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.

This is Sasahara San who has been on

this route for several years.

He parks at the Yamadera Post Office

and then hikes up the same as tourists.

Autumn here is warm in the afternoon sun,

chilly in the evening perfect hiking temperature.

When you're carrying mail and packages and

have to climb up a mountain it's a long way.

Well, it's not that far away.

Just 20 or 30 minutes to climb up.

The temple was founded in 860 nearly 1200 years ago.

An ancient hike that now has well-maintained

stone and cement steps to the top.

We'll end the episode at the stunning

Godaidal observation deck and an autumn

view of the mountain town below.

It does look much more difficult

from street level though.

(music)

11:59am

We start the climb from under the torii gate.

The real climbing in the forest starts here at

the temple gate. Admission for non postal

workers is 300 yen, open 9 to 5 daily.

Oh really?

Take it step by step, but you have to

stop and look around. There's no reason to

rush it even when you have a postal route.

Yamadera is one of the big attractions of

Tohoku - it's really nice to get out of the city.