Shugendō List of religious sites

pilgrims ascend steps leading entrance of sanzan gosaiden temple in 2006, @ summit of mount haguro.

shugendō small, syncretic, highly esoteric , ascetic sect or sub-sect of buddhism (mostly related to, , considered distinct branch of tendai , shingon schools) combining elements of zen, taoism, koshintō, japanese folk animism , shamanism. faith traditionally believed have been founded śramaṇa , mystic-sorcerer en no gyōja in 7th or 8th century. in same manner religion of shintō, shugendō largely relegated japan.

the lay practitioners , monks of shugendō, called shugenja or yamabushi respectively, venerate mountains both spiritual areas and, along nature whole, natural maṇḍalas .

adherents of shugendō consider collective 3 mountains of dewa (consisting of mount haguro, mount gassan, , mount yudono), located in remote dewa province of japan, sacred of places. 3 mountains sacred in shintō.