. Nihonkoku
   • This peak was Japan’s border!  

Forest Bathing on Mt. Takadate
   • Best place for forest bathing in Japan  

Sakura Mountain: Mt. Arakura
   • Japan’s Cherry Blossom Mountain  

Explore the Yamabushi Trails of Mt. Kinbo
   • How NOT to climb this ancient peak  

I blog daily about my Yamabushi lifestyle at https://www.timbunting.com/blog and post regularly on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok all @kiwiyamabushi.

Support my work on Patreon:
  / kiwiyamabushi​  

You can join authentic Yamabushi training with Yamabushido. Visit https://www.Yamabushido.jp​​

Learn about the Dewa Sanzan (where I became an official Yamabushi) with this website I made:
https://www.dewasanzan.com​

Learn about becoming a Yamabushi in this video:
   • Unraveling the Mysterious World of Yamabus...  ​​

Any questions or comments please just ask! I also recently started selling Horagai, the Yamabushi conches, if you want one, reach out :)

Time stamps:

0:00 Introduction to Mt. Haguro
0:15 The Dewa Sanzan Peaks
1:05 The Shukubo Pilgrim's Lodges of Mt. Haguro
1:24 The background to Mt. Haguro
2:16 The Zuishinmon Gates to Mt. Haguro
2:48 Mt. Haguro's Stone Stairway and Cedar Forest
3:26 Climbing Mt. Haguro and the Massha Shrines
3:55 The carvings on Mt. Haguro's Stone Stairway
4:42 The Shinkyo Bridge and Haraigawa River (Exorcism River)
5:03 Suga-no-taki Falls
5:28 Jijisugi, The Grandfather Cedar of Mt. Haguro
6:10 Mt. Haguro's Five Story Pagoda
8:48 The Ninosaka Chaya Teahouse of Mt. Haguro
9:12 Gohonbo Temple Remains
9:50 Minamidani where Matsuo Basho stayed on Mt. Haguro
11:16 The Cedars of Mt. Haguro and Hanayamahime Shrine
12:17 The top of Mt. Haguro
12:32 Prince Hachiko Shrine
12:42 Dewa Sanzan Shrine at the top of Mt. Haguro
13:17 Kagami'Ike: The Mirror Pond
13:46 The Bonsho Belfry of Mt. Haguro
14:08 Praying at Dewa Sanzan Shrine
14:42 Shojin Ryori at Saikan on the top of Mt. Haguro
15:33 Climbing down Mt. Haguro
16:38 In conclusion: Mt. Haguro
17:00 Playing the Horagai Conch on Mt. Haguro

#haguro #hagurosan #mthaguro #dewasanzan #tohoku