N°146 [TRAVEL] A Second Breath in Tohoku

For those who wish to ‘reborn,’ the Yamabushi of Yamagata Prefecture are ready to assist you.

How would you like to get reborn in the remote mountains of Tohoku on your next trip to Japan? Well, now it´s possible, thanks to the mountain-worshipping mystics known as the Yamabushi. A recent post on the Japanese government’s Japangov social media page, stated that the Yamabushi “have long sought supernatural powers and enlightenment through ascetic training in the mountains.”

The Yamabushi have been walking the mountains of Japan for over 1400 years. Traditionally, they would leave their communities to immerse themselves in the wild mountains. There, through extreme self-discipline and intense training, they obtained special powers called genriki, which could then be used to help others. These powers included the ability to heal others, exorcise demons, commune with kami (deities) for assistance, and maintain youthful health well into old age. 

Records of the Yamabushi and their retreats into the mountains date back to the 7^th century. Many sources suggest it all started with the mysterious mountain wizard, En no Gyoja (634-700). This colourful character later became revered as a kami in his own right.

Nevertheless, mountain-worshipping has existed in Japan since time immemorial, when people didn’t just regard mountains as holy places where the kami dwelt. They believed that the mountains themselves were deities. 

En no Gyoja is also frequently credited as the founder of Shugendo (a syncretic blend of Shinto, Buddhism, nature worship, and Taoist magic) which became the religion of the Yamabushi. Their practices were highly secretive. Even today, Yamabushi are sworn to secrecy on certain aspects of their training. 

In the era of Classical Japan (710-1185), Yamabushi proliferated in mountains across the country. Today, only a few isolated pockets prevail, particularly around Mt Yoshino and the Kumano Shrines in Wakayama, and Dewa Sanzan (lit. the Three Mountains of Dewa Province), in  Yamagata Prefecture, Tohoku. 

Tohoku is a wild, remote area, dominated by steep mountains, dense forests and heavy snowfalls – perfect for immersing yourself in nature. It’s the Japan explored  by haiku master Basho in his classic Narrow Road to the Deep North (1694), when he left Edo in search of his own enlightenment.

The sacred status of Dewa’s three mountains – Mt Haguro, Mt Gassan and Mt Yudono – dates back to 593 CE, when Prince Hachiko fled Japan’s then-capìtal Kyoto following the assassination of his father, Emperor Sushun. Prince Shotoku, the emperor’s nephew, advised Hachiko to flee to Mt. Haguro where, he assured him, he would encounter the Goddess of Compassion, Kannon.

Sailing north along the Sea of Japan, Hachiko was coaxed ashore by some helpful sirens. They advised him to head east. In the midst of a thick forest, a three-legged crow then guided Hachiko toward Mt. Haguro. There, just as Prince Shotoku had predicted, Kannon appeared to Hachiko. Hachiko built shrines on each of the three peaks, as centres for ascetic practice to honour the mountain kami. Out of gratitude to the local people, he devoted the rest of his life to helping them. 

On one occasion, when a plague was decimating the local farming community, Hachiko went into seclusion and meditated for 100 days. He had a vision that the plague could be ended by a building a large fire. He shared this vision with the local population, who built a huge effigy of a demon and burned it. 

The plague ended. Dewa Sanzan subsequently became a popular place for pilgrimage.

The symbolism of life, death and rebirth is ever-present on Dewa Sanzan. Mt Haguro represents the past, Mt Gassan the present and Mt. Yudono the future. During the Edo Era (1603-1868), the belief that youthful vigour could be maintained via Shugendo became widespread. Hiking the three mountains was known as the  Pilgrimage of Rebirth. 

For the Yamabushi, entering into the harsh natural environment of these mountains symbolizes the death of their worldly self. This “is why they wear the white robes, or shiroshozoku, that are traditionally used to dress the dead,” explains Yamabushi Kazuhiro, a Master Yamabushi and guide at Dewa Sanzan. After becoming one with the mountain’s spirit, they re-emerge from the mountains reborn and enlightened. 

In 2018, the Haguro Yamabushi began offering training programmes to the public, replicating many of the rigours of traditional Yamabushi practices, including meditating under a gushing waterfall, walking over hot coals and hiking to sacred spots on all three peaks.

Central to the programme is the concept of uketamo. Literally meaning “I accept”, it is the only word you are permitted to say during the hike. The rest of the time, silence rules. This not only fosters mindfulness of the moment, but also acceptance. 

Challenging as this sounds, uketamo helps you transcend your habitual ways of thinking and acting, and focus on the present moment rather than fretting about the future. The use of watches and mobile phones is also forbidden.

If high-intensity hiking and getting pummelled by freezing waterfalls is not for you, fear not! The Yamabushi have recently introduced a new programme called Three Peaks Reset Training which offers a go-at-your-own-pace approach, while still including hikes guided by local Yamabushi and Zen masters across all three Dewa Sanzan peaks. 

So how does the Reset Program differ from the Basic and Masters programmes?“The Reset Training Program is fairly versatile,” says Rick “Doan” Erdman, a Yamabushi trainer at Dewa Sanzan. “Waterfall (misogi) meditation is not included in the program, but it can be added if the participants feel that it’s something they need for their training.” Similarly, the uketamo rule is not mandatory for this program.

Moreover, “we adjust… the program based on what each participant can handle at the time. So, we may take them to different significant spots on the mountain.” 

So, in short the Reset Program is designed for you to experience the deep nature and sacred sites of Dewa Sanzan, preserving the essence of authentic Yamabushi training, but at a pace you can handle.  “Back to Nature, back to yourself,” as the Yamabushi motto proclaims.

The hike begins at the great red torii gateway at the foot of Mt Haguro. Like all torii, it marks the entrance to sacred ground where kami dwell. Just 414 metres tall, Haguro  – the mountain that represents the present  –  is the only peak to remain open all year, while the two taller mountains spend winter snowbound. 

Haguro is home to a splendid five-storey wooden pagoda – 30 metres high – rising  amid the trees like a natural part of the forest. A spectacular stairway of 2,446 stone steps (about 1.7 kms) then leads to the summit. The path, dating from 1648, is lined with 580 cedar trees, some more than 600 years old. 

Immersed in utter silence amongst these magnificent trees, the only sounds are the wind in the trees, birdsong and your own footfalls. This goes beyond mere forest bathing. This feels like a stairway to heaven. 

The silence sharpens your concentration and awareness of your surroundings. Soon, the trivial concerns and noisy chatter that usually clutter your mind are replaced by a serene well-being. As 76-year-old Master Yoshino, a 13^th generation Yamabushi and head of the Haguro Yamabushi, says: “we leave ourselves in Nature, we make space in our minds.”

Finally, you arrive at the Sanjin Gosaiden shrine, where the deities of all three mountains are enshrined, making it a highly sacred spot. 

Mt. Gassan, the second peak, is the highest and most imposing of the three mountains, standing at 1,984 metres. A long ridge connects Gassan to the other two peaks, offering superb vistas of the surrounding countryside. Mt. Gassan, the Mountain of the Moon, is the past, where the spirits of the ancestors rest, so you are symbolically passing through the Land of the Dead on your way to rebirth. 

The climax of the hike is Mt Yudono, the 1,504-metre mountain, the most sacred of the three peaks. As Yudono represents the future, it is also the mountain of your rebirth. Half way up, you come to a copper-coloured boulder where hot spring waters gush out. This spot is so sacred that no photos are permitted. It is forbidden to even speak in detail of what you have seen at the shrine. As Basho wrote:

“I cannot speak of Yudono

But see how wet

My sleeve is with tears.”

What can be revealed is that Mt. Yudono is home to a spectacular waterfall which thunders into a rock pool below. This is the one where you’ll be instructed to stand under the icy cascade while reciting a sutra. With a hearty “Uketamo!” you accept. 

And you too will discover that, as Master Yoshino says: “In walking we are born again. We rejuvenate our life.” 

Steve John Powell & Angeles Marin Cabello

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Getting there:

By Air: ANA flies from Tokyo Haneda to Shonai Airport, in Tsuruoka, where the Haguro Yamabushi are based.  

By Rail: From Tokyo, take the Shinkansen to Niigata Station, then transfer to the Inaho Limited Express to Tsuruoka Station, which passes along the Sea of Japan coast, treating passengers to some spectacular views.

CONTACT: team@yamabushido.jp

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