Sightseeing of Mt. Haguro 【Five-storied Pagoda+ Dewa sanzan】 in winter

In January 2020 (warm winter), I rode Jetstar ★ and traveled alone in the Shonai (Yamagata) area.
Explore Yudagawa Onsen and Tsuruoka Station area and head to today’s main event, Mt. Haguro.

1. From Tsuruoka Station, go to the Haguro mountain five-storied pagoda and Dewa shrine (top of Haguro mountain) by bus

There is only one bus per hour.
Make a plan in advance.

▼ Timetable of Shonai Kotsu Bus “To Haguroyama”
https://www.shonaikotsu.jp/local_bus/t008_haguro.html

1-1.If you go from Tsuruoka station to Mt. Haguro by bus, “Tsuruoka One-day unlimited ride　ticket” is recommended

▼[C course] Tsuruoka whole area course is recommended
https://www.shonaikotsu.jp/local_bus/oneday.html

2.Share the course of sightseeing in Mt. Haguro in winter

2-1. From Tsuruoka Station to “Haguro Zuishin-mon” by Shonai Kotsu Bus

On the way, you will pass Mt. Haguro (Sanzan Shrine) Otorii.
Otorii means big torii.
It takes 3.1km / 40 minutes (according to Google) from Mt. Haguro (Sanzan Shrine) Otorii to Haguro Zuishin-mon.
And there is only one bus every hour.
I thought I wanted to get off, but I lost the cold and took a picture from inside the bus.

2-2. Before entering Omotesando! Let’s rent boots at the Ideha Culture Memorial Hall

Get off the bus at the Haguro Zuishin-mon Gate, or at the Ideha Cultural Memorial Hall, and rent boots.
Unless you’re wearing shoes that are snow-capable, I recommend borrowing boots.

▼ 【Notes】About visiting Haguro in winter
https://hagurokanko.jp/p3624/

2-3. Take the Omotesando from Haguro Zuishin-mon Gate to Mt. Haguro Pagoda

Pass through Haguro Zuishin-mon Gate and enter the sanctuary of Mt. Haguro (Sanzan Shrine).

This is Haguro Zuishin-mon Gate.
It is said that this gate was first donated as “Nio-mon (generally the gate where the Kongo Rikishi guarded the temple were enshrined)”.
At the time of the separation of the gods and Buddhas in the Meiji era, it seems that they enshrined a statue of a person ( who protects gods) and named it “Zuishin-mon”.

The cedar trees that have won the Michelin Green Guide Japon have a sacred atmosphere.
Every time I take a step, I feel that my filth is coming off.

A view of a row of cedar trees from below.
The winter I visited in 2020 was warm.

It cleared up and the snow on the cedars melted like rain.

There are small shrines on the approach.

A red god bridge that hangs over the river.
In the old days, people in Mt. haguro were always pursuing themselves in the clean stream of Harai-kawa river, and on the way to worshiping Mt. Haguro.

It’s this season, so let’s skip purifying yourselfヽ(￣ー￣ )ノ

Generally, it is said that the “sanctuary” is from “Zuishinmon”, but from here the mountaintop and the foothills were separated.
On the mountain, there were 30 temples, including Honbo, until the Meiji Restoration.
There lived a practitioner who did not eat meat and had no wife.
On the other hand, it seems that there was a practitioner with 336 wife at the foot of the mountain.

Say hello to the natural monument cedar.

We arrived at the Haguro mountain five-storied pagoda.
When the gods and Buddhas were separated, the temple was demolished and the gods were taken (maybe they had to), but this Hagurosan five-storied pagoda remained.

From the side, you can see the whole view of Mt. Haguro Pagoda.

If it’s not winter, you can climb the stone steps to the Dewa Sanzan Sanjin gosaiden Shrine.
This stone step is not a sightseeing promenade, but a place for practitioners to practice.
The stone steps are very narrow (as the locals said) so don’t overdo it.

I arrived at the bus stop, rented boots, walked to Haguroyama Five-storied Pagoda, returned boots, and it was 【a little over an hour】 to the bus stop.

2-4. Visit the Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine at the summit of Haguro

I returned my boots to the “Ideha Culture Memorial Hall” and took a bus from the bus stop to the summit of Mt. Haguro.
After purifying my hands and mouth at the waterhouse, head for the Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine.

The Dewa Sanzan Sanjin Gosaiden is the shrine holds the three gods of Gassan, Haguro and Yudonosan.

I should have entered the assembly hall and went to the “Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine ” via the building to visit.
However, there is no photo of “Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine ” (*ノ-；*)

At the rest house near the bus stop, we had Yamagata’s specialty “Tama Konjac”.
Tama means Ball.
Konjac also known as Konjac or Devil’s tongue, is a traditional Japanese food and is made from Konjac.

It took 17 minutes from the water station to the last “Tama Konjac”.
If you just visit the Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine, it will be all right in 30 minutes.

After that, I went back to Tsuruoka Station(￣m￣*）

3. 【Summary】Mt. Haguro x Five-storied pagoda + Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine by bus

Take a bus from near Tsuruoka Station

• Haguroyama Zuishin-mon, five-storied pagoda
• Dewa Sanzan Sanjingosaiden Shrine at the top of Mt. Haguro

I worshiped in.
The time required was 【just over 4 hours】.

It took less time than I expected.
I hope it will be helpful for you to aim for Mt. Haguro in winter.

4.【MAP】Tsuruoka x Sakata! Shonai Tourism