There is a temple which was used as the setting of a famous Hollywood movie, The Last Samurai. This temple is located on the top of a mountain where you can have a panoramic view of Himeji city. Climbing up the mountain by bus and cable car, you will arrive at a temple surrounded by bountiful forests.
This temple is called Shoshazan Engyoji temple. Engyoji temple was founded in 966 on the top of Mount Shosha by the priest Shoku Shonin. Shoshazan Engyoji is a temple of the Tendai sect of Buddhism. And it is one of the 33 temples of the Kannon pilgrimage route in Saigoku (the Kinki Area and Gifu Prefecture), of similar fame as the Shikoku Pilgrimage.
This temple buildings are spread over a large area on the mountain top, so it will take us some time to explore the whole complex. Let's reduce our stress through the forest bathing and increase our luck at this famous spiritual place.

After leaving Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, we are taking some breaks at Koko-en garden. Koko-en garden is a Japanese style garden opened in 1992 on the former site of the feudal lord's west residence. Prior to the construction, seven research excavations were performed and verified that this area is the former site where "Nishi-Oyashiki" / "Himeji Castle Lord's West Residence" and other high ranking Samurai homes were located.
It consists of nine separate gardens designed in various styles of the Edo Period. Visit the traditional Japanese garden where the samurai used to live, and enjoy the local gourmet.

Himeji Castle was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 1993. Just like other traditional Japanese buildings, Himeji Castle is made of natural and delicate materials such as wood and shell-powder plaster. One of few remaining castles today, Himeji Castle retains many of its original buildings. It survived the Meiji Restoration, which ended feudalism, U.S. air raids during World war II, which devastated the city, and the Great Hanshin Earthquake. In 2015, Himeji Castle was unveiled after a five-year restoration project, in which traditional plastering was used.
When spring comes, the periphery of Himeji Castle is enveloped in about 1,000 cherry trees, and the view seen from the donjon of Himeji Castle has been selected as one of “Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.”