Mt. Yudono

Innermost of the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan in Yamagata Prefecture, and it holds a status in the Shugendo mountain worship tradition that makes it the most spiritually significant of the three. The shrine at the summit is built around a large reddish-brown rock continuously washed by warm spring water, and worshippers approach it barefoot. Photography is prohibited within the inner shrine precinct, a rule that adds to the feeling of genuine separation from ordinary sightseeing. The ascent by trail from the lower parking area takes about 30 minutes. The mountain is open from late May through early November.