What this area is like
Risshaku-ji, known as Yamadera, is reached by about 1,000 stone steps through cedar woods. The Godaido viewpoint looks over the valley. The poet Basho wrote a famous haiku here.
Plan your visit
Allow about two hours. Yamadera Station is on the JR Senzan Line from Yamagata or Sendai.
Choose your next step
Places to see in this area
Yamadera (Risshakuji)
A mountain temple founded in 860, reached by 1,015 stone steps past halls clinging to the cliffs, where Basho wrote a famous haiku.
- Access
- About 6 minutes on foot from JR Yamadera Station (about 20 minutes from Yamagata on the Senzan Line).
- Hours
- 8:00–16:00.
- Fee
- ¥500.
- Address
- 4456-1 Yamadera, Yamagata
Wear good shoes and allow about an hour each way. The Godaido viewing deck at the top is the reward.
How to plan your time here
- Yamadera is also about 1 hour from Sendai on the Senzan Line, so it pairs well with a Sendai stay.
- Try tama-konnyaku skewers at the foot of the steps.
Information checked 26 October 2026. Plans are JapaLens editorial suggestions, not on-site reviews. Hours and fees can change; check the official page before you go.