YAMAGATA

Yamadera, the "temple of the flame that never dies"

Not far from the town of Yamagata lies the Yamadera temple, another landmark crossed by poet Matsuo Basho on his journey to "The Narrow Path to the End of the World". Risshakuji temple, better known as "Yamadera", was founded in the year 860 by master Jikaku Daishi Ennin, third head of the Tendai sect. Also known as the "ancient temple of heaven", the entire mountain is a place dedicated to spiritual practice and Buddhist faith.

Climbing the 1,015 steps to the inner temple (Oku-no-in) is said to liberate you from earthly desires. Along the way, there are many points of interest, such as the Konpon-chūdō 根本中堂, where the "eternal flame of the Dharma" shines, the Mida-hora (弥陀洞), as well as the Kaizan-dō and Nōkyō-dō pavilions.

This "flame that never goes out" comes from the main Enryakuji temple, where it was brought by Saichō disciple Ennin when Yamadera was founded. Lit before Yakushi Nyorai, the main deity, by Saichō himself, this flame has not stopped burning for over 1,200 years.

During a stay in Yamagata, we particularly recommend the Tendo onsen for overnight stays. Less crowded than the very famous Ginzan Onsen to the north of the prefecture, this pretty spa village just 10km from Yamadera offers picturesque views along the Kuratsu River with its 400 "weeping cherry trees" in mid-April. Tendo Onsen is also the famous venue for life-size "shogi" (Japanese chess) games (with human pawns) during the cherry blossom season. In summer and autumn, Tendon Onsen remains a destination of choice for hikers, as it is only a 1-hour bus ride from the Okama crater of Mount Zao (1,841 metres above sea level).

To find out more about Yamadera, Tendo Onsen and Mount Zao; https://yamagatakanko.com/en/

To book a private English-speaking guide service in Yamadera: https://www.yamaderakankou.com/yamadera.japan/

"The Northern Heart of Japan″ to take you on a journey to the heart of Japanese culture

This travel agency, run by a Japanese publishing house, has been publishing magazines and culinary and tourism reviews specific to the Shonai region (the sea side of Japan in Yamagata prefecture) since 2010. This region of northern Japan is encircled by mountains and their age-old spiritual paths, and crossed by the rice-growing plains of Shonai and the Mogami River. "The Northern Heart of Japan" is dedicated to providing travelers with unique experiences where they can discover this mountain culture and the gastronomy of the Japanese countryside, driven by mountain vegetables and the delicious rice of Shonai and its resulting sake. Among the original activities carried out by this travel agency are Noh theater activities in Kurokawa, a school of theater registered as an Important Intangible National Cultural Property in 1976, having been invented by the region's peasants over 500 years ago, dressed according to the codes of this school and having learned the dances and recitations in the company of a Noh master.

They also offer Dewa Sanzan "shojin-ryori"-making activities in the "Saikan" pilgrim's lodge at the summit of Mount Haguro, after climbing it in white pilgrim's garb.

Or a visit to Zenpoji Temple, one of the three major temples of the Soto Zen school in Japan, where the Heart Sutra is recited by scrolling through the pages of manuscripts (a form of Sutra recitation known as "tendoku").

The Northern Heart of Japan is full of other surprises for travellers eager for unique experiences in the "Japan of the Upside".

For more information on their services:

https://northernheartjapan.com/