Dewa Mountains
Mountain range in Japan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dewa Mountains (Japanese: 出羽山地) is a mountain range that runs north and south on the west side of the Tohoku region of Japan.[2] The mountain range spans Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata prefectures.[2][3][4] The Dewa Mountains are split into several sub-ranges by the Yoneshiro River, the Omono River and the Mogami River.[5] These sub-ranges include the Shirakami Mountains, the Tahei Mountains, The Choki Mountains, and the Chotake Mountains.[6][5]The highest peak of the mountain range is Mount Chokai (2,236m).[7]
| Dewa Mountains | |
|---|---|
| 出羽山地 (Japanese) | |
| |
| Highest point | |
| Peak | Mount Chōkai |
| Elevation | 2,236 m (7,336 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | 39°30′N 140°10′E |
| Geography | |
  Dewa Mountains  Dewa Mountains Dewa Mountains (Japan) | |
 | |
| Country | Japan |
| Prefectures | Aomori Akita Yamagata |
| Parent range | Japanese Alps |
Flora and fauna
The Dewa Mountains are predominately covered with Beech forest.[5] In particular the Shirakawa mountains (Shirakawa-Sanchi) contain the last area of virgin Siebold’s beech forest - the remnants of a forest which once covered most of northern Japan. In 1993 this forest became one of the first areas in Japan listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[8]
Dewa mountains in culture
The range is the focal point for the Akinomine (秋の嶺 "peak of autumn") ritual, which is observed by the Mount Haguro lineage of Shugendō.[9]
