Spiritual Growth - Morning Star Institute -- Hakusan Hombu

HAKUSAN HOMBU DOJO

JC and Renshi James Husfelt, Jr.
Mt. Hakusan, Japan, May 2005

The Hakusan Hombu Dojo, founded and established by Rev. JC Husfelt, D. D. in 1990, is a traditional bujutsu school of martial and spiritual training. The name means “sacred white mountain” and refers to one of the three sacred mountains of Japan. The other two are Tateyama and Fujisan. Japanese Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura presented the name, Hakusan Dojo, to Rev. Dr. Husfelt after having the name of the dojo appear to Tanemura Sensei in a vision.

From ancient times, Mount Hakusan (2702m), the supposed home of a pure and beautiful goddess, has been the object of religious worship. The common people regarded it as special and sacred. As it is snow-capped year-round, the local people depended on it to provide water for their rice fields. This volcanic mountain, said to be also the home of the water god and the dragon god, is not only sacred to the Shugen-do Mountain Wizards, but with its folklore of magic and mystery has invoked many myths and legends.

DRAGON GODDESS OF HAKUSAN

Mt. Haku-san stands on the boundary between Ishikawa and Gifu, in Haku-san National Park. The main peak of Mt. Haku-san was formed by volcanic activity and has seven alpine lakes and numerous snowy valleys along with famous waterfalls such as the Uba-ga-taki Falls, alpine plants, and beech forests. The mountain commands stunning views of the extensive volcanic landscape.

Mt. Haku-san, also renowned as a mountain climbed in a form of Shinto worship, is one of the three most famous peaks in Japan, and a popular destination for trekking. At its base is a hot springs village, consisting of five hot springs including Nakamiya and Iwama, and other springs dotted around the area available for the climbers of Mt. Haku-san.

The ascetic Hakusan Mountain Religion practiced a spiritual philosophy that emphasized an oneness with nature and the spiritual re-birth possible for all human beings as a result of this harmonious unity. This is the enduring message that originated from the mythological beginnings of the spirituality of Mt. Haku-san.

The three deities Izanagi no mikoto, Izanami no mikoto, and Kukurihime no kami are connected with Mt. Hakusan. Kukuri is the goddess who arbitrated between Izanagi and Izanami and is the dragon goddess of Hakusan.