Japan is still known as a beautiful country rich in greenery. But throughout the world, nature is being ruined and environmental problem on the earth are becoming more and more serious. Therefore, the whole world watches Shugendo.
Shugendo forms the basis of Japanese spiritual culture, which puts a high value on nature. Natural phenomena was the object of worship in ancient times. Mountain worship injects nature worship with religious significance through the performance of rituals.
Shugendo is a fusion of Mountain Worship and Esoteric Buddhism. According to the chronicles of Dewa Sanzan, the Deity of Haguro determined that the eastern 33 countries in the surrounding 66 Japanese countries were to be Mt. Haguro's territories, and the western 24 countries were designated as Mt. Kumano's territories, The remaining 9 countries in Kyushu were, as Mt. Hikosan's territories.
When one speaks of Shugendo, the Aseeticism of Dewa Sanzan, it is absolutely necessary to explain " living Buddha's". Human can become living Buddha by performing again and again strict ascetic acts, which are beyond imagination in order to attain Buddha hood while still actually alive. It can be said that is the ultimate goal of asceticism.
Dewa Sanzan, the three mountains of Dewa, hold a special place in hearts of ｔhe Japanese. The mountains were first opened as religious centers 1400 years ago in 593 by Prince Hachiko, the first-born son of the then reigning Emperor, Sushun, who was the 32 ｎｄ emperor of Japan. When Prince Hachiko came to Haguro, he went through difficult and severe ascetic exercise. After enduring a period of penance, it is said that he saw an incarnation of Buddha and was then inspired to build shrines on Mt.Haguro, Mt.Gassan and Mt.Yudono. Bringing these deities to Mt.Haguro, he named this main shrine Dewa Sanzan Shrine. Thereafter Prince Hachiko established Haguro Shugendo (asceticism), as a means of improving the minds and body, as a way to achieve prosperity for the nation and the people, and even in order to pray for the world peace. As a symbol of this, Dewa Sanzan Shrine today serves to carry on the spirit and tradition of Prince Hachiko's asceticism.
Yamabushi is an ascetic who practices Shugendo. Yamabushi immerse themselves in nature, throw away all worldly connections, purify their bodies and minds, and entrust themselves to Prince Hachiko. In this way, Yamabushi , day by day, they lose their individuality and are able to escape from this world of delusion by coming to realize that they cannot live without nature and they become one with the heart of nature, (the truth of the universe), and thus learn from nature. Doctrine and knowledge are not important, but using ones own inner direct perception to endeavor to attain enlightenment.
Until the Meiji Restoration in the late nineteen century, Shinto and Buddhism were very much intertwined in Japan and Haguro Shugendo was practiced as a mixture of both ideas. After Meiji Restoration, Shinto and Buddhism were separated by order of the government.
At the Great Gate
It represents the gateway to the entrance of the sacred precincts where deities reside. It is called Torii. The meaning of Torii came from the spot to stay for a sacred bird serving God. It was built in 1923, is 21m high, 15m wide, and is the second biggest in Japan now. Its form is ryobu style, or four lags style, avatar structure, or gongen structure which is a relic of bygone days when the shrine deities and the Buddha were enshrine together.
At the Gate of Zuishin
The Gate of Zuishin leads to the Rode of Zuishin where eight million deities reside in since ancient times. The gate used be dedicated to the two Nioson, Deva Kings, the guardian gods of Buddhism, but now is dedicated to the two guardian deities of Shinto.
At Sando and Sugi-namiki
From the Gate of Zuishin, to the top of the Mt. Haguro, the front approach to the main shrine made of stone steps and cedar trees line, about 1.8km, were constructed by Teyu Betto, 50th chief priest of Dewa Sanzan in 1648. It took 13 years to complete them. They are designated as national precious natural monuments.
At Harai River
In this river, pilgrims and practitioners of Shugendo purify themselves with the water came from Mt. Gassan.
At Suga water fall
Under the Suga water fall, Fudomyo who is dedicated to all Yamabushi in Japan, is enshrined. The water fall has been named the fudo water fall. Fudomyo, the God of fire, has a sword in his right hand to punish all the wicked and carries a rope in his left hand to scoop up the clinging people to the God. Fudomyo has a strong sense of justice and mercy. So all Yamabushi make an effort in order to gain extraordinary religious power as well as Fudomyo.
At Ground pa cedar tree
This tree is called the 1000 age's cedar tree. It is 10.5 m in root circumference and 42 m
in height. The ground ma cedar tree had stood by the side of it but was fallen down by Typhoon in Maiji Era.
At Five Storied pagoda
It traditionally is said that the five- storied pagoda was built by Taira-no Masakado, a military commander in those days, from 931 to 937. and rebuilt by the feudal load of Shonai, Muto Masauji 600 years ago. It is 29m in height, and is designated as a national treasure.
Mr. Tatsumura who is a film director, described the Pagoda as a removing of life from aged trees to the building. The parts of the Pagoda are put together by making the best use of the trees individual sections. The tree thus contributes it's own ability to the construction of the best possible Pagoda Though the inside of it might be structurally rough, the people who built the Pagoda must have known that this form would contribute to the strength of the building.
Here and there around the precincts of Mt.Haguro, 33 temples used to be until Meiji Restoration, but unfortunately they were destroyed by the government. Though Pagoda is belong to the Buddha's facilities, the government could not destroy it in fear of bringing about religious disturbances.
At Southern Valley
In the Minami-Dani, Southern Valley, there used to be an annex to the temple which Tenyu Betto, the 50th chief priest built in 1662. There were three garden ponds surrounding the temple. There ponds were irrigated from the nearby Fukikoshi River. The stone bridges that crossed over the small islands in the ponds had an exquisite curve and many cherry trees were planted around the ponds.
Matsuo Basho, the honorable haiku poet, stayed here for 6 days on his way while traveling in Oku no Hosomichi, the narrow road of the deep north, and has left this poem to posterity.
Arigataya Yukiwo Kaorasu Minamidani, So happy place. The snow itself is scented. At southern Valley,
At Saikan
This building used to be a temple called Kozoin, rebuilt in 1696, which is now used as facilities for providing visitors to Dewa Sanzan with accommodation and meals.
Feativals concerning Dewa Sanzan are held here.
At Sanjin Gosaiden
Sanjin Gosaiden is the shrine joining together the Dewa three mountains' deities, which is visited throughout the year, even in winter. The date of its foundation is unknown, but it is said the former Gosaiden was three times as large as the present shrine, in those times Matsuo Basho visited here. This main shrine was rebuilt of the time of 75th Betto, Kakujyun, in 1818. The thatched roof of the main shrine 2.1m in thickness, is famous for the largest one in Japan. It is designated as national important cultural property.
At Mirror Pond
Mitarashi-Ike is called Mirror Pond and the pond of having deity's spirits which is embodied deity of Mt. Haguro, since the solemn Gosaiden is reflected on the surface of the pond. In 1941, one hundred ninety bronze mirros were found in the pond. The oldest ones were made in the Heian Era (794- 1192).
At Great Bell
This Bell, inscribed with the year 1275, is said to have been donated by the Kamakura Shogun, who was thankful for having repulsed the Mongol fleet the year before.
It is designated as s national important cultural property.
At Three Legs Crow
When I showed Mr. Tatsumura the Yatagarasu, a bronze statue of a crow with three legs that brought Prince Hachiko to Mt. Haguro, he explained that it has something to do with "raven" appeared in his film, and had led the ancestors of the Mongolians to Alaska. His idear goes like this. There is no enough evidence to prove that both our ancestors came from Mongolia and the same race, but it may be true that we share the same culture in spirituality. The legend of crow is a symbol of our ancestors' memory that the earth had suffered from a big disaster when the earth might have been covered with darkness.
At Dewa Sanzan Historical Museum
Built in 1970, this museum used to be located in front of the Mirror Pond as a treasure house. It houses and exhibits a lot of National Important Asserts, statues of Buddha, excellent swords and documents of ascetic practice that tell us the history and culture of Dewa Sanzan.