Mount Yudono Sanrojo
TEL	0235-54-6131	including 2 meals 7000 yen
Access	"JR Tsuruoka station" > (75 minutes bus) > "Yudonosan bus stop"
Parking	There is a parking lot
Time	Check-in 15:00 Check-out 10:00
This lodging is a shukubo on Mount Yudono, which is located in the deepest part of Dewasanzan (Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono) and considered to be a sacred place. It is a holy site of Shugendo and only practitioners who have trained on Mount Haguro and Mount Gassan are able to reach the spiritual state of Buddha. Also, it has been said from ancient times that you should not tell anyone that you have visited this shrine after you descend the mountain, as it is said "Don't tell and Don't listen." Because Yudonosan Shrine does not have a main hall, the sanrosho office seems to serve as the prayer hall and part of the shrine office. It was an enigmatic place where the voices of prayers and the sound of conch-shell horns were echoing throughout the day. It was quiet at night. The facilities were good. However, due to groups of worshippers coming and going, I felt restless. The food I was served was, to my surprise, not shojin cuisine (is this OK in Shinto?), but was a dish using rainbow trout, which tasted very good. I ate arai (a method of cooking river and lake fish where the fish meat is dipped into cold water and taken out when it contracts) of rainbow trout for the first time and found it really tasty. The accommodation fee was 7,000 yen for one night with two meals. The price was reasonable for the services. Also, there is a big shrine gate in front of the lodging that is worth seeing. As the lodge is closed during winter due to heavy snow, it is open only from May to November.

Please confirm the latest information at the time of lodging.