Mt. Kinbo’s Pilgrimage 藤沢から金峯山までの古道
Dewa Sanzan is not the only sacred place of Shugendo in Tsuruoka. Discover another sacred Yamabushi place around Yutagawa Onsen.
| Distance | 8km |
| Elevation | 423meters |
| Required Time | 3h |
| Danger level | Caution advised *Dangers include:Heat strokes, Slippery when raining, Fallen trees, Bear presence |
| Difficulty level (for beginners) | Moderate |
| Equipment needed | ● Water ● Hiking shoes ● Rainwear ● Sun hat ● Hiking sticks ● Food or snacks |
Difficulty levels have been designed for people who have a PAI (Personal Activity Intelligence) score inferior or equal to 60. Experienced hikers or persons with a PAI above 100 can withdraw two cases to know the average difficulty for their fitness level. Example: Trails noted “Hard for beginners” correspond to “average” trails for experienced hikers or people with a PAI above 100.
1. Start at Yutagawa Onsen
2. Go to Fujisawa hamlet
3. Cross Fujisawa’s ricefields
4. You walk past Fujisawa’s temple
5. Follow the paved road
6. After passing the bamboo forest, you find this sign.
Please attach your bear bell to your gear before going further.
7. Follow the road in the middle of the bamboo forest
8. You spot the Kinbo Shrine torii gate
9. Enter the hiking trail
10. The vegetation is wild
11. It is hot during summer, make frequent stops
12. Continue climbing
13. Make sure your bear makes sound
14. Landslides lead tree to fall. Climb them.
15. Continue straight
16. You get out of the forest
17. You spot steles
18. You enter a forest again
19. Cross the dirt road to continue
Be careful to the cars that might be crossing on the dirt road.
20. The slope gets steeper
21. Viewpoint on Shonai plains
22. Another dirt road used by car crosses the road
23. Mountain toilet
Use if necessary
24. Mt. Kinbo’s viewpoint on Shonai Plains
25. This is the Gakkôzaka
26. Continue to Kinbozan Shrine
27. Kinbozan Shrine
28. Kinbozan Shrine
29. Go back to the dirt road but take the other direction this time
30. You are in a cedar forest
31. After some time, you come across this cave
This cave has been hosting life since the Jomon era.
32. Fallen trees on your way
33. Bamboo forest
34. From there, continue going straight to go back to Yutagawa Onsen
