The trip began as we all boarded the rumbling bus early Saturday morning. Our first destination was the 中島台レクリエーションの森 , a forest located in the southern part of Akita prefecture in the area of Sakata, near Chokai Mountain. The forest consists of beautiful springs, 300 year old beech trees, and the Asian black bear. As most of the trees in the area are deciduous Japanese beech (also known as buna, a native tree species), the accumulation of millions of dead leaves over hundreds of years has created a natural filter through which the snow melt, rain, and spring water gain their crystal clear appearance. We took a two hour hike and were led by a guide who explained the surrounding environment. The area is easily accessible by plank trails and as we hiked through the forest we were often greeted by a light fall breeze that sent the surrounding leaves dancing down to the ground around us. It was an enchanting experience.
For more details about the area surrounding Sakata, the following link has more information, Sakata Travel Information.
After finishing our hike we boarded the bus and headed to lunch before our next stop at Somaro in Sakita City. Lunch was a delicious bento box with sashimi, ginger, vegetables, chicken, and miso soup.
The Maiko you see below are not to be confused with Geisha. Maiko literally means "dancing girl" and they perform traditional Japanese dances and are considered to be apprentice geisha. The term "geisha" means artist and the process of becoming a geisha requires an immense amount of complex training. Three core areas of training include: formal arts, such as calligraphy, music, poetry, literature; entertainment, such as tea ceremonies; and the etiquette of navigating eloquently through conversations and socials.
After arriving at Somaro we watched the Maiko perform one of their traditional dances. During the dance, a 三味線 (shi-ma-sen) which literally means "three flavored strings" was played, which is a traditional Japanese instrument. It is held upright and is played by plucking the strings with a large pick. The flowing movements of the dance, dresses, fans, and the high-toned voices and distinct sounds of the plucked strings created both a visual and auditory work of art. While we did not take photographs during the performance below is a picture of our group with the Maiko.
For more information about the area and the things mentioned above, here are some links that I found very useful. A history of the unique instrument can be found here: The Shamisen. A more detailed history about Geisha can be read here: Geisha.
Our final stop of the day was the Sankyo Storehouse located near the above mentioned Somaro restaurant in Sakata city. The storehouse is a building complex composed of 12 warehouses that were built in 1893 in order to store rice. Since then the warehouses have been used as storage for agricultural products and stand as a symbol of the importance of agriculture to the Sakata area. One of the storehouses holds a museum as well as visitor information, and from this location one can venture out and find various historic buildings as well as beautiful homes built by the merchant class during the Edo period. After touring the warehouse area I ventured across the river to explore the neighborhood.
Our day concluded with a check in to our hotel. We stayed in a traditional styled hotel and I shared a room with five other students. All of us had dinner together in a large tatami floored room, where we were served a delicious dinner as well as warm sake.
Sunday morning we headed out to 加茂水族館 an aquarium in the area that is famous for its jellyfish collection. The jellyfish display was very interesting and there was an interactive computer guide that gave information on the various jellyfish displayed and the characteristics of each species.
Our next stop on our journey was unforgettable. We headed to the town of Haguro in Yamagata prefecture (previously called Dewa prefecture). Within the borders of the Yamagata prefecture stand three mountains commonly referred to as 出羽三山 (Dewa Sanzan) which literally hold the meaning, "Dewa three mountains". Individually the mountains are named Mt. Gassan, Mt. Haguro, and Mt. Yudono. They are considered to be sacred and around the year 593 the mountains began to blossom as a religious center. The religious movement of Shugendo developed in these mountains, which intertwined indigenous Shinto beliefs with Buddhism and Taoism. Shugendo focused on obtaining enlightenment through mountain dwelling and the understanding of the balance between man and nature. However, in the Meji Restoration period the government banned the practice in order to separate the religions of Shinto and Buddhism.
We headed to Mt. Haguro where there is an immense complex of historical shrines and buildings. We were met by our guide who led us down the famous Ishi-Dan (stone steps) that lead from the Zuishin-mon gate to the top of Mt. Haguro. The path one takes is known as the Sando, the front approach to the shrine, and is lined with cedar trees that reach the heavens. The stairs are 1.8 km and were built in 1648 by Ten'yu Betto who was the 50th chief priest of the three religious mountains.
As one follows the path 1,000 year old cedars can be seen guarding the Five Story Pagoda. The pagoda was initially built in 937 and then according to a classic text, rebuilt in 1372. As our guide explained the Pagoda has a beam that runs from the base to the top that acts as a stabilizer for the structure in case of earthquakes. The construction style was so effective in managing earthquakes that modern architecture in Tokyo follows a similar design, and the new Tokyo Skytree that is being built will follow the Pagado's internal structural design. As, you view the pictures below keep in mind that many of these historic buildings were built without the use of nails or screws, and strictly used wood joint fixtures.
Once one reaches the top of the mountain, there stands the Sanjin Gosaiden shrine which joins together the three mountains' deities. The age of the foundation is unknown but the current building was built in 1818. The thatched roof measures the thickest in Japan at 2.1 meters and the entire building has intricate woodwork incorporated in its design. In front of the shrine is the Mirror Pond and nearby stands the Bonsho to Shoro a bell that was said to have been given by the Kamakura Shogun in the year 1275 in gratitude for victory over the Mongol fleet. The bell itself weighs 10 tons and is the the largest in the Tohoku area. After exploring the temple grounds we sat down to eat a traditional religious ascetic dish.
