Fodor's Expert Review Dewa Sanzan Jinja Saikan Shrine Lodge

This spartan lodge connected to Dewa-Sanzan Jinja by a long stairway allows you to enjoy the shrine and scenery at the summit after most tourists have gone home. Early birds should join priests at the main shrine for morning prayers—a great way to start the day. The cedar-lined approach is more than majestic, but inside, this shukubo, or monk's lodging, is spartan. The large tatami-mat rooms can be separated by fusuma (sliding paper doors) to create smaller rooms. Two vegetarian meals are served daily. (If you are not vegetarian, ask for fish.) The signature dish, tasty sesame tofu, is thicker, richer, and creamier than regular tofu. Ask the lodge to have your bags carried up to your room if you plan to climb Mt. Haguro. Or you can check in first, as the lodge is a bit down from the summit. If you are taking the bus, take it to the final stop.