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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Practice Zen at Shoshazan Engyoji Temple
Find yourself through meditation and sutra copying
Himeji Convention & Visitors Bureau
Located on top of Mt. Shosha at an elevation of 371 meters, Shoshazan Engyoji Temple is an ancient temple of the Tendai sect, founded in 966 by Shoku Shonin, a Buddhist priest.
It is also the 27th temple of the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage. Once you get off the ropeway, you will find yourself in a world of deep mountain valleys.
The temple is home to many national and prefectural cultural properties, such as the Maniden temple hall, which resembles Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto, and the Dai-kodo (large lecture hall) and Jikido (dining hall), which are Important Cultural Properties.
Experience Zen Buddhism and have a spiritual experience through meditation and sutra copying at Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, a shooting location for The Last Samurai starring Tom Cruise and many other period dramas and films.
From April to December, you can eat vegetarian cuisine that has received a Michelin star using traditional tableware at the restaurant on the mountain.
How to get there
The destination is 2 hours from Kansai International Airport by bus, 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station via Shinkansen bullet train, 30 minutes from JR Himeji Station by bus or taxi, and 25 minutes from Himeji Castle by bus or taxi.
2968 Shosha, Himeji-shi, Hyogo-ken
