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All Japan Yamagata Yamadera Temple Complex

Yamadera Temple Complex

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera, built into a mountain side, feature a viewing deck with sweeping views.

Yamagata, Japan

Added By
Andrew K
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Yamadera, the mountain temple of Yamagata.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Yamadera, the mountain temple of Yamagata.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Even on a rainy day, the scenery here is like an ink painting.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The views are breathtaking even from the bottom level.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Required read before visiting: The Narrow Road to the Deep North.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The fog adds to the atmosphere.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A view from the mountaintop.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Take the 1,005 steps to the mountaintop.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
A haunting cluster of Buddhist stelae.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
Moss-covered stelae carved into the rocks.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
  easydistance
  easydistance
  Wiki User: Geomr
  Crown of Lenten rose
Winter 2018   thegroovenger / Atlas Obscura User
Winter 2018   thegroovenger / Atlas Obscura User
Winter 2018   thegroovenger / Atlas Obscura User
  easydistance
Basho’s travel companion, Kawai Sora.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
The Semizuka stele commemorates Matsuo Basho’s cicada haiku.   Fred Cherrygarden / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and feel the cool air at the top of Yamadera fill your lungs. Now open your eyes and be rewarded.

The Buddhist temples of Yamadera feature a prayer hall, called Godaido, with a viewing deck, built in to the side of the steep Mount Hōju, that in any season offers sweeping majestic views of the surrounding valleys and mountains. Be it fall, spring, summer or winter, the views from Godaido and Risshaku-ji are some of the best in Japan.

Originally founded in 860 by the Tendai sect of Buddhism, Risshaku-ji has become a major attraction for Japanese people in the Tohoku region of Japan. Only one hour from Sendai, the largest city in Toōhoku, via train combined with the beautiful views, it is easy to understand why the Yamadera (literally “mountain temple”) complex is so popular.

The 1,005 stairs of Yamadera start at the base of Mount Hōju. The winding stairway twists through a cedar forest that obstructs the view of the valley from your perch, but the climb does offer numerous places to rest and enjoy the quiet serenity of the mountain and its environs. Locals can be seen praying and leaving money in small hollows in the rocks, and there are several temples, caves, shrines, and breaks in the trees that will all warrant a snapshot or two. 

The temple was famously visited by haiku poet Matsuo Basho during his Narrow Road journey. This is where he wrote one of his best-known verse, which goes: Shizukesa ya / Iwa ni shimi-iru / Semi no koe (“Such stillness / The cries of the cicadas / Sink into the rocks.”)

The real reward of the Yamadera hike waits at the top. Perched like an eagle on the edge of a sheer cliff, you will reach Nokyodo and Kaisando, a pair of buildings offering the most cinematic of views.

It takes a minimum of forty-five minutes to climb to the top but plan to take more time than that to truly enjoy the magnificent landscape—a fantastic photo can be taken at just about every step. Yamadera is rightfully a favorite of Japanese tourists visiting the Tohoku region, so on a busy holiday weekend don't expect to be alone on your climb up the stairs. However, a crowd will never diminish just how beautiful and amazing this place is.

Related Tags

Landscapes Temples Buddhism Stairs

Know Before You Go

Sendai is the closest major city in Tohoku. From Sendai take the Senzan line to Yamagata City. It is a direct train. No transfers are required but only runs about once an hour. There is limited parking in Yamadera and the station is only a 10 minute walk from the entrance to the temple complex.

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Community Contributors

Added By

easydistance

Edited By

Rachel, mrarfarf, Fred Cherrygarden, thegroovenger

  • Rachel
  • mrarfarf
  • Fred Cherrygarden
  • thegroovenger

Published

January 16, 2014

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Sources
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamadera
  • http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e7940.html
  • http://easydistance.com/2013/05/09/1000-steps-yamadera/
  • http://www.yamaderakankou.com/pamphlet/pam_201206_b.pdf
Yamadera Temple Complex
Yamagata, 999-3301
Japan
38.312208, 140.436025
Visit Website

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