Dewa Sanzan is an extinct volcano with three peaks and is one of Japan's holiest mountains.
Visiting all the shrines is gruelling and would take more than a day. We settled for reaching the first of the shrines which is reached by a steep path of 2,446 steps in an avenue of majestic cedars on Mount Haguro. It was hot, damp and knackering but we were rewarded with babbling rivers, beautiful views - and finally , a fine view and cold drink. At this point you collect your certificate and you can carry on to tick more shrines of your list but having got our certificate we then turned back, its hard to choose whether its worse climbing up or down.
Visiting all the shrines is gruelling and would take more than a day. We settled for reaching the first of the shrines which is reached by a steep path of 2,446 steps in an avenue of majestic cedars on Mount Haguro. It was hot, damp and knackering but we were rewarded with babbling rivers, beautiful views - and finally , a fine view and cold drink. At this point you collect your certificate and you can carry on to tick more shrines of your list but having got our certificate we then turned back, its hard to choose whether its worse climbing up or down.
There are many flights of steps like this.
Our certificate.
If your legs won't take 2400 steps then settle for travelling down one long flight of steps to see the beautiful wooden pagoda which was last restored in 14th Century. A beautiful building intricately built and having similar design characteristics used in Tokyo's Sky Tower.
Yet more steps, more stops to "admire the view" required at this stage of our climb
Ancient stone bridge
rewarded with a view,better than appears here.
A cold drink and my certificate please
One of the many shrines
