Saturday October 24, 2009 Yamadera

One of the things I definitely wanted to do this trip was to get to either Yamadera or Dewa Senzan. Since Yamadera was easier to get to, I left poor sick Jason in Zao and took the bus and train for the hour long trip to Yamadera. Yamadera is a Temple complex built into the mountains. I have found that its not really the Temples that I am interested in but I find that the landscape around Temples is part of what I love about Japan. Yamadera did not disappoint, steeply raked the stairs up through layers of temples were carved under tall cedars, mosses rock out cropping and fern covered forest. Little mountain streams trickled as the thousands of visitors trudged up more than 1,100 steps.

 

Getting off at Yamadera station – you can see the local train leaving. On the platform there is a map of the Yamadera Temple complex. The actual cliff edge is just beyond the map.

From the station you can see the cliff clearly. After wandering through the town there is the first run of steps that lead to a flat plaza with a temple.

At this Temple is a large wooden laughing Buddha. People were putting coins in the box in front and rubbing the Buddha’s head and body for what I assume is good luck.

Past the Temple is a gate – where you pay 300 yen to start your assent. Being a Saturday it was crowded with families and very fit old people working their way up the steps. On the way there were many markers, laterns, Jizo, and what I assume are saints. As you can tell the area is very lush with tall cedars shading the path up.

Towards the top there is a series of various temples and a great view of the valley below. I think the mountain range that contains Zao is far in the distance.

At the top was a Temple with a golden Buddha. This seemed to be the most sacred with people burning incense and chanting. No pictures were allowed, but at the top of this mountain it was very spiritual, with gongs, and wooden mallets marking reality.

On the way down was the fountain on the far right. I assume that the statue is of one of the founding priests, but it was not marked. On the path out were concrete laterns about 5’ tall. Inside a number of them were strange figurines and coins.

The town itself is mostly filled with souvenir shops, restaurants and ice cream places. I had a edemame soft ice-cream. Later I passed another place with all sorts of fun ice cream flavors advertised. This one was what I assume to be sweet potato ice cream.

Finally, getting back to Zao Onsen there was a fabulous sunset.