From the paper dated Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Purify yourself with melted snow water Dewa Sanzan Shrine Shinto Priest Training School Purification at Hara River
On the morning of the 20th, the entrance purification ceremony for the Dewa Sanzan Shrine Shinto Priest Training School (headed by Ryoichi Abe, chief priest of Dewa Sanzan Shrine) was held at the Harai River, which flows through the Haguro Mountains. Three students bathed in a cold river of melted snow to purify their minds and bodies in preparation for the beginning of their rigorous training.
This year’s three students are Shinichiro Abe (25) from Osaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, Tomoya Yamaguchi (18) from Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, and Miyato Ishiyama (18) from Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture (two males and one female). Mr. Abe and Mr. Yamaguchi each entered a training center to support their father and grandfather, who were chief priests at a shrine in their hometown, and Mr. Ishiyama for his own training.
The three of them departed from the Sanjingo Shrine at the summit of Mt. Haguro around 7 a.m. He hurried down the stone steps, and when he arrived at the Hara River, he braced himself by performing the “Torifune ritual,” the act of rowing a boat with other Shinto priests. Next, a total of 10 people entered the river, immersed up to their shoulders, and chanted the words “Oharae” to remove impurities.
The flow of the river flowing from Mt. Gassan was stronger than last year, and the Brahma in the hands of Mr. Yamaguchi, who was leading the race, was unable to stand. The students prayed, their faces stiffened by the coldness of the water and the strength of the current.
After completing the purification, Abe said, “The river water was so cold that I lost all senses in my body.I want to learn the etiquette necessary for a Shinto priest one by one.”Yamaguchi said, “The water was cold, but I did my best to live up to the name of Dewa Sanzan. I want to accumulate knowledge and become a respected Shinto priest,” and Ishiyama said, “I admired Yamabushi and thought it was something I could do now, at a young age, so I joined the school.I tried desperately not to fall in the river, but I was saved because someone supported me from behind.” Over the course of two years, the three will learn the spirit and behavior of Shinto priests through lectures and events.
The students entered the Asagawa River, which was bubbling with a strong flow of snowmelt water, for their first purification.
Leave a Reply