In the center of Yamagata are three mountains called Dewa Sanzan.
Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono. A pilgrimage around these three has long been called the "journey of rebirth."
It is the idea of a journey that traces the present, the past and the future.
A time assigned to each of the three mountains
In the faith of Dewa Sanzan, each mountain has a meaning.
Mt. Haguro is the mountain where you pray for happiness in this world: the "present." Mt. Gassan is the mountain where you pray for peace after death: the "past." Mt. Yudono is the mountain where you pray for rebirth: the "future."
In the Edo period, making the round of these three spread among ordinary people as the "journey of rebirth." You enter from Mt. Haguro, cross Mt. Gassan, and go on to Mt. Yudono. From the present, through the past, out into the future. That is the route.
Marking a break, once
The word "rebirth" may sound like an exaggeration.
What is actually done is to walk the mountains, step away from your present self for a while, and come back again.You could say it is a journey that marks a break, in order to look back on the past and turn toward the future.
Even without the religious framework, this structure remains. People need time to step off the continuation of the present, check the road they have come along, and decide again on the direction they will go.
Paintings can also mark a break
Mermaid nao's personal commissioned art turns what I hear in conversation, your past, your present and where you want to go from here, into color and form in a single painting.
Because there was a past there is a present, and because there is a present there is a future. I paint aiming for a painting that helps you remember that every step of that journey is precious.
Even if you cannot walk Dewa Sanzan, with a painting where you can see it, you can "come back" in small ways in your daily life. Each work is delivered framed.
Sources
Haguro Tourism Association (Dewa Sanzan)
Japan Heritage portal site (The "journey of rebirth," where nature and faith live on)
Yamagata travel guide (Dewa Sanzan pilgrimage guide)
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