A little north of Himeji-jô in the city of Himeji, atop a mountain looking over the plain, sits one of the more photogenic temples in the Kansai area, one which some may recognize it without realizing. Engyôji, as it’s formally known, is a premier temple complex used in movies across Japanese cinema and even in American films like “The Last Samurai.” With open courtyards and buildings which conform to the mountainside, it’s easy to see why the temple is a popular location to visit.

Though the exact age of the temple is unknown, in 2018 Shôsha-zan celebrated 1,300 years since it was established by a traveling monk as the temple it is today, but buildings were on the grounds long before that.

For the casual: 9. For the educated: 9.

Though I would say that this complex doesn’t have the je ne sais quoit things which would give it a 10 in my mind, I wholeheartedly believe that this is one of the best temples to visit in the Kansai area. I think the only thing that keeps the massive crowds at bay is its location outside of the major cities. Yes, Himeji is a major city, but it really isn’t when compared to the actual major cities nearby: Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto. Especially because this temple is not in Kyoto I believe that the temple is largely left a secret from unknowing eyes. At least in my mind, people that come to Himeji are primarily interested in going to the castle and spending their time there, while time in and around temples is reserved for Kyoto and its massive collection of holy sites. As a result, I think that the majority of foreign visitors to the temple are either those living in Japan, or those planning on spending more than one day in Himeji and elect to do the castle one day and the temple the next. But this is all my opinion and I have no facts to support this idea.

Here’s the bottom line: this temple is beautiful and I think everyone should visit at least once. The ride up the mountain-side in the ropeway has some teaser views of the northern Himeji area, and the climb up to the temple itself has some lookouts where you can see even farther. Also, let me quickly clarify, I just said that there is a climb up to the temple, and while that is true, it’s nothing outside of the ordinary. It’s short but steep and lined with cool statues of Bodhisattvas, most of which are different incarnations of Kannon, and each one allows for a brief rest before climbing another 20 meters to the next one for a break. I believe I’ve mentioned in past posts that mountains in Japan are never gentle, but they are usually very short and don’t take too long to get to the top. This trail I would estimate takes about 10-15 min but may take longer depending on how many statues you want to look at.

Like most complexes in Japan, Engyôji has some buildings that are off limits to most visitors, and the first few buildings that you come across fall into that category. It isn’t until at least a while later that the temple opens up to one of the main halls standing tall above the pathways. This hall, the Maniden, is the central hall of the complex and is a great place for collecting goshuin, talismans, and other prayer tools for your home. I highly recommend taking a look at the wood carving ornamentation on the support beams inside and outside. Swirling imagry that has been darkened by hundreds of years of incense burning.

The key section to the complex is just up the hill from the Maniden and it’s a grouping of three buildings to form a courtyard. Together the three buildings are appropriately called the Mitsunodo (The Three Halls) and it consists of the Daikodo (the Main Hall), Jikido (the lodging hall which is now used as a museum for the temple’s treasures), and the Jyogyodo (the Gymnasium). This part of the temple was used in “The Last Samurai” and is one of the primary marketing pushes made by the temple to bring in more visitors. Across from the courtyard is a small enclosure of small buildings which designated the mausoleums of the Honda lords, the feudal family which controled Himeji Castle.

The group I was with wanted to leave so I didn’t get a chance to see some of the other groupings of smaller buildings around the complex, but there is a bell tower, a graveyard, and several meditation halls used by the staff. For casual viewers, the above-mentioned main halls are what you really want to see. Practically everything else I would recommend for people with a deeper background in Japanese history and art history. But hey, that doesn’t mean that everyone can find something interesting and new in any scenario. So please enjoy the temple, make a reservation for lunch at a small cafe by the Maniden, and enjoy the lush forests that surround you.