Mount Osore

Mount Osore

Mount Osore refers to the collective name for the outer ring of mountains centered around Lake Usorisan, located in the central part of the Shimokita Peninsula at the northernmost tip of Japan’s Honshu Island. Along with Mount Koya (Wakayama Prefecture) and Mount Hiei (Shiga Prefecture), it is known as one of Japan’s Three Sacred Mountains. The Mount Osore mountain range is an area of frequent volcanic activity, with the surrounding air filled with the smell of sulfur and covered in gravel, presenting a desolate and eerie landscape that gave the mountain its foreboding name.

Mount Osore is regarded as a spiritual site where the souls of the deceased gather. From July 20 to 24 each year, the “Osorezan Great Festival” is held here, attracting numerous worshippers who come to pray and honor the souls of their ancestors. In early October, the autumn pilgrimage to Mount Osore takes place, featuring spiritualist rituals aimed at calling upon the spirits of the dead to deliver messages. In addition, the mountain is also famous for its four highly therapeutic hot springs, which visitors are free to use. It is said that these four springs are hydrogen sulfide-bearing smectite springs, known for their special efficacy in treating conditions such as neuralgia, rheumatism, and gastrointestinal diseases.

Mount Osore

Why go: The most famous sacred mountain in Japan’s northeastern region

Continent where the attraction is located: Asia

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Japan

Province/State where the attraction is located: Aomori Prefecture