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Spiritual Trekking Tour to Religious Mt Haguro ( 7 Hours )

Zuishin-mon Gate

Shinkyo Bridge

Steep Stone Path

Sanjin-gosai-den

Saikan Restaurant

Buddhist Cuisine

Gyokusen-ji Temple

Matcha Green Tea

Spiritual Trekking Tour to Religious Mt Haguro ( 7 Hours )

Off the Beaten Path

Joined 2017

Kuniaki S.

4.89 / 5

(9 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

Yamagata

English

7 hours

Private tour (only you and Kuniaki S.)

Up to 8 people

This tour can give you chances to enjoy spiritual aspetcts of the Shonai region. What's so special about this is we trek to the top of Mt. Haguro (414 m), and appreciate a Buddhist cuisine there. We also visit a 700-year-old Zen temple, with a beautiful flower garden in it, where we can relish matcha. Lastly, we learn all about how Japanese delicious sake is brewed at one of the oldest sake breweries in Yamagata.

You can get some as a souvenir. Be cafeful not to drink too much, though!

Itinerary

This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!

08:30 AM

Meeting Point

Sakata Pier

- Sakata Cruise Ship Disembarkation site (the very exit) It wil be very crowded and a lot of racket there. I will be holding a welcome board with your name on so that you can recognize me easily!

09:20 AM

Zuishin-mon Gate

This is the entrance to Mt. Haguro.

Enjoy the acient pilgrim route of 2,446 stone-paved (2-km) path.

The road is lined with about 600 gigantic cedar trees aged between 300 and 500.

The road is awarded 3 stars by Michelin Green Guide Japan in 2009.

09:40 AM

Five-story Pagoda

Originally built about 1,000 years ago and rebuilt 650 yrs ago.

30 meters tall, the tallest in Tohoku.

Designated as a National Treasure in 1966.

All the thatched roof renewed in 2024, taking 1.5 years.

11:00 AM

Saikan (Restaurant)

Originally the residence of high-ranking mountain priests.

Enjoy a typical Buddhist cuisine cooked with all the local ingredients.

Choose from either sitting on the tatami or on the chair.

12:00 PM

Sanjin-Gosai-Den, Kagami-Ike

Sanjin-gosai-den enshrines 3 mountain gods: Mt. Haguro, Gassan and Yudo.

The thatched roof : 2.1 meters thick (one of the thickest in Japan)

Reconstructed in 1818 (about 200 yrs old)

Kagami-ike (Mirrror Pond)

Women were not allowed into the sacred area.

Reflect themseves onto the mirros, casting their wishes.

Over 600 ornate blonze mirrors (200-800 yrs old) excavated.

12:50 PM

Gyokusen-ji Temple

700-year-old Zen temple known as "Flower Garden"

Designated as "National Cultural Heritage Site of Scenic Beauty"

Can walk around the garden and the pond with colorful carp

Admission fee : 400 yen, Matcha(powdered green tea) : 600 yen

02:20 PM

Dewa-no-yuki Brewery

400-year-old brewery, Now 17th generation owner inherits.

Observe a huge Sugi-dama or a cedar ball, a symbol of brewery, hung under the eaves.

Tasting and getting sake at a shop is available.

Caution! Don't drink too much simply because it's too good indeed.

Admission fee: 200 JPN

Ending Point

Sakata Pier (3:30 pm)

Want to personalize this tour?

This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

Pick-up fee and the guide's transportation fee to the meeting point, Sakata Pier

What‘s not included

Transportation fees (Taxi): Around 30,000 JPY totally

Admission fees for the facilities: 1,200 JPY (Per Person)

Lunch: About 3,000 JPY (Per Person)

Tour Important Information

1. We might want to use a local taxi partially during our tour. It's the most time efficient.

2. This tour involves 1.5-hour (2-km) walking, so please be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

3. On a tour day with heavy rain, the tour will commence, and we walk as far as the 5-Story Pagoda. Then we'll be back and visit Ideha Museum (3-min walk), where we can learn a lot about religious aspects of the 3 sacred mountains, experiencing a Yamabushi (mountain priest) training.

(Closed on Tuesdays, Admission fee: 400 yen)

4. Several places we will visit do not accept credit cards, so please bring some cash.

Important message from the supplier

I'm available from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

Transportation fee and lunch of you and a guide will be paid by the customer.

If you book me before making inquiries, please note that you may be requested to pay extra guide fee for hotel pickup (about 5,000 yen) depending on the location. So, please ask me first.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time

Joined 2017

Kuniaki S.

4.89 / 5

(9 reviews)

Identity Verified

Interview-Based Quality Checks

About Tour Guide Kuniaki S.

I've been involved in English education at public junior high school and prefectural board of education for more than 40 years as a teacher, teachers' consultant and a principal.Now retired, I’m very interested in introducing many places of historical interest and scenic beauty in my hometown to international visitors to Japan.My motto in life is ”once-in-a-lifetime encounter”. I'm more than happy to help make your trip the most impressive one.

Why don't you get off the beaten track and visit Shinjo and Mogami regions? Shinjo City is now world-famous for its Shinjo Festival, registered by UNESCO as an Intangible World Cultural Heritage, December in 2016. I’m sure that you can definitely enjoy both the festival and the subtle harmony between man and nature in this area.

Reviews

Ann C.

5 / 5

Jan 27, 2026

Ann's Spiritual Visit to her Ancestral Homeland, Oishida

Jan 27, 2026

Yamagata

6 hours 30 mins

Customized

“Family Heritage Tour”

Our guide Kuniaki S was exemplary in connecting us with lost relatives, helping us track down historical documents, and locating our ancestral burial site and temple, all the while teaching us about local customs and stories. He created a tour that was transformative for our family. I still marvel at how he made this happen as it is not the usual kind of tour, and think it is because he has a deep ethic to make a visitor’s wishes come true. And to that end, he persists, overcoming hurdles and challenges and thinking creatively to ensure a memorable and tailored experience. He is also fun and energetic, delighting in storytelling and easy to talk with. Our family feels blessed to have found Kuniaki S, and indeed, we hope to be guided by him again. Ann Curry

Kuniaki S.

Thank you so much indeed for writing me such a fantastic review! What's so special about this tour is that it was a literally unique "family heritage tour" dedicated to you and your folks, which is far from an ordinary sightseeing one. To achieve this aim, we repeatedly discuss the schedule to create the best itinerary ever. Based on your information, I got in touch with , or even visited the relatives, temple, local facilities, and the municipal offices to smooth the path. Thanks to your great cooperation, it all bore fruit. Now I'm more than happy that you all are satisfied with this tour. I do hope to see you all again on your next trip to Oishida. Wishing this tour will hold a special place in your treasure box of memories. Kuniaki S (Guide Name: Pure Water)

Julieta V.

5 / 5

Apr 14, 2025

Hands-on Exciting and Exploring Tour in Sakata (6.5 Hours)

Apr 14, 2025

Yamagata

6 hours 30 mins

“Wonderful Tour of Sakata”

Our guide Pure Water gave us an excellent experience around Sakata, taking us to multiple interesting sites including the Oranda Senbei Factory, Sankyo Rice Storehouses, Kaikouji Temple, and Somaro. He gave lots of interesting historical and cultural context while inviting us to interact and participate, treated us to a delicious lunch featuring iconic foods of the Shonai region, and secured front row seats for us to watch an incredible maiko dance and performance.

Kuniaki S.

Thank you so much for writing a review for me while you are still enjoying a journey on the Diamond Princess. I'm genuinely glad that you all had the time of your life taking a full-day tour in Sakata area with me. Your family members are always amiable and considerate of each other throughout our trip, which did make a deep impression on me! I simly can't say thank you enough for choosing me as your private tour guide this time. When our paths cross again in the future, why don't we delve more deeply into the Shonai region and make another round of fantastic tour with me? I'm eagerly looking forward to seeing you all again. Have a lot of fun reading my translated folk tales. Safe travels back to the States! Kuniaki (AKA: Pure Water)

Robert O.

5 / 5

Apr 8, 2025

Hands-on Exciting and Exploring Tour in Sakata (6.5 Hours)

Apr 8, 2025

Yamagata

6 hours 30 mins

“Great tour with Kuniaki S.”

We had a wonderful Sakata day visit with Kuniaki. After meeting at the port, we reviewed the itinerary and started our tour. The timetable was very well managed. We had sufficient time at each itinerary stop. Kuniaki shared interesting information at each location. He selected a terrific restaurant for lunch and we enjoyed exchanging personal background and travel experiences.

Kuniaki S.

A huge thank you for writing a review for me. I'm genuinely happy that you both had the time of your life through our customized tour. From our conversation I learned that we are just about the same age and that we have a lot in common. I simply can't say thank you enough for choosing me as your private tour guide. While you have time, why don't you enjoy reading "Once Upon a Time in Shinjo", which my fellow English teachers including me translated. I'm sure you will have a fun time. Please treasure the rest of your fabulous tour. I do hope that our paths will cross again in the very near future. Safe travels! Kuniaki ( AKA: Pure Water)