Guided Tour of "Yamadera," the Mountain Temple

Yamadera is a group of several ancient Buddhist temples built into a rocky, steep mountainside, filled with tall cedar trees and greenery. It is considered a spiritual power spot, and one of the most scenic and important temples in the Tohoku region. The temple was founded by Tendai master Jikaku Daishi over one 1,000 years ago. Yamadera was the first Tendai temple built in northern Japan. Your guide will share the deep history and legends of the interesting “Mountain Temple”.

Any visitor to Yamadera can easily enjoy the views and spiritual atmosphere, however there is very little English information or signs. This experience is the only English-language guided tour available. Our goal is to share the deeper meaning and importance of Yamadera through its monuments, history, and the philosophies of Tendai Buddhism which shaped the temple’s development. You’ll also learn about important historical figures, namely founder Jikaku Daishi, and Japan’s most famous haiku poet, Matsuo Basho, who made Yamadera well known through his poetry.

This tour starts in the neighborhood in front of Yamadera and follows the pilgrim path up the 1,015 stone steps of the mountain temple. Our first stop will be at the Taimenseki boulder, and then we’ll move on to the great Main Hall, the Konponchudo. We’ll pass through Hiei Shrine on our way to the main gate, learning about Yamadera’s Tendai origins in Kyoto.

From the main gate, we begin our climb into sacred grounds, past many ancient graves and memorials. The frightening image of a demonic elderly woman inside the Ubadou marks a waypoint for pilgrims: below is the human world filled with pain, above is the world of enlightenment. This area is full of ancient stupas, stelae, and gravesites, as well as important monuments to Matsuo Basho and Jikaku Daishi. Take a moment to meditate while surrounded by nature to reflect on the many great people that have visited this special place throughout the centuries.

Further up the mountain we’ll pass through the great Niomon gate and its strict statue guardians. We hike our way past areas where practitioners of esoteric Tendai Buddhism continue their mysterious trainings. Eventually we make our way to the Okunoin halls which contain many irreplaceable carvings of the Amida Buddha and boddhisatva, as well as other valuable treasures.

Finally, we’ll make our way to Yamadera’s most picturesque structures the Nokyodo, Kaisando, and Godaido, which offer amazing views of the mountains and valley below. After which, we will go back down the mountain to the starting point.