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.

The following is excerpted from the Shirayama-no-Ki, the Chronicle of Mt. Haku-san:

“A great holy mountain steeps at the village of Michi of Ishikawa-Goori in the Province of Kaga (present southeastern part of Ishikawa Prefecture). The famous mountain is called Mt. Hakusan (the white mountain). On the mountaintop lives one of the greatest Japanese deities named Shoichii Hakusanmyori Daibosatsu (the Top-ranked, Mt. Hakusan Personified, Bodhisattva). The deity's authentic identity is Juichimen Kanjizai-Bosatsu (the Eleven Faced Bodhisattva).

On the top of the mountain lives another great deity named Betsuzan- Daigyoji, the indigenous god of Mt. Hakusan. His real identity is Sho Kannon (the Sacred Avalokitesvara).

A predominating mountain behind the Gozen-ga-Mine is Tsurugi-no-Oyama (the mountain of sword, present Ken-ga-Mine). The mountain has a pond at its foot called Midori-no-Ike (the green pond, present Midori-ga-Ike). A legend tells that people can obtain a long life after drinking water from the pond. A small shrine flanks the mountain, enshrining the deity, Hakusanmyori-Daigongen, who has the same identity as the previous Hakusanmyori-Daibosatsu. According to an old legend, the god once revealed himself out of the green pond.

In the west of the pond, there is also a small shrine, where the deity of Betsuzan (another mountain) used to live. Later the god gave up the residence to Hakusanmyori Daigongen and moved to another mountain, present Nanzan (the southern mountain). Meanwhile, the west side of the pond forms a deep valley covered eternal snow, named Chitose-Dani (the thousand-year valley). The southern part of the valley is called Ryu-no-O (the dragon's tail), and has relics of Taicho-Daishi's (the founder of Mt. Hakusan holy ground) pilgrimage at its bottom.. The place is still visibly sacred with no trees and grasses growing.

Taking these facts into consideration, Mt.Hakusan is an equivalent to Mt. Godaisan in China, the world-famous holy ground. Mt. Godaisan is the place where Monju Bosatsu (the Bodhisattva of Beautiful Splendor) lives, while Hakusan is the place where Kannon Bosatsu (the Bodhisattva of hearing the sounds of the world) blesses people with mercy. Just like people who has once visited the holy Godaisan never fail to receive blessings from Monju Bosatsu, it is doubtless that people can get mercy from Kannon Bosatsu once they have climbed up to Mt. Hakusan for worship.

The treasure pond lies in the valley in the east of the mountaintop. Although it is a rarely visited area, a legend tells that Nichiiki-no-Shonin (a virtuous priest) once visited there and drunk from the pond. The water tasted just like the water from the heavenly pond. The pond was said to ruffle suddenly without any wind and emit light when the sky was clear and calm. Another legend tells us that in this area the light of Buddha's head emerged in the sky

On the northern side of the pond on the table stone is a shrine, where the image of Fudo Myoo (Immovable Radiant King, wearing a fire wheel on his back) is enshrined. In the east of the shrine predominates another mountain. Quite different from other mountains, the color of the whole mountain is burning red, and therefore, the mountain is called Hi-no-Miko-no-Mine (the Fire Prince's Peak).

Beneath the mountain lies a spring on a huge table stone called Tamadono-no-Izumi (the spring of the jewelry palace). Blessed with unfathomable amount of water, the spring has never run out even if thousands of worshippers scoop up water and never changed its water level in any heavy rains. There is also a pond on the mountaintop, called Ame-no-Ike (the rainy pond). Beside the pond is a small temple, enshrining the images of Sansho Gongen (the three deities of Mt. Hakusan).

Getting downward for a while from the temple, you can see a cascade running down. Its name is Taka-daki (the tall cascade). This rarely visited cascade is too tall to measure and its falling water produces a huge trailing white cloud in the air. A red light like the fire Fudo Myoo wears on his back sometimes appears from the inside of the cloud. People who witnessed the light are deeply moved and cannot stop tears running down, and are purified out of their sins. Starting from the next stone chamber and going down a slope, you can see a peak of a mountain ahead. It is called Waratsu-no-Omine (the peak of straw footwear).

At the end of the slope there is a shrine called Ryo-Shin (the two gods) enshrining Ryu-jin (the god of dragon, or the god of water), another shrine comes next. This is called Kabo-no-Miya, whose authentic deity is Kokuzo Bosatsu (the Space Storehouse Bodhisattva). Next is a facility called Kako-no-Watashi, a huge thick straw-cord bridged over the great river (present Mizoe-River), fixed up with both sides of the river, and it substitutes a real bridge. People cross the river on a palanquin suspended with the rope by a moving gear system.

The following descriptions are related to the characteristics of deities of the seven major shrines of Mt. Hakusan based on the theory of Honchi-Suijaku.

The Deity of Hongu -- seated on the top of the deity hierarchy: Its Honchi (the Buddhist-side identity) is Juichimen Kannon (the Eleven Faced Avalokitesvara) and its Suijaku (the Shinto-side appearance) is a goddess.

The Deity of Kinkengu -- the first prince of Hakusan: Its Honchi is Kurikara Myoo and its Suijaku is a male god. He is wearing a golden crown on his head, a robe on his body, and hanging a silver bow and golden arrows together with a stroke of a sword made of gold.