Tohoku · Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture
Yamadera (Hōjusan Risshakuji Temple) A temple hall among autumn leaves, and a bite after the climb
At the top of the stone steps, the temple halls and autumn-covered mountain ridges opened up before me. Once I’d caught my breath, I took a bite of chikara konnyaku. Somehow, even the climb turned into a happy memory.
This is the autumn day I took a break and gazed at a temple hall high on the mountain.
AutumnLate October
One more bite, once it’s cooled
The moment I stopped after climbing the stone steps, I could hear myself breathing. I wanted to look at the view right away, but first I had to catch my breath. When I looked up, I spotted a temple hall among the trees on the rocky slope—and for a moment, I forgot how tired my legs were.
My gaze drifted from the nearby hall to the mountain ridges beyond. I’d come for the autumn leaves, but I couldn’t stop looking at the temple buildings perched up here, either. Standing on the mountain I’d been gazing up at from below, I felt a warmth spread through my chest.
I brought a skewer of chikara konnyaku up near my face, ready for a break. The soy-simmered konjac was glistening, and I couldn’t wait to eat it. But just as I leaned in, I checked how hot it was and pulled it back. I thought I’d been calm while admiring the view, but I guess I get a little impatient around food.
I blew on it once more. This time it was just right, and I smiled the moment I took a bite. Why does the first bite after a long walk taste so good? I found myself giving a little nod, skewer still in hand.
Before taking another bite, I turned back to the temple hall. When I first arrived, I was so happy to be there that I kept looking this way and that. Now I could take in the same view slowly. I wanted to carry home a clearer memory of the roofs peeking through the autumn leaves and the mountains stretching into the distance.
Thinking of the stone steps I’d have to descend on the way back, I ate the last bite from my skewer. The climb had felt long while I was making it, but it had led me to this view. The climb, the view, and my impatience with the hot konjac all came together in an autumn day I’ll want to remember.
The story sections are fiction inspired by this location. For accurate information, please consult official tourism and information websites.
Local specialties
Yamadera Chikara Konnyaku
Yamadera’s local specialty is chikara konnyaku, tama konnyaku simmered in soy sauce. I let my skewer cool before taking a bite, and after the climb, that first taste made me smile.
Highlights
Temple halls perched on a rocky mountainside
The Kaizandō and Nōkyōdō, and the Godaidō with its stage-like construction, each have a distinct look. I kept looking from one hall to the next, then back up at the mountains.
A mountain temple founded in 860
Yamadera was founded in 860. After climbing all those stone steps, I found myself wondering whether people who walked here long ago had to stop for breath, too.
Directions and the route
From Yamadera’s temple town to the stone steps
- From JR Yamadera Station to the trailhead
- 5-minute walk
- From the trailhead to Okunoin
- About 1 hour each way
It’s a 5-minute walk from JR Yamadera Station to the trailhead, and drivers can use one of the paid car parks nearby. From the trailhead, stone steps lead past the temple halls. When I reached the top and saw the mountains spread out before me, even the climb itself suddenly felt worth it.
Before or after your visit, you can enjoy local specialties in the temple town at the foot of the mountain. I still remember that little break, blowing on a skewer of chikara konnyaku before eating it.
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