Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [426]
Sleeping & Eating
Narakan (; 22-1202; 2-35 Hiyoshimachi; r per person incl 2 meals from ¥6300) Head five minutes south along the main street leading out from the station to reach this modern Western-style inn (look for the tall chimney). Rooms are a bit on the small side, but you’ll eat well – and you need the calories before hitting Dewa Sanzan.
Tsuruoka Washington Hotel (; 25-0111; fax 25-0110; www.tsuruoka-wh.com, in Japanese; 5-20 Suehiro-machi; s/d from ¥6930/10,972; ) Directly outside the station’s south exit, Tsuruoka’s instalment of the Washington Hotel is true to the brand name, offering affordable, well-maintained rooms and a convenient location. LAN cable internet available.
Tokyo Daiichi Hotel Tsuruoka (; 24-7662; fax 24-7610; www.tdh-tsuruoka.co.jp, in Japanese; 2-10 Nishiki Machi; s/d from ¥8662/12,705; ) A huge yellow brick building just one minute southwest of the station next to bus station, this upmarket business hotel has spacious and well-lit rooms as well as an attractive open-air onsen and sauna. LAN cable internet available.
Sanmaian (; 24-3632; 10-18 Kachū-shinmachi; set meals around ¥1000; 9am-4.30pm) Adjacent to the Chidō Hakubutsukan, this small noodle shop has set meals that are perfect for a light lunch or afternoon snack. The soba setto or udon setto changes daily, but either is always fairly priced.
Getting There & Away
BUS
Shoko night buses run between the Tokyo Dai-ichi Hotel in Tsuruoka and Shibuya Mark City in Tokyo (¥7390, eight hours). There are also a few buses each day between Tsuruoka and Yamagata (¥2400, 1¾ hours), though services are often cut back during the winter months due to snowdrifts.
For detailed information on accessing Dewa Sanzan, Click here.
TRAIN
A few daily tokkyū on the JR Uetsu Main line run between Tsuruoka and Akita (¥3820, 1¾ hours), and between Tsuruoka and Niigata (¥4130, 1¾ hours). There are also a few daily futsū running on the same line between Tsuruoka and Akita (¥2210, 2¾ hours) via Sakata (¥480, 35 minutes).
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DEWA SANZAN
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Dewa Sanzan is the collective title for three sacred peaks – Haguro-san, Gas-san and Yudono-san – which are believed to represent birth, death and rebirth, respectively. Together, they have been worshipped for centuries by yamabushi and followers of the Shugendō sect. During the annual pilgrimage seasons, you can see white-clad pilgrims equipped with wooden staff, sandals and straw hat, and fleece-clad hikers equipped with poles, trekking boots and bandana.
Of course, it is the yamabushi, with their unmistakable conch shells, checked jackets and voluminous white pantaloons, that keep the tradition alive. Whether stomping along precipitous trails or sitting under icy waterfalls, these devoted mountain men embrace severe ascetic exercises to discipline both body and spirit.
Orientation & Information
Theoretically, if you hiked at a military pace and timed the buses perfectly, you might be able to cover all three peaks in one day. However, this would leave you no time to enjoy the scenery, and the chances of missing a key bus connection are very high. If you want to tackle all three mountains, it’s best to devote two or three days, especially if you eschew buses in favour of foot leather.
Before setting out, it’s recommended that you book accommodation, and stock up on maps, at the tourist information office in Tsuruoka. Also note that transport can grind to a halt once the snow starts to pile up – it’s best to time your visit between July and September when all three mountains are open to hikers.
Sights & Activities
Tradition dictates that you start at Haguro-san and finish at Yudono-san, which is why we’re presenting the pilgrimage in this order. However, feel free to follow the circuit in the opposite direction, which is certainly one way of going against the crowd.
HAGURO-SAN
Because it has the easiest access, Haguro-san (419m) attracts a steady flow of tourists. At the base of the mountain is Haguro village, consisting of shukub