Yamadera in winter

We will be staying for a day in Yamagata and wondering if Yamadera Temple is worth visiting without doing the climbing during winter?

Heard that the climb is tricky with the snow. Also we don’t have trekking shoes or anything and also dont have a great fitness level

The main temple is on the top jot at the base. So if you can’t go up I don’t think it makes sense to go.

It makes no sense to go without walking up, but these days snow is not a given in many places in Japan where you could always count on it in the past. If you can’t come up with something else to do, you could at least try to check whether conditions at Yamadera are okay for walking. (It could be icy even if it’s not snowy, though. Ice is worse….)

I was there about a week and a half ago, and the steps were already very icy, although the walk up still only took the half hour as signposted, and wasn't too bad in hiking boots. There are handrails the whole way along the steps (but I did need my gloves as they were freezing cold). There's absolutely no point in visiting without the walk up, though; there's very little at the base of the mountain and all of the spectacular moments were past the entry gate, which is where the walk up begins. Spend your time elsewhere if you're unable to make the walk!