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Climb Mt. Zao! A short traverse of Mt. Kumano, the highest peak in the Zao mountain range, and Mt. Katta, the highest peak on the Miyagi side [Miyagi/Yamagata]

Zao, which straddles Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures, is a famous mountain known nationwide for its symbolic "Okama" crater, winter sports, and frost-covered trees.

It is not widely known, but there is no single mountain called Zao; the Zao mountain range is a collective term for several mountains, including Mount Kumano and Mount Katta.

This time, we will introduce a short traverse route from Kattadake Rest House, the starting point for Zao sightseeing, to Kattadake, the highest peak on the Miyagi side, and Kumanodake, the highest peak in the Zao mountain range

Although it is a traverse, it is an easy route even for beginners, so if you go to Okama, be sure to stretch your legs and take a look

Reference links for traverse routes

YAMAP: Mt. Zao-Dake Katta Circuit Course　 https://yamap.com/model-courses/25423

Zao Mountaintop Rest House

The Zao Summit Rest House, the starting point for sightseeing around Okama, is located at the end of the Zao High Line (toll road), about a 5- minute walk from the parking lot.

There are toilets, a souvenir shop, and a free rest area on the first the second floor. Located at the top of the Zao mountain range, this rest house offers a panoramic view of the magnificent mountains.

Kettle

Okama, a symbol of the Zao mountain range, is a famous spot that attracts many climbers and tourists with its unique shape and mystical atmosphere

Okama is a circular crater lake with a depth of about 27 meters and a circumference of about 1 kilometer. The water is acidic, and you can observe volcanic gases bubbling up.

Kattadake summit and Kattamine Shrine

If you head towards Okama crater and head to the right, you will reach the summit of Mt. Katta in about 10 minutes. The hiking trail to Mt. Katta is paved with cobblestones and is easy to walk on, so sneakers are fine. From the summit, at an elevation of 1,758m, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Zao mountain range and get a close-up view of Okama crater.

Kattamine Shrine located on the summit , was once home to Zao Daigongen Shrine, the center of Zao worship.

Pilgrimages to Zao, which became popular in the late Edo period, were aimed at worshiping Zao Daigongen. However, following the Shinto-Buddhist separation order in the early Meiji period, the shrine was merged with Takenobo and renamed Mikumarijinja. It was later renamed Zao Kattaminejinja Okumiya, and remains so to this day

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Are there any sacred objects that are constantly moving in the hot spring towns at the top and at the foot of the mountain? Karitarein Shrine in Miyagi Zao [Miyagi Prefecture]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/34453
The Ou Mountains and Zao Mountain Range straddle Miyagi and Yamagata Prefectures. Did you know that there is a shrine on the Miyagi Prefecture side of the Zao Mountain Range whose deity repeatedly moves during the summer and winter? Kattamine Shrine located at the summit of Mt. Kattadake and Togatta Onsen Kattamine Shrine is a shrine located in the hot spring town of Togatta Onsen at the eastern foot of Mt. Kattadake on the Miyagi side of the Zao Mountain Range. It is paired with Kattamine Shrine, and the mountaintop side is called Okumiya, and the Togatta Onsen side is called Satomiya. By the way, there is another shrine in Zao Town called Kattamine Shrine (also known as Shiratori Daimyojin), but this one has a slightly different origin...
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Mount Kumano summit

The route to the summit of Mt. Kumano will take you back to the Zao Summit Rest House. We recommend taking a break here before continuing on to the next route

Starting again from the rest house, head left with the Okama crater in front of you. A well-maintained stone-paved path continues until you reach the "Karita-dake West Fork." A boardwalk is laid between the "Karita-dake West Fork" and the "Kumano-dake Fork," but from here on the path becomes a regular mountain path with some steep climbs, but if you persevere and overcome the slopes you will soon reach the summit of Kumano-dake

Mount Kumano is the main peak of the Zao mountain range, with an elevation of 1,841m and is selected as one of Japan's 100 most famous mountains.

From the summit, you can enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of the Zao plateau and the famous peaks of Tohoku. However, the weather is changeable, so you should be careful of fog and strong winds

Zaosan Shrine located at the summit , enshrines Susanoo-no-Mikoto as its deity and was formerly known as Kumano Shrine. It is said that En no Gyozuno enshrined Kongo Zao Daigongen of Mount Kinpu at this shrine. The torii gate at the summit was once destroyed by lightning in the past, but has now been safely rebuilt.

There is a Kumanodake refuge hut within the shrine grounds where you can rest. There are no water or toilets, but you can make a fire and stay warm

Zaosan Shrine holds its annual festival at the main shrine on the mountaintop on the second Sunday of July. On this day, festivals are held at the three shrines and Ichinomiya shrines, along with Takiyama and Sukawa Shrine in Zao Onsen, Yamagata City, and people visit to pray for prosperous business and safe travels

Dress Code and Precautions

The trail to the summit of Mt. Katta is well maintained and the distance is not too long, so you can enjoy the hike in casual clothing. However, the route to the summit of Mt. Kumano takes about an hour and a half round trip, and the weather is changeable, so you will need appropriate clothing for mountain climbing. Because of the high altitude, it can get quite chilly even in midsummer, so cold weather protection is essential.

In order to protect the natural environment, it is strictly forbidden to collect wild animals and plants, or to leave trash behind. Please enjoy the beautiful nature while observing proper mountaineering etiquette

Zao Mountaintop Rest House <Information>

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