Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)
宝珠山 立石寺38°19′ N 140°26′ ETempleFounded 860
Yamadera suits anyone near Yamagata or Zao who can manage 1,015 stone steps for a mountain temple and a cliff-edge view; the climb takes about 90 minutes round trip, and winter ice can shorten the day.
Photo 663highland · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 and others, credited in the gallery
Visiting with care · Open to visitors
Everyday shoes and clothes are fine in summer, according to the temple. In winter the steps hold snow and ice.
- The whole climb is stone steps, 1,015 of them, and the round trip takes about an hour and a half.
- From December to March weather can close the gate before the usual time.
- The temple grounds, the trail and the area around them are a no-fly zone for drones.
- Pay the entry fee in cash.
- Yamadera is a working Tendai temple that has kept a lamp burning and a continuous sutra-copying practice for centuries, so keep your voice down in the halls.
- Stay on the stepped path, and don't photograph monks or people at prayer.
Everyone calls Risshaku-ji by its nickname Yamadera, which means mountain temple. Ennin founded it in 860, and he served as the third abbot of the Tendai school. He brought a flame from Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei, and the temple says it still burns in the Konponchudo hall. When Oda Nobunaga burned Enryaku-ji, Yamadera's flame went back to relight it. The Konponchudo itself was rebuilt in 1356 and is said to be the oldest beech building in Japan.
The climb starts at the Sanmon gate and runs up 1,015 stone steps. The poet Matsuo Basho wrote his haiku about cicadas and stillness here, and a statue of him stands near the Konponchudo. The Niomon gate went up again in 1848, and past it the path reaches the Okunoin at the top in about 15 minutes more.
Leave time for the Godaido. The hall juts from the cliff and looks out over the valley. Close by stand the Kaisando, which enshrines Ennin, and the small red Nokyodo on its rock. The Nokyodo is the oldest building on the mountain.
From December to March the climb opens 8:30–15:00, and the temple warns that weather can bring the closing time forward. Wear boots with grip on snowy days and start early.
Worth knowing
- Bring cash for the ¥500 entry. The temple doesn't take cards.
- Allow about 90 minutes for the round trip, and more if you stop at every hall.
Quick answers about Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)よくある質問
How many steps are there at Yamadera?
1,015 stone steps. The round trip to the Okunoin takes about an hour and a half.
How much does Yamadera cost?
¥500 for adults and ¥200 for children from age four, cash only, since 1 April 2025.
What time does Yamadera close in winter?
From December to March the climb opens 8:30–15:00 and the gate shuts at 16:00, earlier in bad weather.
Can you visit Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)?
Open to visitors. The whole climb is stone steps, 1,015 of them, and the round trip takes about an hour and a half. From December to March weather can close the gate before the usual time. The temple grounds, the trail and the area around them are a no-fly zone for drones. Pay the entry fee in cash.
What are the opening hours of Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)?
Yamadera (Risshaku-ji) keeps these hours: Mon–Sun 08:00–16:00.
How should you behave at Yamadera (Risshaku-ji)?
At Yamadera (Risshaku-ji): Yamadera is a working Tendai temple that has kept a lamp burning and a continuous sutra-copying practice for centuries, so keep your voice down in the halls. Stay on the stepped path, and don't photograph monks or people at prayer.
Within 12 km
Places to eat and drink nearby食
In the journal and guides
