So here we are at the top of Yamadera Risshaku-ji Temple completed in 860.

There is no more beautiful spot than this one in autumn

an amazing view overlooking Yamagata Prefecture.

And at the top of 1015 steps lies a public Japan

Post box and a man who has to climb these

steps almost every day to pick it up.

[Music]

Irasshaimase (welcome)

Only In Japan (voice of Peter von Gomm)

I jumped on an E3 series bullet train

the Yamagata Shinkansen from Tokyo

for the 2 hour 45 minute ride north

the morning mist exciting me

for the adventure at hand today.

Yamadera north-east of Yamagata City in the

mountains is a gem for off-the-beaten-path

travelers, especially beautiful in autumn.

Close to the JR station is an over

1000 step stairway hike to the ancient

Risshaku-ji Temple or Yamadera which

is directly translated at mountain temple.

And at the top besides the temple

serving the residents and tourists

alike is a red Japan Post box

With pick-up time 11am six days a week.

I always wondered who climbs up here to

pick it up, that's over 12,000 steps each week.

A real workout.

(music)

And I found the man who has a most scenic

and one of the most challenging postal

routes perhaps in all of Japan.