Japanese Culture At Mt. Daisen In Tottori - Celebrating 1300 Years Of History!

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Mt. Daisen, located near Yonago in Tottori, will be celebrating 1300 years of history in 2018! Read on to learn how to access the venues of the special events held on this occasion, other major sightseeing spots, and recommended local dishes.

Written by

MATCHA-PR

Tokyo, Japan

MATCHA's promotional account for corporate and local government advertising. We aim to provide useful information to our readers in an enjoyable manner.

Photo courtesy of Tottori Prefecture

Yonago, Tottori is a city located a three hour distance by bullet train and limited express from Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima. Mt. Daisen, which towers over the city nearby, has been called “Japan's Oldest Mountain of the Gods” since ancient times both for its beautiful appearance that resembles that of Mt. Fuji, and as an object of worship to the locals.

In 2018, the Mt. Daisen 1300 Years of History Celebration will be held at Mt. Daisen.

In this article, we’ll introduce to you noteworthy events, food, and sightseeing spots in the area. We’ll also introduce how to access the event venues, so be sure to check it out!

What Is the Mt. Daisen 1300 Years of History Celebration?

Daisen Temple, located at the center of Mt. Daisen, flourished as a Shugendo (a Buddhist sect that worships nature) and Shinto place of worship since its establishment in 718.

Although the sect was briefly in danger of abolition in the latter half of the nineteenth century, it has now once again become a spiritual home for many people as a religious and healing center surrounded by rich nature.

In celebration of 1300 years since Daisen Temple’s establishment, several events, including Shinto and Buddhist rituals and services, musical concerts, stargazing tours, and more will be held from May to November during the “Mt. Daisen 1300 Years of History Celebration”.

We’ll introduce two noteworthy events through which you can experience the traditional culture of both Japan and Tottori here in this article.

Recommended Event No. 1
The Parade of Torches - Experience Tottori’s Ancient History

Photo courtesy of the Daisen Tourism Organization

On the nights of June 2nd and September 30th, 2018, around 1000 to 2000 people will take part in a parade along the path between Daisen Temple and Ogamiyama Shrine’s Okunomiya. All the parade participants will be holding with torches in their hand.

Photo courtesy of the Daisen Tourism Organization

Mt. Daisen was once an active volcano and was revered since ancient times as a mountain where the fire god resided. Through the Parade of Torches, a ceremony held as a prayer for the safety of mountain climbers, we are able to experience the magnificent atmosphere this area has held during its long history.

The Parade of Torches
Event Schedule: June 2nd, 2018 From 19:30 / September 30th From 19:30
Venue: Daisen, Mt. Daisen 40-1 Bakuroza Event Venue *nearby Daisen Temple
Official Website: http://tourismdaisen.com/feature/natsuyama/ (Japanese)
* Stage events and the Mt. Daisen Gourmet Food Festival are also scheduled to be held from around 16:00 until 21:00.
* Near the venue, there will be counter where participants can receive their torches. The counter will be open until 18:00. However, the area will close once they run out of torches.

Recommended Event No.2
Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights - The Beauty of Tottori's Tradition!

Photo courtesy of the Daisen Tourism Organization

Did you know that Tottori prefecture is actually an area famous for wagasa (Japanese umbrella) production? In August and September of 2018, the path to Ogamiyama Shrine’s Okunomiya will be illuminated by 100 Japanese umbrellas.

Photo courtesy of the Daisen Tourism Organization

The Japanese umbrellas to be installed here are made by Tottori craftspeople in the image of the landscapes found during each of the four seasons around Mt. Daisen. You’ll surely be able to experience the magical atmosphere even more deeply when you gaze at the scenes designed on each of the umbrellas.

The Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights are so popular that lines form an hour before the event begins, so we recommend visiting early.

Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights
Event Schedule: August 10th-13th / August 24th-26th / September 22nd-24th 19:30 - 21:30
Venue: Tottori, Saihaku, Daisen, Mt. Daisen 1 near Ogamiyama Shrine’s Okunomiya
Official Website: http://tourismdaisen.com/feature/14/ (Japanese)
* Visitors who are junior high school age and older are required to pay a 300 yen admission fee. Entry tickets will be sold from 17:00 on the day of the event.
* Nearby restaurants will be serving special dishes during the period of the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights.

For details on other events than the Parade of Torches and the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights, or on events to be held on Mt. Daisen in 2019, please check out Tottori’s official Facebook and the official Daisen Tourism website!

You’ll also be able to enjoy yourself more comfortably by wearing long sleeves, long pants, and shoes that are easy to walk in. Be sure to also bring along insect repellent spray.

How to Access Mt. Daisen in Tottori

Photo courtesy of Tottori Prefecture

Yonago, the nearest city to Mt. Daisen, can be accessed in about three hours from Osaka, Kyoto, and Hiroshima by bullet train or limited express. The city can also be easily accessed by plane, bullet train, or limited express from Tokyo and Fukuoka.

For details, please read the article Tottori Prefecture: Access From Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka And Hiroshima.

How to Access the 1300 Years of History Celebration Venue

To access Bakuroza, the venue of the Parade of Torches, or Ogamiyama Shrine’s Okunomiya, the venue for the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights, take the Nihon Kotsu Bus bound for the Mt. Daisen Area from the bus terminal in front of JR Yonago Station for about 50 minutes. You can also take the Daisen Loop Bus or a taxi for about 30 minutes.

For details on the Daisen Loop Bus, please check out Tottori’s official website (Japanese) or this MATCHA article. You can also check the tourist information center (Japanese) in Yonago Station for information.

Both the Parade of Torches and the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights events will end at around 21:00. During the period of the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights, visitors can return to Yonago by taking the temporary Daisen Loop Bus that departs at either 20:30 or 21:30.

However, be sure to rent a car or call a taxi during the period of the Parade of Torches as there won’t be any temporary buses during that time. For information on taxis in the Mt. Daisen area, please refer to the Yonago Tourism Association’s website.

Food You Can Enjoy Before and After the Celebration

Tottori is surrounded by rich nature and is a treasure trove of delicious Japanese food such as Wagyu beef, seafood dishes, and more.

Photo courtesy of KOMOREBITO

There are several restaurants where you can enjoy gourmet foods within walking distance from the event venues of the Parade of Torches and the Daisen Wagasa Fantasy Nights. For example, you can have dinner while enjoying a beautiful sunset at the café KOMOREBITO.

Photo courtesy of KOMOREBITO

Here, you can enjoy cuisines made using local ingredients with dishes like the Daisen Herb Chicken. This dish is a local specialty of Daisen made by mixing herbs into the chickens’ feed in order to increase the flavor of the meat.

KOMOREBITO
Address: Tottori, Saihaku, Daisen, Mt. Daisen 45-5
Official Website: https://www.komorebito.com/en/

Photo courtesy of Kumezakura Brewery Co., Ltd.

BIERHOF GAMBARIUS is also conveniently located near the event venues of Mt. Daisen and reachable by bus.

Photo courtesy of Kumezakura Brewery Co., Ltd.

Daisen-G Beer Weizen, a local beer that can be found at GAMBARIUS, is an amazing beer that was chosen as the best beer in the World Beer Awards 2011. If you’re visiting Daisen, then be sure to try this beer.

GAMBARIUS
Address: Tottori, Saihaku, Hoki, Maruyama 1740-30
Official Website: http://g-beer.jp/gambarius/ (Japanese)

Stay at a Hotel and Enjoy the Hot Springs

Near the Daisen event venues are hotels such as Daisen View Heights (Japanese), Hotel Daisen Shirogane, and Daisen White Palace (Japanese).

However, it might be difficult to secure reservations at these hotels due to the many visitors coming on the day of the events. If this happens, be sure to include the Yonago City area in your search for hotels on Booking.com or Rakuten Travel.

Photo courtesy of Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association

For those who love hot springs, we'd like to recommend Kaike Onsen, a popular hot spring area about a 50 minute bus ride from Daisen.

Photo courtesy of Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association

In Kaike Onsen, you can also enjoy swimming at the beautiful beaches in the area in addition to soaking in the hot springs. For details on hotels at Kaike Onsen, please check out the Kaike Onsen Ryokan Association’s official website.

Recommended Sightseeing Spots in Tottori

There are several highlights to visit in Daisen including the Shoji Ueda Museum of Photography where the works of a world-famous photographer from Tottori are on display. Please read the article The Tottori Daisen Tour – From Fine Cuisine To Museums for more details.

Photos of the Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park (above) and Tottori Sand Dunes (bottom left) courtesy of Tottori Prefecture

You’ll also find Tottori Hanakairo Flower Park, Japan’s largest flower park, and Mizuki Shigeru Road, a road related to the manga “GeGeGe no Kitaro”, in western Tottori when you travel a bit farther from Daisen.

The Tottori Sand Dunes, one of Tottori’s most popular sightseeing spots that rivals that of Mt. Daisen, is located in eastern Tottori.

You’ll also be able to enjoy Mt. Mitoku, where the national treasure Sanbutsuji Temple Nageiredo Hall is found, along with the “Detective Conan” Gosho Aoyama Manga Factory in central Tottori!

For details on these spots, please check out our page for Tottori here.

If you wish to learn more about Tottori Prefecture, then be sure to also check out Tottori Prefecture’s official website (http://www.tottori-tour.jp/en/)!