Shocked!! I finished the story about to put Publish then IE hung up…all story gone (T_T)..
山寺 (Nov-17-07)
This trip once again was inspired by P’Yoot-san (who inspires me to visit Nihonsankei). It was a sudden decision, decided on Friday’s night; need to buy ticket one day before use, everything in hurry. I had to get ticket before Midori-Mado-No-Guchi closed. I got the ticket!
Next morning, got up very early (a lot early that working day), catch 2nd train to Sendai. Actually Yamadera is in Yamagata prefecture but I couldn’t reserve the seat on Yamagata Shinkansen, I didn’t want to risk standing so go to Sendai is better choice and a bit faster. It took me total 3 and half hours from my station to Yamadera station. From Sendai to Yamadera, it required change to Senzan line. Be careful coz there’s only 1 train per hour, check Senzan’s timetable before choose Shinkansen time.
BTW, I think Senzan line (仙山線) comes from Sen (仙) in Sendai (仙台) and Yama (山) in Yamagata (山形) coz this is only train connected between Sendai and Yamagata. I don’t have any reference just my opinion.
Back to the story, I have to admit than first time I saw, it’s smaller than I expected but in the same time it’s so so amazing. It was founded in 860AD, how could they built it at that time. It’s really on the mountain, amazing!.
There are total 1100 steps to reach the top building, it took me one hour to get on the top. Very very tired!! I didn’t appreciate any scenic, changing color leave along the way during climb, just wanna go to the top first. View from the top is so so nice!. Mountains are filled with green, yellow, red color as you can see from the photos below
Another amazing, middle aged or old people here – they are very strong, healthy. A lot of them walked pass me along the way we climbed up. I felt guilt to myself for not keep exercise.
After appreciated the scenic, I was hungry, it’s time to go down. Unbelievable, food here is very expensive, for simple udon or soba, it costs 1000 yen up. I chose Sansai (山菜) udon, Kanji means mountain’s veggie. Other table also ordered this menu. It should be famous one. I thought it’s udon with a lot of veggie (yummy!). I was wrong, it’s pickled veggie. I hate pickle!!. I should realize this before since I saw a lot of veggie in process of pickle along the way during climb. Can’t help, just finish the udon, the soup taste was so sour!
Another famous food here is konnyaku ball boiled in soy sauce. It’s good though – tasty with Karashi (Japan mustard) - cheap only 100yen.
Then I went back to Sendai. Actually I want to go to Yamagata too coz I never been there but I want more to eat gyutan (crazy about food haha).
In Sendai, leaves started to change the color too. I took photos from park that I don’t know the name, it’s near the famous gyutan shop. The color is so nice, the red one. The food is so good too :P
Total distance is 806km, very tired tired!
