Women begin the ancient Yamabushi mountain priest training in Yamagata Pref.; participants train by running through forests and meditating under waterfalls

TSURUOKA, Yamagata — A group of women began training to become yamabushi mountain priests, which involves meditating under waterfalls, on Mount Haguro on Friday.

The 414-meter-high mountain in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, is home to the training facility, called Miko Shugyo Dojo.

Until Tuesday, the participants will stay at Fukikoshi Komori-do, a lodging facility near the mountaintop. They will train by running through the mountain forests and meditating under waterfalls, among other things. Their meals during these five days will be simple, consisting of one bowl of soup and one side dish.

This year’s training schedule is one day longer than normal to improve routine.

According to the Dewa Sanzan Shrine, Dewa’s three sacred mountains—Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan, and Mt. Yudono—originally restricted yamabushi training to men. However, women have been allowed to participate since 1993, marking the 1,400th anniversary of the shrine’s founding. There are no age restrictions, but participants must be able to endure rigorous ascetic practices.

This year, 73 women are taking part, ranging in age from 23 to 74. They come from Hokkaido to Kumamoto Prefecture, and from the United States and Europe. On the first day, the women walked to the summit in the rain, led by a yamabushi who blew a conch shell. They dressed in safflower-dyed clothes and wore white headscarves. The walk took place after a sacred ritual in front of the Zuishin Gate, the entrance to the pilgrimage path.

Noriko Kondo, a 56-year-old from Tokyo who is participating for the fourth time, said: “Living in such a confined environment provides valuable time for self-reflection. With the expanded schedule this year, I’m curious to see how it differs from previous experiences.”