Modern Suiseki

About Hakkaisan

Hakkaisan is the name of mountain located in Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture.

Mt. Hakkaisan is one of 200 top mountains in Japan and 3 top mountains in Echigo region.

If you say Hakkaisan, almost people recognize it to be the name of Sake. Actually, Hakkaisan, Sake is named because it is to draw infiltrated water up from the Hakkaisan.

By the way, Hakkaisan is八海山 in Japanese. It means Eight Seas Mountain if translating literally.

You might think Seas or Mountain. I have the same opinion.

There are various theories:

Hakkaisan and around seven mountains are considered as eight precepts in Buddhism, eight mountains resemble a series of steps, or eight lakes was there in the vicinity of the mountaintop and they are considered as seas.

Hakkaisan is famous as a sacred mountain in the mountain religion. According to the tradition, EN no Ozunu (A semi-legendary holy man noted for his practice of mountain asceticism during the second half of the 7 century) and Kukai (Kobo Daishi [a posthumous title of the priest Kukai]) practiced there.

Mizunasi river and Uono river

Minunashi river flows through Mt. Hakkaisan and it joins Uono river.

Uono river joins Shinano river afterwards.

Mizunashi river means No Wator river if translating literally. Actually, the river has no water usually, but snow thaw season and rained, a violent flow of water is observed.

Hakkaisan seki (stone) is found from Mizunashi river, but careful attention is required for a flash flood.