Yamagata - Yamadera - Hikes & Mountaintop Temples

Tucked away on a mountaintop between Yamagata City and Tendo, Hojuzan Risshaku Temple is a tranquil spot with an amazing view of the surrounding area. Any travelers who love a good haiku shouldn't miss Yamadera (山寺, the mountain temple), since its history is intertwined with famous haiku poet Matsuo Basho. During his time at Yamadera in the 17th century, he wrote a particularly famous haiku: "ah this silence / sinking into the rocks / voice of cicada."