Mount Haguro

Mount Haguro is located between Akita and Yamagata and is one of three mountains that make up “Dewa Sanzan,” or “three mountains of Dewa.” Mount Haguro is the easiest of the three mountains to climb. For this hike, there are 2,446 stone steps all the way to the top and the they get very steep. I will admit, it was quite hard at times and I had to stop for multiple breaks. I drank enough water to sink a ship and have concluded that stairs are the bane of my existence. Regardless, I had a great time and saw some amazing things.

My experience is actually a funny story because Zach and I did the hike… backwards. I need to use Google maps for a lot of places I visit in Japan, especially in the countryside. There’s been too many times when the parking lot was on the side of a mountain or hidden somewhere in a forest. I’m never really sure where these places are. Unfortunately, Google maps makes mistakes very often in rural Japan. For Mount Haguro, Google brought us to the end of the hike, or rather the top of the mountain. I wanted the full hiking experience so we walked all the way down the mountain, took a water and food break, then hiked all the way back up. Zach wasn’t happy but in the end we climbed all 2,446 steps. It was a good workout to say the least. After that incident though, I always check Google’s route before leaving my house.

This picture shows how steep the steps can get.

I passed a lot of people sitting off to the side catching their breath. It was a hot day.

Five Story Pagoda

In this mountain stands the oldest wooden pagoda in all of Japan. It was built in the Heian Period (794-1185) and then was rebuilt in the 1300s. This pagoda was built with no nails and instead was put together with intricate pieces of wood, kind of like a puzzle. The pagoda is situated in a place where there’s heavy snow every winter, so how does it withstand the weight that accumulates? Besides the intricate way it was built, there are people from a nearby village called Toge who climb up through the tower to get rid of the snow. This has been a tradition since the pagoda was built. To add to the awesomeness of this structure, cedar trees that are about 600 years old surround the pagoda, too. This pagoda is a designated national treasure in Japan for good reason!

I’ll never forget hiking up those stone steps, out of breath, then turning my head and seeing this historical wonder. It sits perfectly in a clearing bathed in sunlight. It’s almost as if the trees purposely didn’t grow near the pagoda so people could fully appreciate its beauty. This was the main thing I was looking forward to on this hike and it exceeded my expectations. I wasn’t expecting it to be such a grand size, and it was crazy seeing the details up close. It’s incredible to think that this is technically a massive, elaborate puzzle.

Cedar Trees

The entire hiking trail through Mount Haguro has about 585 cedar trees in total. They are giants, some of the biggest trees I’ve ever seen. They provided nice shade when I was winded and needed a break from climbing those steps. I really couldn’t believe how tall these cedars were. I had to really bend my neck to see their full extent.

Among the many cedar trees, there’s a special cedar called the Grandpa Cedar. It’s the biggest, tallest, and oldest tree in Mount Haguro. Grandpa Cedar is over 1,000 years old and 141ft (43m) tall.

Shrines

Throughout Mount Haguro, especially at the beginning of the trail, there are many shrines that are dedicated to the deities that live in the mountain. Some of these deities include the god of agriculture and the god that watched over the Dewa Province centuries ago. People have tied up some charms and written wishes, or given offerings to some of the shrines on the mountain. I love passing by a shrine and seeing these kinds of things left there. With the numerous amount of shrines, I could really feel the spirituality on Mount Haguro.

At the beginning of the hike, there’s a river that Zach and I crossed over. It was a beautiful scene and we stopped for a second to admire it. The sound of running water and chirping birds were really relaxing. Next to the river was a shrine with an interesting backstory. In ancient times, women weren’t allowed to cross over the bridge because it was considered extremely dangerous. So instead of crossing, they prayed at this shrine.

Many shrines like this throughout the hike have small signs that explain the history and meaning for each one in English and Japanese. It’s a great way to learn about and understand the religion and traditions.

Multiple shrines at the beginning of the hike

Some charms left behind by some travelers

The Finish Line

I know we made it to the finish line when I saw the red torii. I had a great sense of accomplishment when I crossed under it and I pat myself on the back for being able to climb 2,446 steps. My legs were wobbly and I knew I’d be sore for a few days, but this was a very well worth it experience. Once Zach and I collected ourselves and breathlessly exclaimed “we did it!” we made our way through the other shrines toward our car.

The main shrine is said to house the deities of the three mountains and visitors can pray to each of them. I also saw incense being burned at some of the smaller shrines.

After passing through the last torii, we decided to stop for ice cream at one of the shops in the Mount Haguro parking lot. After all, we earned it.

<< Yamadera Iwate>>