Since it acquired the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, more people have naturally felt inclined to see the temples and monasteries of Koyasan in Wakayama Prefecture for themselves. But more than a few visitors to the complex find that its heavy Buddhist religiosity and the funereal gloom of its Okuno-in necropolis make for anything but a joyful excursion.

For a holy mountain experience with a decidedly less oppressive character and much more in the way of outstanding scenery, it would be better to make the effort to get to Dewa Sanzan.

Located in central Yamagata Prefecture in northern Honshu, the three mountains that make up Dewa Sanzan each have a Shinto place of worship, which together comprise the Dewa Sanzan Shrines. The mountain trail connecting the three shrines has been popular with pilgrims since ancient times.