A 371 m sacred mountain in northwestern Himeji, known as the "Hiei of the West" and home to the Tendai temple complex Engyoji. A ropeway ascends from the base in 4 minutes, and a 1.5 km pilgrimage path winds past halls and sanctuaries. Famous as a location for the film "The Last Samurai."

Engyoji Temple on Mt. Shosha is said to have been founded in 966 (Kōhō 3) by the monk Shōkū, who sought a sacred site in Harima and established a hermitage at the mountain's summit. From the Heian period onward, the complex flourished as a Tendai training monastery, receiving devotion from Emperor K…