For travellers seeking a deeper connection with Japan, beyond its cities and better-known cultural attractions, Oku Japan’s newly updated Spiritual Journey through Yamagata offers an opportunity to experience the country’s spiritual traditions through walking, nature, and reflection.
Available in five- and six-day iterations, these self-guided walking journeys explore Yamagata’s mountains and landscapes following in the steps of yamabushi ascetics, mountain monks who practice Shugendō, a centuries-old religion that shares elements of Shintō and Buddhism.
Following sacred trails dotted with shrines and temples, the journeys invite travellers to delve into the history and intricacies of Shugendō as they pass through verdant cedar forests and take in sprawling mountain views. In the evenings, guests stay at traditional accommodations ranging from classic Japanese ryokan to pilgrims’ lodgings.
“It’s not just visiting shrines or temples, or other religious places, that allows us to come close to spirituality,” says Tomoko Shiraki, Product Manager for Oku Japan. “I think our guests will feel the same energy just by walking in nature, breathing in the air, and feeling themselves as a part of the world around them.”
Both journeys offer a different perspective on outdoor adventure, encouraging travellers to see hiking not simply as a physical challenge, but as an opportunity to slow down and reflect.
Centered around the three sacred mountains of known as the Dewa Sanzan – Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan, and Mount Yudono – and located in a place where mountain worship has deep roots, walking through these landscapes provides travellers with a chance to experience the connection between nature, physical activity, and spiritual practice that defines the region.
On the six-day self-guided journey, travellers start in Tsuruoka and travel by bus to Zenpō-ji, a large Zen temple dedicated to the dragon god, a water deity, where they will be blessed by the monks there in a special prayer ceremony. From here, travellers will visit all three mountains, including a hike up to the summit of Mount Gassan (1,400 m/4,590 ft) – the tallest of the three – with a local guide.
The five-day self-guided journey follows much the same path, with the biggest difference being that it only visits two of the three mountains – Mount Haguro and Mount Yudono.
Designed for those who want to experience Japan on foot at their own pace, both itineraries provide an opportunity to step away from the usual tourist trail and experience the natural environment as an integral part of the journey.
“We hope to show our guests a different side of outdoor activities, one that is formed when we hike with mountain worship and the ascetic practices of Shugendō in mind,” says Clémentine Cintré, a Tour Development Specialist with Oku Japan. “The goal of the hikes of this tour isn’t to just complete the challenging ascents; it’s to allow travelers a chance to slow down, reflect, and feel those same imperceptible things that have, for centuries, inspired ascetics to use these pilgrimages as a form of meditation.”
Both itineraries are technical level 5s, meaning the trail is primarily uneven and involves stepping or climbing over obstacles or rock surfaces. The trail is also unmarked and not always obvious – a map (provided!) is essential here.
The tours will operate from June for the five-day itinerary and from July for the six-day, and both will run through October. Prices start from AU$2,585 and from AU$3,475, respectively.
