Plans
A First Pilgrimage into Dewa Sanzan, Journeying to Mount Haguro from Tendo Onsen
This journey begins in Tendo Onsen, traveling by private vehicle to Mount Haguro, one of the sacred peaks of Dewa Sanzan. You will ascend the 2,446 stone steps through an ancient cedar forest, take part in a formal Shinto prayer at the Sanjin Gosaiden, and experience shojin ryori, a traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, at Saikan. This is not a sightseeing tour, but an introduction to pilgrimage as a living cultural and spiritual practice. Rather than consuming the place as a destination, you are invited to enter it with awareness, moving step by step into a space that has been shaped by centuries of devotion. Designed for first-time visitors, the experience offers a gentle yet meaningful way to align body and mind through walking, nature, and ritual. A pilgrimage to Mount Haguro is not simply a walk. The act of walking itself holds meaning. Each step is part of the experience, and the time spent on the path is essential to what this journey becomes. As you move beneath towering cedar trees, many several hundred years old, you may begin to feel a quiet shift. The boundary between everyday life and sacred space gradually softens. For those with limited mobility or specific circumstances, it is possible to travel by vehicle to the summit. However, we encourage all participants to understand that the essence of this experience lies in walking the path. Please note the following: The walk from the parking area to the Five-Story Pagoda and back takes approximately 40 to 50 minutes and includes stairs. If traveling to the summit by vehicle, there may be waiting time for those who are walking to arrive.
M Tu W Th F Sa Su
May 18, 2026 to November 30, 2026
JPY 32,000
Mountain to Table – A Journey to the Roots of Japan’s Mountain Food Culture –
What did people in Japan eat before food became something we simply purchased from a supermarket? For centuries, people living in Japan’s mountain regions have looked to the land around them for food. Wild mountain vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, and other seasonal ingredients were gathered from the mountains and transformed into meals through local knowledge passed down from generation to generation. In many parts of modern Japan, this way of living has become increasingly distant from everyday life. But in the mountains of Yamagata, traces of this food culture still remain. On this journey, you will step into the mountains around Mt. Gassan, one of the sacred mountains of the Dewa Sanzan. Together with a local mountain expert, you will encounter the seasonal gifts of the land and experience the environment where these ingredients are born. You will then visit Dewaya, a historic mountain cuisine inn at the foot of Mt. Gassan, where the ingredients and food culture of the mountains have been preserved and developed over generations. Here, you will learn how ingredients from the mountains are carefully prepared before being transformed into food. Finally, you will taste Mt. Gassan wild mountain vegetable soba. By following the journey of food—from the mountains to the kitchen and finally to your table—you will discover a way of eating that is deeply connected to the landscape. This is more than a food tour. It is a journey into one of the roots of Japan’s food culture.
M Tu W Th F Sa Su
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
JPY 23,000