Tohoku
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1. Mt. Gas-san
Buses leave JR Tsuruoka Station and S-Mall in summer for the nearly two-hour trip (¥2,100) to the Gas-san Hachigo-me stop. Check schedules with the tourist information center as they change seasonally. From there you can hike three hours past the glaciers and wildflowers to the 6,500-foot summit of Gas-san, literally Moon Mountain—the highest of the three holy Dewa mountains. From the top you can see the whole gorgeous gallery of mountains that is Yamagata, including one called Mt. Chokai (also known as Dewa Fuji) for its perfect shape. There is even a temple at the top should the spirit take you. It's not possible to climb without snowshoes and winter gear from November to late April or May.
Mt. Gassan, Haguromachi Kawadai, Tsuruoka, Yamagata-ken, 997-0131, JapanSight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed late Nov.--late Apr. or early May -
2. Mt. Haguro
The climb up Mt. Haguro begins at the red Zuishin Gate (Zuishin-mon), then goes up 2,446 or so stone steps to the summit. The strenuous ascent cuts through ancient cedar trees that rise to dominate the sky. You'll pass a 14th-century pagoda sitting alone in the forest. A tea shop is open from late April through October. The trail is just over 1.7 km (about 1 mile) in all, and it may take you an hour to reach the 1,400-foot summit with its thatched-roof shrine, Dewa-Sanzan Jinja. Up to 12 buses a day make the 35-minute trip to Zuishin Gate and up to the peak of Haguro from JR Tsuroka Station. It is possible to stay overnight on the mountain at the temple-lodge of Sai-kan, which is attached by a long stairway to the Dewa-Sanzan Jinja.
Mt. Haguro, Haguromachi Touge, Tsuruoka, Yamagata-ken, 997-0211, Japan023-562–2355Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
3. Yudono-san
One of the trio of Dewa peaks, 5,000-foot Yudono-san is generally the last on pilgrims' rounds. You can descend on foot in a few hours from Gas-san, but it involves interpreting signs in Japanese, a bit of exertion, and slippery metal ladders, and you'll want to check with the tourist information folks about current conditions and the bus schedule. Seasonal buses make the 80-minute (¥2,000) run between Tsuruoka and Sen-nin-Zawa, a trailhead for a short climb to the summit, where you make a small monetary donation and be purified in a secret ritual that you are forbidden to photograph or tell anyone about. Once cleansed, don't miss the last bus back down to Tsuruoka, which leaves at 5:20 pm. The Shonai Kotsu buses have an erratic holiday schedule to Yudono-san, so make sure to check the schedule in advance as the bus is the only way back apart from hiking; of the three mountains, ascending this one takes the most advance planning since the bus schedule is so erratic.
Mt. Yudono, Tamugimata, Tsuruoka, Yamagata-ken, 997-0532, Japan -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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