JAPAN’S ULTIMATE MIND AND BODY PURIFICATION RITUAL IN MT. HAKUSAN
IS NOW BOOKABLE FOR TRAVELERS
Japan has always been at the center of wellness-inspired journeys, but a new ritual has
just vaulted to the top of the bucket list for so many travelers seeking revitalization in
travel.
Misogi is a traditional Shinto purification ritual that takes place in the Shirayama-Hime
Shrine in the culturally rich prefecture of Ishikawa. The centuries-old shrine is set at the
foot of impressive Mt. Hakusan, and serves as the head shrine of over 3,000 shrines
across Japan that are dedicated to worshipping nature and this sacred mountain. Mt.
Hakusan, designated as a UNESCO Eco-Park, is known as Japan’s three most
renowned mountains, along with Mt. Fuji and Mt. Tateyama. Known for its spiritual
significance, Mt. Hakusan has long been known as a mountain of faith.
The Misogi purification ceremony is to cleanse the mind, body and soul while allowing
oneself to reconnect with the natural world. Participants immerse themselves in the
ritual with the therapeutic, cold water that has first provided health and sustainability to
the land, flows in the pond and down to the sea to sustain life, and eventually onward to
evaporate to rejuvenate itself and once again appear as rain or snow that will one day
fall on the mountain once again. This, essentially, is the cycle of life and guests during
the ceremony become one with the circle for true, deep connection with the world
around them.
The ritual is now available for travelers to partake and available on various dates
between September and November. This 2.5-hour experience begins with a guided
discussion through the ritual by the priests who serve the shrine and continues along to
a dip into a pond full of icy water that has trickled down from Mt. Hakusan over
hundreds of years. Upon completion, participants receive a certificate of participation to
commemorate their experience. Private sessions with flexible scheduling are also
available.
For more information Ishikawa’s tourism opportunities, please visit
https://www.ishikawatravel.jp/en/
www.facebook.com/visitishikawa
@visitishikawa https://www.instagram.com/visitishikawa/
Photo courtesy of Shirayama-Hime Shrine