Torii at the entrace to Yudono-san
Yudono-san is one of the three mountains of Dewa Sanzan, and its shrine is considered to be a kind of inner sanctum. In fact, Yudono-san is so sacred that one is neither to talk nor hear of what happens inside the shrine.
Despite its secrecy and mystery, Yudono-san is relatively easily accessible via a toll road. Located in a valley below the summit, the shrine is only 200 meters from the bus stop. The traditional approach, however, is more challenging, consisting of a descent via a steep hiking trail from the summit of Gas-san.
Entering the sacred area around Yudono shrine
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View of the surrounding valley
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Yudono-san's shrine maintains a strict ban on photography. Visitors must walk a short final portion of stoned pathway from the bus stop to enter the shrine itself, where they are asked to remove their shoes to begin purification rites in their bare feet. Rather than divulge any more of Yudono-san's secret interior, we recommend travelers make their own visit to this impressive shrine.
Like Gas-san, Yudono-san closes during the winter months, although it is still feasible to visit in poor weather thanks to its road access. Because Yudono-san is the mountain symbolizing rebirth, it is typically the final Dewa Sanzan shrine visited by pilgrims after Haguro-san (birth) and Gas-san (death).
Yudono's dense forest, seen from a bridge
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