Mt. Yudono Shrine: Sacred Mountain of Rebirth

Mt. Yudono Shrine, located in Yamagata Prefecture, is the most mysterious and sacred of the Dewa Sanzan (Three Mountains of Dewa). For centuries, its innermost area has been considered a divine realm, untouched by human construction. Representing rebirth and the future, it is traditionally the final mountain visited on the Dewa Sanzan pilgrimage. Unlike typical shrines, Mt. Yudono Shrine does not have a main building. Instead, the object of worship is a large, reddish-brown rock from which hot spring water flows. Photography and detailed descriptions of the shrine are prohibited, adding to its mystique. Visitors participate in a purification ritual before approaching the sacred rock barefoot. A Shinto priest provides a hitogata, a paper figure to rub on the body for purification, before releasing it into a stream. Mt. Yudono has been a key component of Yamabushi pilgrimages since the 6th century. It's a major site for Shingon Buddhism, with its faith spreading throughout northern Japan. During the Edo period, over 150,000 pilgrims visited in years associated with the cow, considered sacred to Mt. Yudono. The mountain is also associated with monks who underwent severe ascetic training to mummify themselves while alive, known as Sokushinbutsu. The shrine is open from early May to early November, depending on snow conditions.