Odo-mori is an impressive mountain in the shape of a pyramid. The mountain is famous for Iwauchiwa grass Shortia uniflora, which is especially beautiful during the spring. From the summit views of Chokai-zan, the Kamuro Alps, Okina-san, Funagata-yama, Murayama Ha-yama, and Gassan abound.

Odo-mori was the Oku-no-in (temple in the depths) of a group of mountain worship peaks around Koshiki-dake. In 648, a monk by the name of Dosho (道照和尚) opened Koshiki-dake as sacred mountains for Buddhist worship and enshrined Kan’on Bosatsu at the summit. Miroku Bosatsu is enshrined at the Oku-no-in at the summit of Odo-mori.

Odomori Trail (3 hours one-way)

The Odomori trail was newly established by a group of volunteers. Follow the signs from the Hosono area of Obanazawa City to the carpark and trailhead. Since the road to the trailhead isn’t the best, we recommend a car with 4WD. The slope is steep right the start of the trail to the entrance to the firebreak. From there, keep following the ridge along the firebreak to the lookout. From the lookout, you can see the summit of Odo-mori and the field of Iwauchiwa (Shortia uniflora) flowers. If the weather’s good, past Bunakobudaira you can see all the way out to Chokai-zan in the north. Once you walk through the giant beech forests, there is a long steep slope before you reach the summit.

Nearby locations worth visiting 

Ginzan Onsen

Okina-san is only a short 20 minute drive from Ginzan Onsen, one of the most well-known parts of Yamagata Prefecture. Famous for its Ryokan, along a river straight out of a Ghibli film, Ginzan Onsen is an excellent location to relax after a few hours on the mountains. 

Switch on coffee

One day I was passing through Obanazawa on my way home from Sendai. I found this awesome little cafe had only recently opened. They had amazing cheesecakes, and their selection of beans was something special.

 

Kita-yama

Kita-yama is the perfect spot for a picnic amongst the Sakura. The mountain offers panoramic views over the rice fields and mountains of inland Yamagata Prefecture.

Kamuro-dake 

Kamuro-dake is a mountain on the edge of a caldera on the borders of Mogami Town and the Onikobe part of Naruko Onsen, Miyagi Prefecture.

Futatsu-mori 

Futatsu-mori is a distinctive twin-peak mountain in Obanazawa City near the border with Miyagi Prefecture.

Venerable Old Man Mountain — The Mist and Mystery of Okina-san

Lying along The Ou Mountains, Japan’s longest mountain range stretching over 500km across the length of the Tohoku Region, the landscapes and legends of Okina-san make this 1075m (3526 ft.) peak not only a 100 Famous Mountain of Yamagata, but also one of the 100 Famous Mountains of Tohoku.