Mt. Yatsugatake

An ancient volcanic mountain that is quite distant from the village, but visible nearly from everywhere. While it shares its name with Mt. Yatsugatake of legend, it is only named such because it highly resembles it. The real Mt. Yatsugatake now only exists as debris in the form of the Yatsugatake mountain range. It is said that long before humans ever arrived in Gensokyo, Youkai had already controlled this place. Thus, possibly being the most dangerous place in Gensokyo, the residents more commonly refer to it as Youkai Mountain, or just ‘the mountain’. Several waterfalls and rivers flow down from it, many of which empty into the Misty Lake.

Mt. Yatsugatake is dominated by Youkai quite different from the wild Youkai of the countryside. They are a great big society of Oni, Tengu and Kappa that have developed a social organization like those of humans, perhaps making them all the more dangerous than any single wild Youkai. The Oni rule the mountains with an iron fist, while the Tengu of the peaks and the Kappa of the waters below are their subordinates, although all three have rather unique societies. Climbing the mountain, be you either human or Youkai, is considered suicide, as the Tengu will scout you out nearly immediately, and the Oni are always looking for fights. The Kappa may be merciful, but in the end, they are only interested in themselves. It is said that as of late, however, that there may be a period of unrest on the mountain between the three species and that some great big change is on the horizon.