Yamadera　（山寺） Temple, Yamagata Prefecture in Tohoku Region, Japan

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• published: 26 Jul 2012
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Yamadera　(山寺） Temple, also known as Risshakuji　（立石寺） Temple is located in Yamagata Prefecture in the Tohoku Region, northeastern Japan. It is located on a holy mountain between Sendai and Yamagata cities. It is reached by taking the JR Sanzen line that runs between Sendai and Yamagata cities and getting off at JR Yamadera station (see my video of the JR Yamadera station、　JR　山寺駅). This temple was opened by the Buddhist priest Jikaku Daishi in the second year of Jogan period (AD 860) in response to the imperial edict of the Emperor Seiwa. The mountain where this temple located is considered second holy mountain (but of equal importance) for the Tendai sect of Buddhism after the Mt. Hiei in the Kyoto Prefecture (see my video of Enryakuji Temple). In addition to the spiritual significance to this temple, it is located in a picturesque mountain range in the Yamagata prefecture and is a delight to the travelers. The trek from the entrance at the foot of the mountain to the temple main hall at the top takes about an hour and the entire trek contains beautiful old statues of gods/goddesses, old tombstones, old gates and great scenery. This temple is not as popular with the foreign tourists as it is with the Japanese, I suggest all the foreign tourists visiting Tokyo to make a day trip to this temple. It is easy to get to this temple by taking the Shinkansen to Sendai City and switching to the Sanzen line (getting off at JR Yamadera Station). On the way back you can go to JR Yamagata station and then take a Shinkansen from Yamagata back to Tokyo (thus covering Yamadera temple and a bit of Sendai and Yamagata cities). Hope you enjoy this video.