"Sacred volcano of the Dewa region, former member of the Three Holy Mountains"
Mt. Chokai
Yuza, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Rising 2,236 meters at the border of Yamagata and Akita Prefectures, Mount Chokai has drawn mountain worshippers since ancient times. Once considered part of the Dewa Sanzan, the Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa, Chokai-san remains a powerful Shugendo training ground where the deity Omonoimi no Kami receives veneration at the summit shrine.
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Quick Facts
Location
Yuza, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates
39.0997, 140.0494
Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Learn More
Mount Chokai developed as a sacred mountain during the Heian period, becoming a Shugendo training ground and major pilgrimage destination that reached its peak in the Edo period.
Origin Story
The mountain was recognized as sacred from ancient times, with the deity Omonoimi no Kami dwelling on the peak. During the Heian period, Shugendo practitioners identified the mountain as a training ground, and in the syncretic tradition of the era, associated it with Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha. Mount Chokai was historically counted among the Dewa Sanzan until replaced by Mount Yudono in the early 17th century.
Key Figures
Omonoimi no Kami
Mountain deity worshipped at the summit shrine since ancient times
Spiritual Lineage
Mount Chokai's sacred tradition connects to broader Shugendo mountain worship in the Tohoku region, with the summit shrine maintaining the tradition of Omonoimi no Kami veneration.
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