From Wikitravel

Dewa Sanzan (出羽三山) is in the northern Tohoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

[edit] Understand

Dewa Sanzan means "Three Mountains of Dewa" and indeed comprises the three sacred mountains of Haguro-san (羽黒山), Gas-san (月山) and Yudono-san (湯殿山), clustered together in the ancient province of Dewa (modern-day Yamagata prefecture). Holy to the Japanese Shinto religion and especially the mountain ascetic cult of Shugendo, Dewa Sanzan are a popular pilgrimage site visited by many, including famed haiku poet Matsuo Basho on his Narrow Road to the Deep North. If you're lucky, you may even spot a yamabushi ascetic pilgrim blowing into a conch shell.

[edit] When to go

Haguro-san is accessible all year round, but Gas-san and Yudono-san close during winter because of snow. The peak climbing season is short and extends only from July to mid-October. Festivals are held to celebrate the opening and closing of the shrines.

[edit] Get in

Regular buses from Tsuruoka (鶴岡; ~40 min; ¥700) connect to Haguro-machi (羽黒町), get off at the "Haguro Center" (羽黒センター) stop for the trailhead. Some buses also continue all the way to the top, taking an extra 10 minutes.

Less frequent buses also connect Yudono-san to Yamagata.

NOTE: Once you get to Tsuruoka, do not expect to find much English. Your journey will be a lot easier if you speak Japanese or have someone with you who does.

[edit] Get around

Buses shuttle from both the top of Haguro-san and the Kyuka-mura stop at the base of the mountain to Gas-san Eighth Station. Note that the bus stop is on the other side of the mountain (not in Haguro-machi), take the footpath down (40 min) instead of the road to get to the stop faster.

[edit] See & Do

The traditional approach is to hike across all three mountains, although most visitors opt for a bus from Haguro-san to Gas-san as the distance is quite long.

[edit] Haguro-san

Haguro-san is the most easily accessible of the three sites and the only one that can be visited without some hiking.

• The well-marked trail from the base of Haguro-san winds its way through the forest for a while, passing the beautiful wooden Gojuto (Five-Story Pagoda) along the way. Built some 600 years ago, the pagoda is registered as a National Treasure.
• Soon the ascent of 2446 stone steps starts. Easy to walk and not particularly steep, the climb is tiring in its sheer relentlessness, but you can pause at a popular teahouse halfway up for refreshments and a certificate of climbing up the hard way. This will take around one hour if you're in reasonably good shape and don't dally too much.
• Haguro-san (a mere 414m) does not have an identifiable peak as such, at one point the trail simply flattens out and after a torii gate you will find yourself on the grounds of the shrine. The main attraction here is the Sanzan Gosaiden (三山合祭殿), venerating the spirits of all three mountains.

[edit] Gas-san and Yudono-san

The hike to the top of Gas-san and across to Yudono-san is a somewhat challenging full-day hike and should be approached with due respect. Obtain a map of the area from any nearby tourist office before you set out and take heed of weather conditions. With a forecast of rain and without proper rain gear, hiking to the peak can not only be extremely uncomfortable (you will get soaked) but dangerous as well with high speed wind gusts, slippery rocks, and very cool temperatures near the top.

• Buses deposit passengers at Gas-san Eighth Station (月山八合目, Gassan Hachigome, ~1400m), from where it's a fairly easy two and a half-hour hike 500m vertically up the mountain through rolling plains often shrouded in mist.

• The peak of Gas-san (月山頂上, 1984m) features the simple Gas-san Shrine (月山). Entry costs ¥500 but includes quick purification by the resident Shinto priest.

• If you continue the trail across the peak and down, keeping to the right when the trail splits, you will after 45 minutes encounter a last split where one trail continues up to the peak of Yudono-san (~1500m).

• The real fun starts on the other trail to the right, which climbs down to Yudono-san Shrine, which is considerably steeper and in places equipped with steel ladders to climb down. On the very last leg you'll have to ford your way down a stream from rock to rock. The time down from the trail split is one hour 20 minutes.

• The reward for your efforts is Yudonosan Jinja (湯殿山神社), the holiest shrine of the three. Photography is prohibited and so is telling outsiders what you have witnessed, so Wikitravel shall not spoil the surprise...

• The Yudono-san parking area and bus stop is only a short walk from the shrine.

• Note that buses departing Gas-san and Yudono-san are few and far between so plan your day accordingly. The last bus back to Tsuruoka train station leaves Gas-san at 4:00pm and Yudono-san at 4:30pm.

[edit] Buy, Eat & Drink

Bring plenty of water for Gassan/Yudonosan, as there is little to be had along the trail. There are places to eat at the 8th and the 9th station and on the top of top of Gas-san. Accommodation is also available at the 8th station and in a mountain hut near the Gas-san summit; reserve in advance if you want to be assured a place for the night.

There is a small shopping center near the Yudonosan bus stop below the temple, which has a number of restaurants and many souvenir shops.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Most pilgrims opt to stay in the town of Haguro-machi, at the foot of the mountain. There are over 30 shukubo here offering basic lodgings.

In this writer's opinion, the best place to stay in Haguro-machi is Hagurokan (羽黒館). To find it, take the bus toward Haguro-machi and get off at either Haguro Center (羽黒センター) or the stop right before it, Sakura Koji (桜小路). Walk down the road in the direction the bus came, and right where the road curves to the left you will see the sign for 羽黒館 on your right.

Regardless of where you stay, though, you must arrive before the dinner hour or you will have a difficult time finding a place that is open. The best way is to call in advance and make a reservation (most places are Japanese only). This writer would like to stress that while staying in a traditional shukubo is a wonderful way to do this journey, it will be very difficult if you don't speak Japanese or have someone with you who does.

• Saikan(斎館, tel. 0235-62-2355) is the sole pilgrim's lodging at the top of Haguro-san, left right before you pass under the torii. A fully equipped if somewhat large and impersonal, but beautifully placed, ryokan with space for over 300, one night's stay with breakfast only starts at ¥7000.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!