- Culture
- Hyogo
Engyo-ji Temple on Mount Shosha
Sacred grounds for prayer and silence
Established in 966 by the priest Shoku-shonin, Engyo-ji Temple is a historic temple of the Tendai sect of Japanese Buddhism, located on top of Mount Shosha in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. Just a 5-minute journey by a scenic ropeway ride, the quiet and spacious mountaintop is filled with numerous temple structures, earning its nickname "the Mount Hiei of the West." Some of the must-see sites include Mani-den, which resembles Kyoto's famous Kiyomizu-dera Temple, and Dai-ko-do and Jiki-do, both designated as National Important Cultural Properties.
Dai-ko-do
At the back of the temple grounds, three buildings are laid out in the U-shaped arrangement known as Garan. Facing the Garan from the square, on the right (north) side is Dai-ko-do. It is the main building of Engyo-ji Temple, used as the training and lecture hall for sutras. Built in the mid-Muromachi period (1336-1568), Dai-ko-do forms the U-shaped Mitsu-no-do (three temples) arrangement along with Jiki-do and Jogyo-do and houses Shaka-Sanzon-zo (Buddha statue flanked by two guardian statues).
Jiki-do
Located at the center facing the square, Jiki-do was formerly a dormitory for training monks to sleep and eat. While construction started in 1174, it was left unfinished for several centuries until finally being reconstructed in 1963. The two-story structure with a spacious single room on the first floor is very rare in Buddhist architecture. Currently, the first floor serves as a shakyo (sutra copying meditation) training room, and the second floor houses various treasures on display.
Location
| Name | Engyo-ji Temple on Mount Shosha |
|---|---|
| Website | http://www.shosha.or.jp/_en/ |
| Address | 2968 Shosha, Himeji-shi, Hyogo |
| Access | From Himeji Station on the JR/Sanyo Electric Railway, take the Shinki Bus (To Shosha Ropeway) and get off at the last bus stop (approximately 30 minutes) |
| Business Hours | Weekdays: 8:30 to 18:00, Sundays and public holidays: 8:30 to 19:00 (April 1 to October 10) Weekdays: 8:30 to 17:00, Sundays and public holidays: ８:30 to 18:00 (October 11 to November 30) All days: 8:30 to 17:00 (December 1 to end of February) All days: 8:30 to 18:00 (March 1 to March 31) |
| Inquiries | TEL: 079-266-3327 |
| Admission | 500 yen |
