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The "Omine Okugendo" pilgrimage path is said to have been established by the monk En no Gyoja and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site under "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range." At its center is the sacred mountain, Sanjo, which remains off-limits to women to this day. At the summit lies Daifunsan Temple, a temple of the Shugendo tradition.
Dōgawa Onsen is located at the trailhead of Sanjo, featuring over 20 inns and guesthouses. Situated at an altitude of 800 meters, Dōgawa Onsen enjoys a cool climate in summer, with refreshing nights even during the peak of summer. In winter, visitors can enjoy the pleasure of soaking in outdoor baths while taking in the snowy scenery. The spring water is a mildly saline simple hot spring, and day-trippers can visit the village-operated Dōgawa Onsen Center for a soak.
The area has developed into a lodging base for Shugendo practitioners, and the streets are filled with a unique nostalgic atmosphere. In summer, you might even encounter Yamabushi (practitioners of Shugendo) on their training journeys. Notable attractions in the onsen town include the "Dōgawa Spring Water Group," a selection of famous waters, the Fudō Cave facing the Gōdai Pine Cave, and the Mitarashi Valley, among other sights worth visiting. Additionally, the herbal gastrointestinal remedy "Doronijōgan," said to be made from a formula passed down by ascetic monks, is a perfect souvenir choice.
