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What can you expect from the Yamabushi experience? Dressed in traditional white robes, which you will wear too, Yamabushi Master Hoshino guides you through the rituals of Shugendo, an ancient Japanese mountain religion that unites meditation, fasting and a deep connection with nature. You climb the sacred Mt. Haguro, which represents birth and the present, and experience the spiritual practice of the Yamabushi up close. The path to the summit of Mt. Haguro leads up impressive stairs with a total of 2,446 stone steps, winding for around 1.7 km through a centuries-old cedar forest. This route is known as the “Pilgrimage of the Present” and forms part of the Dewa Sanzan, the three sacred mountains of Japan. The ascent is moderately challenging and usually takes about 1.5 hours at a steady pace. The stone steps are mostly flat and easy to walk. Along the way, you will pause again and again with Master Hoshino, practising together at small shrines and sacred places, each time introduced by the sound of the conch shell horn, the “Omairi”. In Shinto, the term Omairi (お参り) refers to the ritual visit to a shrine to make contact with the Kami (gods or nature spirits), and is also seen as a way of beginning your own spiritual journey and forging a connection with nature. At midday you enjoy a simple packed lunch of traditional trail fare (for example Onigiri rice balls and pickled vegetables). Once the experience comes to an end, there is still some free time in the afternoon to explore the surroundings or to reflect on the impressions you have gathered. In the evening, dinner is Shojinryori (temple cuisine)
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The “Mountain Priests”: Yamabushi are not only monks but also “mountain priests”. The term “Yamabushi” literally means “one who hides in the mountains” and refers to people who live in the mountains in search of spiritual enlightenment.
Shugendo practices: Yamabushi practise Shugendo, a religion that combines elements of Shinto, Buddhism and Taoism. The mountains play a central role as “sacred spaces” in which believers can purify body and mind.
Mountain hiking as a spiritual journey: The Yamabushi pilgrimages into the mountains are metaphorical journeys of self-discovery. The arduous hikes symbolise the overcoming of obstacles and the journey towards a higher spiritual understanding.
“Conch shell horn” (Omairi): A unique part of their practice is the ritual of “Omairi”, in which the conch shell horn is blown to call the gods. It helps pilgrims to connect with the Kami (gods) and to begin their spiritual journey.