Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples

• “Pilgrimage to Ise in the west, and to the depths in the east.”

  Yamagata Prefecture has a lot of culture rooted in ancient history that still remains today. Even now, sacred sites of mountain worship still exist.
  As noted by the old saying, “Pilgrimage to Ise in the west, and to the depths in the east,” during the Edo period people traveled to Dewa Sanzan (the three sacred mountains of Dewa) deep in the east. This was said to be a journey of rebirth because the three mountains of Dewa were regarded as representing the happiness of the present (Mt. Haguro), the peaceful afterlife of the past (Mt. Gassan), and the desire for future rebirth (Mt. Yudono). Why not experience this grand landscape and solemn setting that inspires a sense of awe, and discover a new you?

• Spiritual spots full of history

  There are two must-see spiritual spots in Yamagata. One is Hojusan Risshaku-ji Temple (Yamadera), an ancient ‘temple in the sky’ which was written about in a famous haiku by the poet, Matsuo Basho that reads, “Ah, such stillness / that the very rocks are pierced / by cicadas’ drone.” The mountain in its entirety is comprised of strange rocks and bizarre stones, and is a place of ascetic practices and religious faith. Another spiritual spot is Kumano Taisha Shrine, one of three main Kumano Shrines. It is called the Ise of the Tohoku area and well known for matchmaking.
  There are many other Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples with venerable histories in Yamagata Prefecture. Just visiting them will leave your mind and body thoroughly refreshed.