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.
The steps up here have a lot of character
built around the ancient rocks that give
you a chance to look around
say hi to the other travelers.
There aren't that many people in the early
mornings and near closing time
the best time to visit and climb.
We passed the Midahora Rock,
worn from centuries of weather resembling
a figure of Amida Buddha.
We took a break at the halfway mark
and I asked Sasahara San what
Yamadera's attraction is to him.
[Laughter]
Aaahhh.
The climb up is easy today - no packages.
But sometimes he does have to bring them up.
12:09pm
This is Niomon Gate, a scenic spot
to cross from the forest to the
opening top of the mountain.
The Yamagata fall colors seem to start
a month before Tokyo.
(flute music)
From we start to enter the mountain-top
village where only a handful of people
actually live. Even without any roads
to drive up, mail needs to be picked up
and dropped off like every small town
around the country.
"Here we go."
The view is also easier to admire.
We're about 300m above sea level.
The mail must be delivered no matter what.
So it is true almost nothing stops the Post Office.
We've reached the public mail box.
Sasahara San makes another delivery.
We've got more work to do before picking
up the mail from the public post box.
(dog barking)
One resident was happy for the visit
OK!
As we move to the digital world,
it's good to remember that these daily
interactions also become more important too.
The delivery of mail - that human connection -
important in remote areas.
We quickly visited the main hall,
Daibutsuden, and made our way back
down to the post box.