A large golden ginkgo tree towering over the family temple of Komahime, the second daughter of Yoshimitsu Mogami

When it comes to viewing autumn leaves in Yamagata City, Yamadera and Zao are famous, but this time we will introduce two autumn leaves spots in the city where you can go for a walk.

First of all, there is the ''Great Ginkgo Tree'' in Midoricho. The dedicated temple is the family temple of Komahime, the second daughter of Yoshimitsu Mogami, the first lord of the Yamagata domain. Yoshimitsu moved the temple from Tendo to Yamagata in order to mourn the death of Komahime, who died tragically at the age of just 15, by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Later, in 1598, the temple was moved to its current location and a temple was built. The current temple was built in 1703 and is the largest temple building in the city, with statues of sumo wrestlers said to have been created by the legendary master craftsman Hidari Jingoro placed in the four corners of the roof. In the large precincts, there are still remains of Komahime's five-ring tower and the ''Koma Tsunagi Cherry Blossoms'' where Yoshimitsu is said to have tied his horse when visiting the shrine, and the history is passed down to this day.

The large ginkgo tree, designated as a natural monument by the city, stands tall on the right as you pass through the Sanmon gate. Also known as the ''snowfall ginkgo'', local people have used the large ginkgo tree as a guide for winter preparations, as ''the snow that falls after the leaves fall turns into deep snow.''

The age of the tree is not certain, but it has a thick trunk with a circumference of about 6.5m and is covered with thick branches and leaves, and in autumn it shows off its beautiful yellow leaves. The best time to see them is usually from mid-November to late November. The sight of the leaves starting to fall and the ground turning into a golden carpet is also romantic.