Japan: Yamagata Part 2 – Yamadera & Yamagata City Tour | Featured in National Geographic 2026
Hello there!
Welcome back to Yamagata — a region recently named one of National Geographic’s “Best Places to Visit in 2026.” 🌏✨
In this Part 2, we explore the spiritual heights of Yamadera (Risshakuji Temple) and the elegant historical streets of Yamagata City, including the iconic Bunshōkan.
While Japan’s popular cities are overflowing with visitors, Yamagata remains one of the country’s last untouched gems — a place where nature, architecture, and everyday life still move in quiet harmony.
This walk takes you through two contrasting worlds:
the peaceful mountain paths of Yamadera, and the refined beauty of Yamagata’s old government hall district.
📍 Places featured in this video
🏯 Yamadera (山寺 / 立石寺)
A 1,000-year-old temple perched high above the valley.
・Known for 1,015 stone steps leading to breathtaking views
・Founded in 860 AD
・Famous for inspiring the haiku poet Matsuo Bashō
・Morning light and temple bells create a timeless atmosphere
🏛️ Bunshōkan (文翔館)
Yamagata’s former prefectural office & assembly hall.
・Built in 1916, restored to its original British Renaissance style
・Designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan
・Red brick, stained glass, and grand hallways full of nostalgia
🌆 Yamagata City Walk
・Calm, livable streets away from mass tourism
・Local shops, quiet plazas, and traditional architecture
・A perfect contrast to Japan’s major urban centers
🌏 Location:
Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
🎥 Category:
POV Walking Tour / City Walk / World Travel Vlog
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⏱️ Time Stamps
0:00 Opening
0:46 Yamadera Station to In front of the trailhead
4:36 Yamadera trailhead
7:23 From the Yamadera ticket booth to the summit
16:09 Godaido Hall
16:32 Scenery from the summit
17:15 Decend the mountain
25:21 Yamagata-Style Konjac Balls
25:48 Bunshōkan
26:27 Inside Bunshōkan
29:20 Goten-seki
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【POV 】Japan: Yamagata Part 2 – Yamadera & Yamagata City Tour | Featured in National Geographic 2026
▶ Featured by National Geographic (Best Places to Visit 2026)
👉 https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/best-of-the-world-2026
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