Yamadera Colours in Autumn

An autumnal visit to Yamagata's famous mountain temple

Amber Mezbourian Apr 06, 2013 - 1 min read

The Konponchudo Hall is Yamadera's oldest building.

An overripe pomegranate bursts open on the branch, revealing the red jewels of its fruit.

As you enter the temple, take a moment to light some incense.

Two stone dogs sit patiently, covered in paper slips for good fortune.

You'll come across a number of unusual statues and curiosities as you wander around.

This statue seems to be very contemplative.

If you're feeling hungry, you can buy a stick of konnyaku balls, served with a dab of hot mustard.

Yamadera is often busy, but you'll still be able to find peaceful areas where you feel completely alone.

On a hot day, you can buy a straw hat to shade yourself from the sun.

Despite the climb to the top involving more than 1,000 steps, some visitors come in less than appropriate shoes!

Stone sculptures and other carvings dot the shady forest as you climb the steps to the top.

These statues, in a small shrine on the way up to the top, are surely enough to give young children nightmares!

The blazing red leaves of a Japanese maple on the way up.

The autumnal trees in the distance complement the red of this small shrine.

A vegetable garden near the top is clearly not just there for show!

These wooden structures are designed to prevent the coming heavy snowfall from damaging the plants.

Visitors push coins into the bark of the trees, for luck.

Yamadera's history dates back to 860 AD when Tennin, a priest of the Tendai Buddhist sect, founded the temple Risshaku-ji in its grounds. This original temple was destroyed in the early sixteenth century and the present buildings were rebuilt later that century. In 1689, the prolific poet Matsuo Basho visited Yamadera, writing about it in a haiku. Nowadays, it is one of Yamagata's most popular attractions. Atmospheric in every season, it is perhaps at its most beautiful in early November when the leaves turn a variety of rich reds and oranges.

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Find out more about Yamadera Temple.

Amber Mezbourian @amber.mezbourian

I spent three years living in Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher on the JET Programme, not knowing what to expect but with images of Tokyo, geisha and Mount Fuji in my mind. I was placed in Yamagata prefecture in a small rural town that I couldn't find in any guidebook. I learnt to sno...