Yamadera of Yamagata

2010/08/06

This temple is situated in the edge of the Yamagata prefecture and was accidently chosen to be on the list. It was a beautiful ride in the train through wooded areas and gorges,rivers with no human being living. The railway runs over the gorges with supported by only some tall strong beams with no rails. It helps one to enjoy the scenic beauty of the forest in the either side and sometimes shivers run through the spine. But it was extremely fun and interesting.
The yamadera is very close to the yamadera station and the temple group can be seen from the station. The name itself came from the location of the temples in the mountain.

The whole temple premises covered in the greenery

Yamadera platform when zoomed from the Yamadera station

The entrance to the Yamadera

Rocks everywhere

Creepy pine trees and exhausting journey to the top

On the way to top

This marks the halfway to the top

Beautiful scenery from the 2 third way up

Ancient caves and old wooden halls can still be seen and make a shiver runs through the spine , when thinking of reaching them and how the monks did reach those places

It is NOT Kiyomizudera of Kyoto

Finally the top of Yamadera.

This is the final temple and the scenery and the cool wind were worth the climb.

It is a nearly three hour climb up an down and the steps exhaust you.Take lots of water, because dehydration is severe when you climb. entrance ticket was some 300yen and extremely worth the price and I personally think that a little price up will still be worth enough.

Very kind and generous people live around there. Specially the restaurant that rent out sun hats for free, and the kind station master who gave tape to repair my broken slipper.

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