Gaze down upon the vast rice paddies of Shonai from holy Mt. Kinbo

Alight at Tsuruoka Station to meet your guide and begin your journey. Head first to Mt. Kinbo. Revered as a sacred place by Shugendo mountain ascetics, the mountain possesses a 1,350-year religious and cultural legacy. Halfway up the mountain, at Naka no Miya shrine, meet with regional history expert Hidekazu Sakai. Enjoy a soba lunch together, at the shrine office, then tour the shrine precincts together. Continue along with Mr. Sakai to the peak of the mountain. From the peak, gaze down at the beauty of the Shonai Plains and take in a panorama of the surrounding mountains in three directions, and the sea to the fourth. Spend the night at Kuhei Ryokan in Yutagawa Onsen. At this popular ryokan designed with relaxation in mind, enjoy Japanese cuisine prepared with local ingredients and served with local sake.

Venture into the Dewa Sanzan holy mountains alongside a yamabushi mountain monk

Enjoy breakfast at your ryokan, then head into the Dewa Sanzan holy mountains. The Dewa Sanzan holy mountains are one of the places held most sacred by practitioners of Shugendo, on par with Kumano. Ascetic training continues here to this day; all are welcome to participate regardless of nationality. With yamabushi mountain monk Mr. Hayasaka as your guide, set out to summit 1984-meter high Mt. Gassan. Travel by vehicle to the mountain’s eighth station. From there, climb for about two and a half hours to reach the hut at the peak of the mountain, where you’ll enjoy lunch with proprietor Takeshi Haga while he regales you with tales from his life on the mountain. Head back down to the eighth station; from there travel by vehicle to the shrine at the peak of Mt. Haguro. The gods of all three of the Dewa Sanzan mountains are enshrined, here, and the sight of the magnificent thatched roof of Haguro Shrine welcomes you. Have an audience with Chief Priest Yoshikazu Abe. Pay your respects to the gods enshrined here; they will receive your prayers, especially prayers for health, safety, and family. Return to your ryokan to freshen up in the natural hot springs, then spend the rest of the evening relaxing.

Visit Ramsar wetlands Kami-ike and Shimo-ike to pick lotus flowers

After breakfast at your ryokan, travel by car for about 15 minutes to the Ramsar-registered wetlands Kami-ike and Shimo-ike. Watch waterfowl come flying in, listen to the songs of wild birds, bask surrounded by beech trees and wildflowers as you stroll the circumference of these beautiful ponds. Stop to admire the beauty of the lotus flowers on the pond, before picking a few to take back with you. It’s sure to be a memorable experience. At a popular nearby restaurant called gira e gira, tuck into a meal of Italian cuisine prepared with delicious local fish and vegetables.