The ancient road of Dewa

Rokujurigoe
goe
Kaido

Visit the 1200 year old ancient route!

Sea of Japan
Yamagata
Prefecture
TsuruokaCity

Rokujurigoe Kaido
NishikawaTown

60-ri Goe Kaido

Asahi Tourism Bureau
Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture

The Ancient Road “Rokujuri-goe Kaido”
Over 1200 years, this road has preserved traces of historical events“Rokujuri-goe Kaido,” an ancient road connecting the Shonai plain and the inland area
is said to have opened about 1200 years ago. This road was the only road between Shonai and theinland area. It was a precipitous mountain road from Tsuruoka city to Yamagata city passing overMatsune, Juo-toge, Oami, Sainokami-toge, Tamugimata and Oguki-toge, then going through Shizu,
Hondoji and Sagae. It is said to have existed already in ancient times, but it is not clear when thisroad was opened.
The oldest theory says that this road was opened as a governmental road connecting the
Dewa Kokufu government which was located in Fujishima town (now Tsuruoka city) and the county
offices of the Mogami and Okitama areas. But there are many other theories as well.
In the Muromachi and Edo periods, which were a time of prosperity for mountainworship, it became a lively road with pilgrims not only from the local area,but also from the Tohoku
and Kanto areas heading to Mt. Yudono as “Oyama mairi” (mountain pilgrimage) custom wasbooming. During the age of Provincial Wars, the Mogami clan and Shonai clan fought fierce battles
with each other over their territories. The road was full of troops and battle flags in those days. On
the other hand it was also a vital road for common people, they carried seafood and candles from
Shonai, and safflower, cotton, beans and leaf tobacco from the inland area on their backs.
From the Meiji year 30 (around the 1900s), this road was not used much as a new roadwas opened. But today this ancient road covered in moss is still rich with historic remains.
●In the Edo period, when the mountain worship for Mt.Yudono was at its
peak of prosperity, the post stations on the road flourished, the cold
Ankomochi (rice cake with sweet bean paste) and the Tokoroten (seaweed jelly) were selling like wildfire at the summer tea
houses which were located in places with spring water gushing. The delivery services such as Shoiko (people carrying things ontheir backs) and draft horses also did well in business. People said that when you did business here for one year, you could makeenough money to spend for another 10 years without doing anything.
●In the Meiji era, the post men from Shizu and Tamugimata passed the post by hanging them on specific trees in Oguki-toge.
●Before going to “Oyama mairi” people had to take training to purify their bodies. 15 year-old boys joined this “Oyama mairi”
to wish for good health.

Part of a list of famous places in Shonai second
district during the latter half of the Edo period.
(Stored at the Native district museum of Tsuruoka city)

Rokujuri-goe Kaido tidbit

Sasagoya (bamboo hut) in the early Showa era(Stored in the local Tsuruoka city museum)At the bamboo-roofed hut, the Churenji temple and Dainichibo temple boarded
travelers and Buddhist ascetics. The locals ran tea house during end of the
Meiji era.
Mokichi Saito stayed at a Sasagoya (bamboo hut) when he visited Mt. Yudono
for his son, Shigeta’s “Jugo Mairi.” (July 23, Showa 5 (1930)) (Boys whoturned 15 years old visited temples at Mt. Yudono and wished for their health.
It was a coming-of-age ceremony folk event to approve a boy as a grown-upman.) Mokichi left a Tanka, “In the deep valley of the mountain, under this roof
called bamboo hut, we all bent our knees and lodged together.”

From where to where is “Rokujuri” (60 ri)?

Some stories about the origin of the name
There are various opinions about the origin of the name. It was said that the first
appearance of the word “Rokujuri” was in an old story which contains a scene where people
come from Yamagata to Shonai by “Rokujuri-zaka” at the end of the age of Provincial Wars(from the war chronicle “Ou Gundan”). In Japan people used to use specific distanceconversions which were called Omichi (36 ri = 1 ri) and Komichi (6 ri = 1 ri) instead of thestandard Japanese system of measures. But the distance on Route 112 between Yamagata city
and Tsuruoka city (98.6 km) does not match the numbers from these conversions. It is still amystery, but “Rokujuri” (60 ri) might indicate a part of the road, not the whole road.
＊1 cho = 60 ken = approx.109 m

The possible places
for the name origin are:1.Matsune ~ Oguki-toge ~ Hondoji
2.Oami ~ Oguki-toge ~ Sunagoseki
3.Watamae (in the former Fujishima town) ~ Dainichibo ~ Dainichiji

From Kobo tea house; the view below Tamugi-mura Valley Bridge(Stored in the local Tsuruoka city museum)
It is located on the top of the Arigoshizaka hill. There remain stone lanterns
and a Mt. Yudono monument dedicated by the people of Echigo village in Keio
1 (1865), and the memorial tower of Kobo Daishi, the founder of the Mt.
Yudono temple, built by a doshi (a monk of high virtue) from the Dainichibo
temple in Tempo 13 (1842). It’s written that Mokichi and Shigeta had rice cakethere. There is an inscription from Mokichi; “At the peak of the mountain where
I overlook Tamugimata below, I eat rice cake with my child.”

Mt. Yudono and the four templesof the Shingon Sect
The four main Shingon temples of Mt. Yudono worship, the Dainichibo temple, theChurenji temple, the Dainichiji temple and the Hondoji temple were designated as “betto” (major
temples) of Mt. Yudono. The pilgrims to Mt. Yudono stayed in these temples and guest housesaround them. It was tradition that the worshippers went up to Mt. Yudono with worship guides
called “Sendatsu”. The people called “Shuto” from the local area were supporting these temples bytaking various roles, but after some confusion from the government policy of the separation of
Shintoism and Buddhism, Mt. Yudono became recognized as a Shinto mountain. After that theDainichiji temple and the Hondoji temple were also changed to Shinto shrines but the Dainichibo
temple and the Churenji temple are remained as Buddhist temples even now.

Mt. Yudono Dainichibo scenery(Stored in the local Tsuruoka city museum)The old Dainichibo temple was destroyed in a fire in Meiji 8 (1875), but back in
a time when it held a complex of temples at the historic site of
Oami-Kamimura, there were Hondo (the main temple) and Kuri (monk’s
quarters) lined up in the front, and Kaizan-do (a temple hall commemorating
the founder) and Kannon-do (a temple dedicated to Kannon) spread on theslope of the mountain. San-mon (the main gate) stood at the front entranceand Nio-mon (a gate of Nio) was on the right. The main temple, at the time,
was a dignified large temple monastery of 42 ken (about 75 meters) in lengthand 12 ken (about 22 meters) in width. There was a guest room where 1,000
ascetics could stay at a time.

What is Dewa Sanzan?
The Spiritual Awe-Inspiring Mountains in the Tohoku Area, Embracing Peopleʼs Prayers…
From the Heian period, Mt.Gassan, Mt.Yudono and Mt. Haguro were called “Dewa
Sanzan”. They were a mecca of Shugendo in the Tohoku area, sacred mountains which people
worshiped. Around the Genki and Tensho eras (1570 – 92) people started calling these threemountains “Sanzan” (three mountains). Before that time Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt.
Hayama were called “Sanzan”, and Mt. Yudono was called separately as “So-Okunoin”.
The foundations of Japanese ancient worship are the “veneration of nature” andthe “veneration of ancestors”. From ancient times the former has been symbolized by the faithof Shintoism and the latter by faith in the divinities of Buddhism. From the government policyof the separation of Shintoism and Buddhism, “Dewa Sanzan” became a site of faith for
Shintoism but Mt. Yudono has a huge rock as a spirit deity and no main shrine building has been
built on the mountain. Beside the object of worship there is a small shrine venerating ancestral
spirits and a rock with seeping water called “Iwa-Kuyo”. These two objects show the two typesof ancient worship. The three mountains have different relations with government and local
society, and different histories. We can say that Mt. Yudono remains the ancient spirit of thethree mountains worship purely.

So-Okunoin Mt. Yudono
Still Many People are Enthralled by the Charm and History of Mt. Yudono
Mt. Yudono has a huge rock with a hot water spring as the object of worship. People
pray for prosperity and rebirth. Until the beginning of the Muromachi period, Mt. Gassan wasrecognized as the main mountain of the mountain worship, but with the prosperity of“Shingon-shugen”, Mt. Yudono became the main mountain in Sanzan worship as it deifies
Vairocana (Dainichi Buddha). The pilgrims made talismans and traveled to many places. They
spread Mt. Yudono worship to the Tohoku and Kanto areas.
At the peak of Mt. Yudono worship, from the middle to the end of the Edo period,
it is said there were tens of thousands of pilgrims. Pilgrims also visited three times as much in
the year of the ox which is the year Mt. Yudono opened. One record says there were 157,000
people that visited there in the Kyoho year 18 (1733). The pilgrimage to Mt. Yudono is called“Oyama mairi” these days.
Rokujuri-goe Kaido tidbit●Mt.Yudono is also called “love mountain”. One theory says that once people have visited there, they are charmed andwant to come back, again and again.
●One of the souvenirs of the Mt. Yudono pilgrimage was a hanging scroll with “Mt.Yudono” written. People used tobuy it before climbing the mountain, and bring it back home after imbuing it with the spirit from the sacred ground.

Mt. Yudono Worship and Sokushinbutsu
The Man of Miracle who Exists Beyond Space and Time
It is said that Buddhist monks who study at Mt. Gassan and Mt. Haguro will reach enlightenment at Mt.
Yudono. A unique practice called Sokushinbutsu remains in the Shingon Buddhist temples of Mt. Yudono. The
Sokushinbutsu of Mt. Yudono mummified themselves through ascetic practice in their lives due to their strong will torescue many people from the pains of the world at the expense of themselves. There is no other mountain except for Mt. Yudono where many Sokushinbutsu appeared asa tradition. In Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, it is said that a person can become a Buddha as they live within the reach of Vairocana (Dainichi Buddha). It is also legend that
Kobo Daishi passed away at Koyasan and became a Sokushinbutsu, which became a big influence in the birth of this type of Sokushinbutsu found at Mt. Yudono.
Some of the Buddhist monks of Mt. Yudono who had extreme ascetic practice are called “Issei Gyo-nin” (one generation of Buddhist ascetics). In the early Edo
period, Sokushinbutsu began to appear among them. They stopped eating 5 types of grains (rice, wheat, foxtail millet, Deccan grass and beans), and then stopped eating
10 types. After that, they continued for more than 1000 days of “Moku (tree) Jiki (eat) Gyo (ascetic),” in which they only ate nuts and so forth. In the end, they entered
the ground alive and waited for death while ringing a bell and praising Buddhaʼ s name. 3 years and 3 months after the sound of the bell had stopped, they were dug
out from the ground by believers and worshipped as Buddha. The Sokushinbutsu of the
Rokujuri-goe Kaido tidbit
Shonai area are monks who had extreme ascetic practice in “Sennin-zawa,” a sacred placeLetʼs put our hands together for the aspiration of the monks who strove for extreme ascetic
in Mt. Yudono worship. Today in the Shonai area, there are 6 bodies of Mt. Yudono
practice and become Sokushinbutsu to save all suffering creatures and themselves.
Sokushinbutsu left, and 3 bodies left along the Rokujuri-goe Kaido.

1 Kobo-no-Watashi (wharf)

6

A solitary pine tree is the landmark for thewharf. Kobo Daishi is enshrined under the old
tree.

ku

Ro

Engraved, “Mt. Yudono to the right,
Otaki to the left.”

To Haguroju
do

To Central
Tsuruokaai

1Matsune4 Mt. Otaki

You can see a big waterfall with a
40min. walk from the Oiwake stone.

Kobo-no-Watashi (wharf)
Koshinto
tower

2

Oiwake stone

Mt.Yudonomonument

Fudosan Hommyoji Temple

Akagawa River

44
Route
44

3

Mt. Yudono Dainichibo Temple

4 Mt.Otaki

Mt. Yudono
5
Mt. Yudono Churenji Temple
monument in Mt. Otaki
Shimekake Cherry Treein Churenji Temple

Juo-Toge Pass

6

7
8

To Sakata City

Mt. Yudono Churenji Tem

This was built in Tencho 10 (833)
Daishi. They persevered with the hliving as a Shingon Buddhist temp
the Meiji eraʼs anti-Buddhist movem
can enjoy both traditional paintmodern paintings in the main hall
picture. There are Shimekake ch
and Atsushi Moriʼs monument ther
2 Michelin stars in 2009.
☎:0235-54-6536

eK

go

ri-

Shomen Kongo Doshi
stone guardian

3 Oiwake stone

2 Stone monument of Hisagida

Hisagida may be about the Akita,
we wonder? There is a legend thatthey put a “tree” kanji character
besides this “aki” kanji character on
this Mt. Yudono monument. It was
set in Genji 1 (1864). The
monument’s back says “Hisagida○○” with 10 people’s names. ○○is unredable.

9

Fudosan Hommyoji Temple

This temple was built by the monk Shingetsu
Shonin in Bunroku 1 (1592). There weremany believers and disciples, but they wereembroiled in the Uetsu riot and followed apath of destruction. After about 40 years,
they regained their glory by Hommyokai
Shonin, a monk who renounced the world at
Churenji temple. There is a mound and stonemonument where the monk Hommyokai
Shonin self-mummified himself.
☎: 0235-53-2269（Reservation required）

Itaya Shimizu
Spring

112
Route
112

Koshinto tower 1

Koshinto tower

Koshinto tower

10

9

The Oami
guard stations

Oami

Memorial
tower

Se

Shimekake
Shomen Kongo Doshi
stone guardian

Shonai Asahi
interchange●

5 Mt. Yudono monument in Mt. Otaki

Gassan D
Informati●

There are 3 stone monuments ofthe monks Tetsumonkai Shonin,
Tetsuryukai Shonin and themountain god on the flat in front of
the Otaki waterfall. Nearby, thestone base of the Otaki Fudoson
temple is left.

Observatory

道の駅

●

月山
Gassan●Gassan Rest Area
Gassan-Asahi Hakubutsu M
Asahimura Tourism Bureau

Yamagata Expressway
Asahi-Goo:
Farmer’s Market

112
Bonji River

7 Juo-toge passIt was considered a barrier of the earthly worldfrom the Shonai side, and once passed tosouth was sanctuary. There used to be atemple which deified a wooden great kingYama (Enma Daio).

15 Arigoshizaka hill

To Otori・Niigata Prefecture(“Ari” mmeans

Because this hill is very steecrawl on four legs like an ant tthat the hill’s name came afte
Meiji era, you could see wors
in white climbing up the hTamugimata consistently. Also
the torch lights zigzag on the hTangible prefectural-designated cultural property

8 Itaya Shimizu spring
It springs out pure water continuously. There
are six small stone Ksitigarbha (Jizo) deified.
The origin of the name is possibly that there
used be a giant Itaya tree, or because when
you drink this water, your teeth hurt because
it’s such cold water. (In Japanese you say “Itai”
for “ouch.”) It was a place of recreation andrelaxation for travelers.

13 Multi-layered house (Former Endo familyʼs house)

Tamugimata multi-layered houses

Tamugimata community along the roadwaythat prospered as a post station as Mt. Yudono
belief became popular. Their roof wasremodeled to the “Kabuto zukuri-style” inbeginning of the Meiji era, because silk farming
became prosperous.
☎:0235-54-6103 (Inn Kayabuki-ya)

Around Showa 30’s (around 1960’s), 32 of 54
houses were multi-layered houses.

14 The ruins of Tamugimata

guard station (Clock tower)

This used to be the last station of
the Oami guard stations. They
inspected people and travelers
who went through from Shonai orfrom the inland area.

Designated in

16 Nanatsu-Daki fall

You can enjoy a beautiful vi
waterfall, which looks like whi
was a cave where ascetics tr
way to this waterfall.

Designated city cultural property

Temple10 Mt. Yudono head Temple, Dainichibo33) by Kobo
he hardships
emple during
ovement. You
aintings andhallʼs ceilingcherry tree
there. It won

This grand temple was built in Daido 2 (807)by Kobo Daishi in Oami. The temple upholds
the Shingon sect overcoming Meijiʼsanti-Buddhist movement. Furthermore, thistemple used to be one of the Tokugawa
familyʼs seven “Betto” (high ranked) Kiganji
temple in all of Japan during the era of
Iemitsu Tokugawa (the 3rd Tokugawa
Shogun). The current Dainichibo temple wasremoved and reconstructed because of alandslide in Showa 11 (1936).
☎:0235-54-6301

20 Ohonogi

Prefectural-designated natural treasure

The ruins of Kobo-Chaya tea house
Sainokami-toge pass

There is the Dokko Shimizu spring, where legend says that Kobo
Daishi pierced the ground with the Dokko (single-pronged vajra) and aspring came out, and after he wiped his hands on the cedar leaf whichthen grew thickly. That Japanese cedar was called “Nejire Sugi”(twisted Japanese cedar). There used to be a summer tea house.

wer

Sekiya12
Memorial
tower

The ruins of Dokko-Chaya tea house

Stone
monuments

Mt. Yudono’s
stone monument
Yudonosan
interchange

13

14

●

an Dammation16“Ari” means “ants”, “goshi”
means “to cross.”)

steep, you need to
ant to walk. It is said
after this. Until theworshippers dressed
e hill in line from
Also, you could see
he hill.

ated in Japanʼs 100 waterfalls

ul view of the 90m
white thread. Therecs trained along theNigari (Bittern) pond

24

i(

ich

-m

u
Tof

Ohonogi

22▲

Mt.Sennindake▲

Mt.Yudono

The ruins of Yakushigoya (hut)Ichirizuka mound21

Zangezaka Hilld)roa

Hakkozawa

23

Ryugaike

Trench remains▲

Tas

Oguki Toge pass

Yohaijo

The ruins of Sasagoya (bamboo hut)

Sugeyachi
Karasawa

Okos

AmaikeKohonogi Toge Pass

Nino Toge pass

Hosogoe-Toge Pass

Love beech tree

Venus beech treeu Muraeau

19

18

Dokko Shimizu
SpringNanatsu-Daki
Fall

Arigoshizaka Hill

Asahi Gassan lake

Mt. Yudono’s stone monument

Senju (many-armed)
beech tree

Dragon god
beech tree
Tamugimata’s
multi-layered houses

Gomadan-ishi rock20
17

Mt.Yakushidake

Message beech tree

Memorial pagoda
for Kobo Daishi

15

Mt.Shinakura

Battery ruins

Tamugi River

Tsukanara

25 Mt. Yudono main s

Ippon Bashi bridge remains

The ruins of Goshinbutsu-Chaya tea house

Tamugimata

Mt. Yudono guest housefor worshipers

●

r 11

There is a story that this route was maintained forpeople visiting Mt. Yudono during the Kaei period (1848
to 1853). The 50m long beech tree tunnel is popular.

18 The ruins of Dokko-Chaya tea house

12 Odan cedar tree

●Gassan Asahi Sunture Park(Auto camp site)●Yudonosan Ski Resort

Yanagi Shimizu(Willow) Spring

Kobo Daishi did a Goma (fire-offering) prayer on this rock.

A famous place for autumn leaves. You can
see the changes in the 3 Rokujuri-goe Kaido,
which are the former highway, the former
national road and the new national road.

27m high, the foot of the tree is 8m round. Thereis a legend that this tree was planted at the Prince
Moromiwake’s (the son of Emperor Keiko) tomb.

Odan Cedar Tree

19 Gomadan-ishi rock17 Hananoki-Zaka Hill

11 Koshinto tower (Sekiya community)

This was built in An'ei 9 (1780). 4m high and 2mwide, it is the biggest Koshinto tower in the
Tohoku region. It is said that the greatest prayer
answered was perpetual youth and longevity.

Hananoki-Zaka Hill

112

UmadateBonji River

The ruins of Tamugimata guard station

The history of the four-generation roa
PeriodYear

Aceramic age

Four generation route Legend①The ancient road of Dewa, Rokujuri-goe Kaido.
(Japan Scenic Byway Registry NO. Tohoku-No.11 Approved on Dec. 5, 2007.)

Nara

Wado 5(712)

After the Mogami and the Okitama counties from Mutsu province were incorporated into the Dewa province, the Rokujuri-goe
Kaido was opened as the shortest land route between Yamagata and Dewa province (from the war chronicle “Ou Gundan”).

The age ofProvincial Wars

Tensho 15(1587)

Yoshiaki Mogami invaded over Rokujuri-goe Kaido to the Shonai area. The Rokujuri-goe Kaido started at the
Yamagata (Johoku) area ending in the Matsune area.

AzuchiMomoyama

Genna 8(1622)The rule of the Shonai area was changed from the Mogami family to Lord Tadakatsu Sakai. The Lord Tadashige
Sakai ruled Shiraiwa and used the Rokujuri-goe Kaido access between the Shonai area and Shiraiwa.

Genroku 2(1689)

Basho Matsuo visited Dewa Sanzan. He visited Mt. Gassan on June 6th, and Mt. Yudono on the 7th (on the lunar calendar).

②Former route 112③Route 112

Edo④Yamagata Expressway

Tempo 4
(1833)The Murayama area had a great famine. Rice and salt were sent via Rokujuri-goe Kaido from the Shonai area.

Tempo 6(1835)The Shonai lord Tadakata Sakai and about 300 of his vassals went to Edo for the Sankin Kotai (the duty of alternate attendance in Edo)passing through Rokujuri-goe Kaido. (It was an exceptional route as there could have been a snow slide on the Mogami river route.)

Koka 4(1847)

A hero from the end of the Edo period, Hachiro Kiyokawa ran away to Edo passing over Rokujuri-goe Kaido.

Keio 4(1868)

Meiji 1
(1868)⑤Former Rokujuri-goe Kaido(NOW IMPASSABLE)

The History of Rokujuri-goe Kaido
There is a possibility that the practical path already existed between the Etchuyama ruin (Tsuruoka city) andthe Yumihari-daira ruin in Nishikawa town as the shortest path between the Shonai area and the inland area.

Meiji

Meiji 27
(1894)
Maiji 31(1898)

Period
Meiji

Sh
(1

Sho
(1
Showa

Sho
(1

Sho
(1

Sho
(1

Sho
(1

Sho
(1

The government army came through the Rokujuri-goe Kaido when the surrender of Tsuruga-oka castle.

The construction of a wide new Rokujuri-goe Kaido was started. (Wide enough to go through by carriage, the road width was 4m)

M
(1

Sh
(1

In the Boshin war, the domain of Shonai retained about 250 warriors and militia to prevent attack by the government army.

The Rokujuri-goe Kaido changed to be under prefectural control.

M(1

Heisei

He
(2

He
(2

21 Ichirizuka mound▲Mt.Gassan

23 Yohaijo

This was said to be the 8th mound from
Tsuruoka Castle. On both sides, mounds
remain.

You can see the red Torii gate and Mt.
Yudono’s enshrined rock in the distance. Whenthe snow is deep and impassable, people
would pray from here.

25

Mt.Ubagatake

Elevation 900m. There are two Mt. Yudono
monuments, one was built in Meiji 13 (1880). It
is said that the monument’s stones werecarried by returning Kitamaebune cargovessels. There used to be a summer tea
house.

main shrineGenk

24 Nigari (Bittern) pond

22 Hosogoe-Toge Pass

▲

ai-

Ko

do

an

cie

nt

ro
u

te

Yamagata prefectural
museum of nature

Tashirozawa tributaryass

Genkai Square●●

The nearby Sasagoya (like an Inn) used thispond’s bittern to make Tofu. They carried thisTofu to Sennin-zawa and did business. Thisroute is called “Tofu-michi” (road).

There is no shrine building, the object enshrined is a great
brownish-red rock which gushes boiling water. In the Edo
period, it used to be a “lifetime ceremony” to visit both theIse shrine in the west called “Nishi no Ise Mairi” and to visit
Dewa Sanzan called “Dewa Sanzan Oku Mairi”. These 3
mountains were considered that at Mt. Haguro, you prayfor your earthly grace, at Mt. Gassan, you experience theafterlife, and at Mt. Yudono you will receive rebirth.
☎: 0235-54-6133

Shizu
Mt. Yudono monument
and others

GenkaiStone path (Gocho Ishi stone)

Oiwake stone of
Mt. Yudono approach

Stone monuments

Tashirozawa

Mt.Yudonomonument

Yakione ridge

Yumiharidaira
Yumiharidaira Park
Auto camping site

Ishipane River

27

Sekitozaka hill

Memorial
tower

28

Okoshi RiverYear

The History of Rokujuri-goe Kaido

Meiji 36
(1903)The new road construction was finished. (Tsuruoka – former Azuma-bashi – Etchuyama – Oami –Tamugimata – Oguki – Shizu) This road was designated as the “prefectural Rokujuri-goe Kaido”.

Meiji 37
(1904)

Azuma Bridge was completed. The new prefectural road “Rokujuri-goe Kaido” was opened. (Tamugimta – Oami – Etchuyama)

Showa 7
(1932)

The construction of a prefectural road – the new Rokujuri-goe Kaido started.

Showa 9(1935)

Large scaled improvement of the prefectural Rokujuri-goe Kaido. (Tamugimata – Oami – Nagawa – Kumaide– Tsuruoka) Finished in September of the same year.

Showa 11
(1936)

Showa 28
(1953)
Showa 40
(1965)●Gassan lake Mizu no Bunka-Kan(Shop and Restaurant)

Sunagoseki

Ippongizawa
29

Tsukiyamazawa

road “Rokujuri-goe Kaido”

Showa 10(1935)●Large fountain of the Gassan Lake

The ruins of IppongiChaya tea house

112

Route 112

Sunagoseki

Oyodo Daimyojin
stone monument●

The ruins of Hudoin Stone path

Yotsuyaʼs Mountain God

Yumiharidaira Park

26

Former route 112

To Iwanesawa・Hondoji

Night light stone lanternGassan Shizu Onsen

Okoshizawa

Mt. Yudono main shrine

Oiwakestone

Gassan Lake

To Yamagata City

Okoshi River

Gassan interchange

The new prefectural Rokujuri-goe Kaido road was completed.
The prefectural road Rokujuri-goe Kaido was widened for cars. It was designated as prefectural road route 12.
Rokujuri-goe Kaido was upgraded to the secondary national route 112.
The road was upgraded from the secondary national road to national highway 112.

Showa 46
(1971)

The construction of the Gassan route was started (Sunagoseki – Oami).

Showa 56
(1981)The Gassan route “route 112” opened entirely (31 km).
*The national highway 112 became the former national highway.

Heisei 12(2000)

Highway “Tohoku Odan Expressway” (now Tohoku Expressway) opened between the Yudonosan
interchange and Shonai-Asahi interchange.

Heisei 19(2007)

Dewa ancient road “Rokujuri-goe Kaido” was designated as a registered route of “Scenic Byway Japan” by
the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

26 Night light stone lantern(The ruins of Shizukuchi-domē)

The believer in Iizaka, Oshu Shinobu county(Fukushima city) donated this for praying theirsilk cultivation’s fortune.

27 Stone path (Gocho-ishi stone)
Apprx. 1.2 m width stone path. There is a
“Gocho - ishi stone” which has the distancefrom Shizukuchi-Domē guard station engraved.

The many appearancesof the beech trees

The Legend of Kobo Daishi
The Foundation of the Mt. Yudono temple
It is said that one of the founders of Mt. Yudono is
Kobo Daishi “Kukai”. While he was coming back from
Tang (China), Manjushiri (Monju Bosatsu) appeared
in a dream, and told him that there are three holylands in Japan. Daishi threw implements called
Dokko, Sanko, and Goko toward Japan to find where
the holy lands were. After coming back to Japan, hesearched for where they were. When he went up the
Akagawa river and came to Ochiai of Asahi Village(presently Tsuruoka city), he found the golden Bonji,
or Sanskrit characters “Avirahunkham”, floating
behind a Japanese butterbur leaf on the surface ofthe river. He thought he would be able to reach theMountain of Mantra, a sacred place of Vairocana(Dainichi Buddha) by following the Sanskrit, and thatbrought him to Mt. Yudono. It was Tencho 10 (833)
and it is known as the foundation of the Mt. Yudono
temple. The river was called Bonji River later on.

Senju (many-armed) beech tree
(Giant tree on front cover)
They spread their branches like a“Senju-Kannon” and watch over.

The Dokko Shimizu spring and the Nejire Sugi (Twisted Japanese cedar)
Kobo Daishi pierced the ground with his Dokko(single-pronged vajra) and water welled up. When hedrank the water and wiped his hands with the leavesof the Japanese cedar standing there, the leaves got
twisted. The tree was called “Nejire Sugi.” A stonecommemorating the permanent preservation of thetree was placed in Taisho 2 (1913). A strong windbrought the tree down Showa 32 (1927), and asecond tree was planted. There was a tea house insummer.

The Shimekake cherry tree in Churenji temple

ojiVenus beech tree

Dragon god beech tree

The work of Mother Nature! A beautiful curvy
figure.

Since ancient times, the dragon god has ruled
the skies and protected the country’s peace.
Does it look alike?

Lake

There is an approximately 200 year-old Kasumi-zakura on the
Churenji temple grounds. It is said that Kobo Daishi who had realized
his dream of founding the Mt. Yudono temple climbed down themountain and when he came by the cherry tree, he took off his“Shime” a cardoming robe, tied it around the tree and built a temple
there. The tree has a mysterious appeal because the blossoms arewhite at first, but change gradually to pink. The cherry blossoms
create an air of fantasy in the movie “Tono Monogatari (The story ofTono).” This cherry tree was selected as one of the 88 sites of the
Tohoku Dream Road of Cherry Blossoms in Heisei 23 (2011) October.

Yanagi (willow) Shimizu spring
Kobo Daishi came to a spring near the
Sainokami-toge pass when founding the Mt.Yudono
temple. He drank from the spring, and broke sticks
off of a nearby willow tree to use as chopsticks. After
finishing a meal with the chopsticks, he stuck thechopsticks by the side of the spring and left them
there. Buds grew from the chopsticks and became awillow tree, and so people started calling the spring
the Yanagi Shimizu spring.

The Site of Kobo tea housety

Love beech tree

Message beech tree

These twins were destined as soulmate frombefore they were born. Renew your vow of lovewith your partner…♥

It reads “Dec. 4, 1931. Horse pick up. Toraji.
Snow 90cm high. Not coming” from the tree.
(This message shows that a man is waiting fortheir pick up horse in the 90cm high fresh snow.)

It is said that Kobo Daishi had rested there, and there
was a summer tea house during the Edo period. On
the site, there remains a lantern that was dedicatedKeio 1 (1830), and three memorial towers, one ofwhich is for the repose of Kobo Daishi’s soul built in
Tempo 13 (1842). It is a scenic place that gives asweeping view of the Tamugimata community.

Traditional Performance Art
Tamugimata Sanzan Kagura
28 Yotsuyaʼs Mountain God

29 Oiwake stone

When the Yotsuya community was moved
because of the construction of the Sagae Dam,they also removed the stone monuments which
are honored at the monument here collectively.

The stone is carved with “To the right Mt.
Yudono. To the left Oisawa.” This stone was
moved from the lakeside to the entrance of theold road which still exists.

It was introduced from the inland areas in the latter half of theEdo period, and is still performed in annual festivals in
Tamugimata. Major programs are the “Shishi-mai,”“Torisashi-mai,” “Okame,” and so on.

Access

Rokujuri-goe Kaido related persons
Kobo Daishi “Kukai”↑Akita↑Morioka

Aomori
Hachinohe

Sakata port interchange

Ou Main Line

SakataAkita

ANA

Shonai
AirportTsuruoka

Yamagata
Shinkansen
Sendai

Uetsu Main Line Yamagata
Niigata

Fukushima

JAL

JoetsuShinkansen

FDA
JAL
Osaka
Itami Airport

Shonai Airport interchange

Morioka

TohokuShinkansen

Shonai Airport
Yunohama Onsen
Tsuruoka Junction

Tokyo

Rik

uu

7

Sai

sen

47

Tsuruoka

Rikuu Tousen LineLin

Shinjoe

Hurukawa

Yura Onsen
Yamagata Hurukawa interchange
Tsuruoka interchange
Tsuruoka-Nishi interchange
Shonai Asahi interchange Shinkansen
Atsumi Onsen
Yutagawa Onsen
13
Yudonosan interchange
Atsumi Onsen interchange
Yamagata Airport
Nihonkaiengan
112
Gassaninterchange
7 Tohoku Expressway
Tohoku Expressway
Higashine
Nishikawainterchange
Asahi area, interchange
Tendo interchange
Sagae interchange

Tsuruoka

Nishikawatown

Uetsu Main Line

Asahi Mahoroba interchange
Haneda Airport

Tokyo

Amarume112

Yamagata Junction 48

Sendai Miyagi
interchange
Senzan LineSendai
Yamagata-Kita interchange

Yamagata-Chuo interchange

NagoyaNagoya Airport

Tohokuchuo Expressway

Niigata

TohokuShinkansen

Yamagata

Kaminoyama

Murata Junction

Yamagata Expressway

Yamagata Kaminoyama interchange

JR Shinkansen routes

JoetsuShinkansen

JR Train routes
Expressway

Yonezawa↓Fukushima↓TokyoNihonkai Tohoku,Yamagata Expressway
50min.
Yamagata Shonai Asahi R112
Expressway intercahnge 5min.
R112
Gassan interchange 30min. Yudonosan interchange 15min.

Asahi area,
Tsuruoka

Airplane

ExpresswaysTokyo

Kan-etsu Expressway(and others)
R7
4hrs.20min. Asahi Mahoroba interchange 1hrs.

SendaiTohoku Expressway
4hrs.20min.

Yamagata
Murata Expressway Nishikawa
Tohoku Expressway Junction 1hrs. interchange
20min.
Joetsu Shinkansen
2hrs.

JR Shinkansen,Train

R112
25min.

Senzan Line
1hrs.20min.

Sendai
Yamagata Shinkansen
2hrs.40min.

Airplane

Haneda Airport

1hrs.

Itami Airport

1hrs.
1hrs.15min.

Nagoya Airport
Tokyo

Express Bus

Sendai
Yamagata

1hrs.

Nishikawa town

Uetsu Main Line
2hrs.

Niigata

Tohoku Shinkansen
2hrs.

Tokyo

Asahi Mahoroba interchange

Yamagata
Expressway
20min.

Yamagata
Expressway
40min.

Yamagata

Nihonkai Tohoku・Yamagata Expressway
30min.
Yamagata
Yamagata
Expressway Gassan
R112
Yudonosan Expressway
Yamagatainterchange
20min.
15min.
30min. interchange
Expressway Nishikawa
Yamagata Airport 30min.
interchange
R112

Shonai Airport

Tsuruoka

R112
25min. Asahi area,Tsuruoka

Nishikawainterchange

R112
25min.

Nishikawatown

Shonai Asahi R112
intercahnge 5min.

Asahi area,
Tsuruoka
Nishikawa town

25min.

Tohokukyuko Express bus
6hrs.

Yamagata

Yamako・Shoko Express bus
Nishikawa Bus Stop 40min. Gassanguchi 1hrs.

Yamako・Shoko Express bus
7hrs.30min.

Tsuruoka

Shoko Express bus
40min.

Shonai Asahi Bus Stop

Shoko・Miyako Express bus
2hrs.
Shoko・Miyako Express bus
1hrs.20min.
Shoko・Miyako Express bus
40min.

(Shonai Asahi intercahnge)

Nishikawa Bus Stop
(Nishikawa interchange)

Bus・Taxi
S-MALL bus center・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・☎0235-24-5333
Express bus reservation center・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・☎0235-24-7600
ANA Shoko Plaza Tsuruoka・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・☎0235-24-3549
Ochiai taxi (Kaido taxi)・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・☎0235-53-2121
Gassan Kanko taxi・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・☎0237-74-2310

Nishikawa town

R112
5min.

Shoko・Yamako Express bus
50min.

Asahi area,
Tsuruoka
Nishikawa town

R112
25min.

Shonai Asahi Bus Stop
(Shonai Asahi intercahnge)

R112
5min.

Basho Matsuo
A haiku poet. While on his journey of “Okuno
Hosomichi (Narrow Road to the Deep North)”, hestayed in Shonai from June 3rd to June 27th of thelunar calendar, Genroku 2 (1689) and madeseveral haiku poems there. At Mt. Yudono, hecomposed“Katararenu Yudononi Nurasu Tamoto kana.”
In addition, his pupil Sora composed:“ Yudonosan Zenifumu Michino Namida kana.”

Hachiro Kiyokawa

Fukushima Iizaka
interchange↓TokyoMain national road

Nanyo Takahata interchange
Yonezawa Nanyo Expressway
Yonezawakita interchange

Born in Hoki 5 (774) in Kagawa prefecture. Afterhe became a Buddhist monk, he studied abroad in
Tang (China) and came back to Japan in Daido 1(806). While he was in Tang, he learned esoteric
Buddhism. Later he founded the Kongobuji temple
in Koyasan in Kojin 7 (816) and worked to exalt
the teachings of esoteric Buddhism in Japan. He
brought esoteric Buddhism and made an effort toexpand the religion in Japan. He traveled all overJapan to propagate and guide people. At the ageof 62, it was said that he fell into deep meditation
to become a Sokushinbutsu (self-mummification)
at Koyasan’s sacred place. The beliefs of the
Sokushinbutsu started because of this legend,
and those are deeply related to Mt. Yudono
beliefs.

Asahi area,Tsuruoka

Outfit and belongings

Mountain-climbing gear,
climbing boots and cap are necessary.
Sneakers and canvas shoes are NOT suitable! It is better NOT to wear
black-colored clothing. You MUST have a bear bell.

Born in Tempo 1 (1830) at Kiyokawa village. He
ran away from his house at the age of 16 and went
to Edo. He studied and trained in swordplay there
and later opened his own private school. After
that, he set up the “Toraonokai” group with radical
member who advocated “Revere the emperor andexpels the barbarians”, but he was laterassassinated in Bunkyu 3 (1863). After Hachiro’s
death, the “Toraonokai” group became the“Roshigumi Shinchogumi” and the “Shinsengumi”
and they saw to the Meiji restoration. On his way
to Edo, he took a route from Kiyokawa to
Soegawa, Tsuruoka, then to Toge and through the
Rokujuri-goe Kaido. He stayed at Sasagoya(bamboo hut) while on his way to Edo. He walked
40km per day which included difficult terrain.

Mokichi Saito
A doctor and poet. He visited Tsuruoka and
Sakata through the Rokujuri-goe Kaido when he
was in his 13th calendar year in Meiji 27 (1894).
The first time he visited Mt. Yudono was in Meiji 29(1896), when he was in his 15th calendar year.
Making a “Oyama mairi” (mountain pilgrimage) fora boy who becomes 15 years old is a rite ofpassage in becoming an adult in the mountainworship world. Mokichi purified himself and was
taken by his father to make a pilgrimage before
the actual ritual. His first son Shigeta also visited
Mt. Yudono as his 15 year ritual.

Atsushi Mori
A novelist. He won the 70th Akutagawa Award inShowa 49 (1974) for the novel “Gassan” which
was based on his experience at the Churenji
temple of Shimekake district in Asahi village (nowTsuruoka city). He visited the Churenji temple inAugust of Showa 26 (1951) and stayed there until
the next spring. On the Churenji temple grounds,
there is a monument which reads “Mt. Gassan,
where all breaths come together, that is the Mt.
Gassan” from his novel “Gassan”.

What is Japan Scenic Byway?

Dewa no Kodo (Ancient Dewa road) Rokujuri-goe Kaido[Japan Scenic Byway registered route]

The Japan Scenic Byway are designated in order to promote love for the homeland and to help people discoverand generate natural Japanese beauty and charm. With the cooperation of many different bodies, the aim of
the Japan Scenic Byways are to make the best use of local resources like scenery, nature, history, and culture,
to preserve natural Japanese beauty and to promote local area revitalization and tourism, and with thiscontributing to national cultural revitalization.

Dewa no Kodo (Ancient Dewa road) This conference acts to promote a dynamic community by making the best of
the Rokujuri-goe Kaido, which connects Murayama district and Shonai district,Rokujuri-goe Kaido Conference(Office: In the industry division of the Tsuruoka city Asahi office) as a cultural asset through maintenance and preservation.

Registry NO. Tohoku-No.11 Approved on Dec. 5, 2007.

Contact Us■Asahimura Tourism Bureau (in Gassan Asahi Hakubutsumura)■Gassan Asahi Tourism Bureau

3-1 Aza-Nabira, Etchuyama, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0403 Email: argodia@citrus.ocn.co.jp HP : http://www.asahi-kankou/

TEL 0237-74-4119 FAX 0237-74-2601

TEL 0235-53-3411 FAX 0235-53-2400■Industry Division, Tsuruoka City Hall, Asahi Branch TEL 0235-53-2111 FAX 0235-53-2119
1 Aza-Ochiai, Shimonagawa, Tsuruoka, Yamagata 997-0492

You can walk the Rokujurigoe Kaido as follows. (When information boards are present)*The traversability of the road depends on the amount of snow. Please call us to check if you can walk it.

②〜⑨ ▶The middle of May 〜the middle of November.

⑲〜㉕ ▶The end of June 〜the middle of October.

⑨〜⑲ ▶The end of May 〜the beginning of November.

㉕〜㉖ ▶The end of June 〜the middle of October.

(in commerce, industry and sightseeing department, Nishikawa town)

510 Aza-Kaishu, Nishikawa-machi, Nishi-murayama-gun, Yamagata 990-0792
Email: info@gassan-info.com HP: http://www.gassan-info.com/

A guide is required if
there is a lot of snow
remaining.
If you need a guide:■Rokujuri-goe Kaido
Yama-sendonin

TEL／0235-53-3411[in Asahimura tourism bureau]