December 27, 2007 Day 26: Yamadera
Yamadera is a scenic temple located in the mountains northeast of Yamagata City. The temple grounds extend high up a steep mountainside, from where there are great views down onto the valley. The temple was founded over a thousand years ago in 860 as a temple of the Tendai sect under the official name Risshakuji. Its popular name, Yamadera, literally means “mountain temple” in Japanese. The base of the mountain is located about a five minute walk from the Yamadera train station, and there are several shops and restaurants, which cater to the temple’s visitors. There is also a small visitor center just across the bridge along the way from the station to the temple.
To reach the upper area of the temple grounds, visitors must hike up a trail that leads up the mountainside. The ascent takes about 30 minutes and begins after the Sanmon Gate, located a couple minutes’ walk from the main hall. The stone path up the mountain has about 1,000 steps, which might make the approach difficult for some visitors. There are stone lanterns and small statues in the surrounding forest along the way that make for an atmospheric hike. There are a number of building at the top of the trail. Godaido Hall has an observation deck with the best views onto the valley below. The building dates back to the early 1700s and extends out over the cliff.