This temple stands at the top of Mount Haguro (414m/1,358ft high), one of the three sacred mountains (Dewa Sanzan) of the Yamagata prefecture. With its impressive thatched roof (2.10m/6.8ft thick), it is one of the few examples of architectural syncretism between Buddhism and Shintoism to have escaped destruction during the Meiji era (late 19C). A popular pilgrimage destination, it houses the spirits of the three mountains and symbolises prosperity in the here and now.