ABOUT
About this spot
Engyo-ji is a Tendai Buddhist temple on the summit of Mount Shosha (371 m), about 8 km north of central Himeji. It is the 27th temple on the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage, and its precincts are a National Historic Site. In the medieval period it ranked with Mount Hiei and Mount Daisen as one of the three great Tendai training centers, which is why it is called the Mount Hiei of the West. The temple was founded in 966 when the monk Shoku built a hermitage on the mountain. In 986 Retired Emperor Kazan visited and bestowed the name Engyo-ji. In 1578 Hashiba Hideyoshi attacked the mountain and the temple's lands were greatly reduced. The grounds are divided into three valleys. The Maniden, a Kannon hall built over the slope, was destroyed by fire in 1921 and rebuilt in 1933. In the western valley, the Daikodo lecture hall, the Jikido refectory and the Jogyodo form a three-sided courtyard called Mitsunodo, all Important Cultural Properties. The Okunoin enshrines the founder Shoku. The temple has also served as a filming location for The Last Samurai and several NHK historical dramas. From JR Himeji Station take a bus to the ropeway station, then ride the ropeway (about 4 minutes) to the summit. Allow two to three hours.
Last updated October 23, 2026