Mountains · Tottori
Mount Daisen
大山だいせんDaisenThe Hōki Fuji: western Japan's sacred volcano between Tottori and the sea.
Mount Daisen (大山), 1,729 m at its highest point Kengamine, is the tallest mountain in the Chūgoku region, an extinct volcano in western Tottori Prefecture. Seen from the west it rises as a perfect cone, the Hōki Fuji; from north and south it shows jagged, eroded walls. Its temple Daisen-ji was one of western Japan's great Buddhist mountain centres.
Overview
Mount Daisen rises from the coast of the Sea of Japan near Yonago, the highest mountain between the Japanese Alps and Kyūshū. Its name simply means "great mountain". From the Yonago plain it shows its famous cone-shaped western face; from the north and south its sheer, gullied walls give it an alpine look quite unlike its gentle profile.
For over a thousand years Daisen was a religious mountain. The temple Daisen-ji and the Ōgamiyama Jinja complex were among the major centres of mountain Buddhism in western Japan, and the stone-paved approach through beech and cedar forest remains one of Japan's longest stone approach paths. Daisen is also known for its cattle fair, once one of the largest in Japan.
Landscape and formation
Daisen is an extinct composite volcano whose last activity ended roughly 20,000 years ago. The summit is formed of lava domes; heavy snow and rain have eroded deep gullies (the North and South Walls) into the soft volcanic rock, which is why the summit ridge is continuously crumbling.
Broad lava and debris fans spread from the mountain's foot to the coastal plain, and the Yumigahama sandspit to the north-west was built of sediment from its rivers.
Highlights
Misen
弥山MisenThe usual summit, 1,709 m, with a boardwalk over the fragile yew carpet and views to the Oki Islands.
Kengamine
剣ヶ峰KengamineThe true summit, 1,729 m, on an eroding knife-edge ridge closed to hikers.
North Wall
北壁HokuhekiThe steep, eroded north face visible from the Moto-dani valley, a winter climbing area.
Stone-paved approach
大山寺参道Daisen-ji sandōA long stone path through old forest to Ōgamiyama Jinja Okunomiya.
Ecology
Daisen holds one of the largest beech forests in western Japan on its middle slopes. The summit plateau is covered by a pure stand of kyaraboku, a dwarf form of Japanese yew, designated a special natural monument.
Flora
Kyaraboku
ダイセンキャラボクdaisen-kyarabokuA creeping dwarf yew forming a dense pure stand on the summit, protected as a special natural monument.
Beech
ブナbunaExtensive old beech forest around Daisen-ji.
Daisen-kozakura
ダイセンコザクラdaisen-kozakuraA pink primrose of the summit area.
Fauna
Japanese giant salamander
オオサンショウウオōsanshōuoLives in the rivers at the mountain's foot.
Japanese serow
カモシカkamoshikaPresent in the forests.
Culture
Tradition says Daisen-ji was founded in 718 by Kinren, a hunter who converted after encountering the bodhisattva Jizō on the mountain. In the Heian period it became a Tendai centre with thousands of monks and warrior-monks. After the Meiji separation of Buddhism and Shintō, the main hall became Ōgamiyama Jinja Okunomiya, whose Edo-period hall is one of the largest gongen-style shrine buildings in Japan. The Izumo Fudoki calls the mountain Hi-no-kami-dake.
Daisen-ji
大山寺Daisen-jiThe Tendai temple at the foot of the trail, with a Jizō hall.
Ōgamiyama Jinja Okunomiya
大神山神社奥宮Ōgamiyama Jinja OkunomiyaA large lacquered shrine hall at the end of the stone approach, an important cultural property.
History
8th century
The Izumo Fudoki records the Kunibiki myth, naming the mountain as the tethering post.
718
Traditional founding of Daisen-ji.
Heian period
Daisen-ji grows into a major Tendai mountain monastery.
1936
Daisen National Park is designated, later Daisen-Oki.
1952
The summit kyaraboku stand becomes a special natural monument.
Through the seasons
Spring
Snow on the summit until April; fresh beech leaves in May.
Summer
The main hiking season; Daisen's forests offer relief from the lowland heat.
Autumn
Beech and maple colours in late October and early November, reflected in ponds at the foot.
Winter
Heavy snow; ski areas at Daisen and winter climbing on the summit for experienced parties.
Routes and trails
Natsuyama trail
From Daisen-ji village via the sixth-station shelter to Misen, about 3 hours up; steep, with many steps, suitable for fit beginners.
Gyōja-dani route
A variant through the Gyōja valley below the north wall, joining the Natsuyama trail; about 3.5 hours.
Stone approach and shrine walk
From Daisen-ji village along the stone-paved path to Ōgamiyama Jinja Okunomiya, about 30 minutes one way; easy.
Practical notes
- Daisen-ji village is reached by bus from Yonago station in about 50 minutes.
- Stay on the boardwalk at the summit to protect the yew carpet, and do not attempt the closed ridge to Kengamine.
- Winter conditions on the summit are severe, with icy slopes and strong winds.
Frequently asked questions
Which summit do hikers reach on Daisen?
Hikers climb to Misen (1,709 m), the usual summit with its wooden walkway. The true highest point, Kengamine (1,729 m), lies further along a crumbling ridge that is closed to the public because of erosion.
How long does it take to climb Daisen?
The Natsuyama (summer mountain) trail from Daisen-ji village takes about 3 hours up and 2 hours down, with about 900 m of height gain. It is steep but well maintained with steps.
Why is Daisen called Hōki Fuji?
Hōki is the old province of western Tottori. From the Yonago side to the west the mountain looks like a regular cone, reminiscent of Fuji.
What is the connection to the Izumo myths?
In the Izumo Fudoki's Kunibiki myth, a god pulled pieces of land across the sea with ropes and tethered them to posts; Daisen is said to be the post that holds the Yumigahama peninsula in place.
Related
Sources
- 1.日本の主な山岳標高 (opens in a new tab) — 国土地理院 (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan)
- 2.大山隠岐国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省 (Ministry of the Environment)
- 3.鳥取県ホームページ (opens in a new tab) — 鳥取県 (Tottori Prefecture)