Exactly. From Shounai the mountain does not seem to be round shaped, but it can be seen a clear round shape from the upcountry. On the other hand, the purpose of the fire festival in on December 31 to January 1st is to burn away the year’s plagues. New year is the point when the power of fire burns down, so people need to fuel the fire for all of the people living in the 33 countries in Haguro territory. Bright sunlight is necessary for a rich harvest. In this way, Mount Haguro represents “present world”, Mount Gassan “other world”, and Mount Yudono “Resurrection”, and this unification is called the Three mountain worship.
The practice of mountain ascetic hermits is based upon this circulation of life and death. For example, it is said that
The practice of mountain ascetic hermits is based upon this circulation of life and death. For example, it is said that