Mount Shosha is located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. You can enjoy the sense of hiking through the tranquil atmosphere of nature on the road to the top of the mountain. You can also easily get to the top using the Ropeway, so it is recommended. At the top of the mountain is the Engyoji Temple, which has been the shooting locations for many movies and TV dramas. The view from the gondola is very beautiful; you can even see Himeji Castle and Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge from there.
Mount Shosha, with its Beautiful View and Historic Temple
Shosha Mountain, with an altitude of 371 meters above sea level, is located in the northwestern part of Himeji City. The mountain has six mountain trails, and you can reach the top of the mountain on foot in about 40 minutes. You can travel from the foot of the mountain to its peak in about 4 minutes using the Mount Shosha Ropeway. You can enjoy a view of Himeji Castle, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and scenery of the four seasons from the gondola. There is a temple called “Engyoji” within the mountain area; a historical temple of the Tendai sect. As one of the pilgrimage temples with the most history in Japan, many pilgrims have made a visit here constantly. You can see majestic wooden buildings, Buddha statues, etc., all in one place. Also located here is the “Shosha Handicraft Museum”, where in addition to exhibitions of writings, bokusaiga (ink painting) and etc., you can tour the exhibition of traditional crafts from the Harima region with a focus on Himeji, and experience production at production sites with hand-on demonstration from craftsmen.
Spot information
- Spot name: Shosha Mountain (書写山)
- Street Address: Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture
- Access: About 30 minutes by the Shinki Bus headed for Mount Shosha Ropeway from JR Himeji Station and get off at the last stop
Enjoy the Scenery of the Four Seasons from the Mount Shosha Ropeway
You can climb Mount Shosha on foot, but you can also reach the mountain top using the Mount Shosha Ropeway. The gondola covers 781 meters in distance and runs up 211 meters in height. It takes around 40 minutes by foot to reach the top of the mountain, but takes only about 4 minutes by ropeway. From the gondola, you can enjoy beautiful scenery of the four seasons of Himeji Castle, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Awaji Island, Shodoshima, etc. It is 600 yen for adults one way trip (1,000 yen for round trip), 300 yen for children (500 yen round trip). It operates from 8:30 in the morning (the last trip varies according to season).
Spot information
- Spot name: Mount Shosha Ropeway (書写山ロープウェイ)
- Street Address: 1199-2 Shosha, Himeji-shi, Hyōgo-ken
- Access: About 30 minutes by the Shinki Bus headed for Mount Shosha Ropeway from JR Himeji Station and get off at the last stop
How to Visit
To access Mount Shosha from JR Himeji Station or San'yo Himeji Station, take the Shinki Bus headed for Mount Shosha Ropeway, and get off at the last stop (about 30 minutes). At the Shinki Bus Terminal, round-trip set discount tickets for the Shinki Bus and the Ropeway are sold, so why not get a deal on your tickets?
Hotel with easy access to Mount Shosha
Hotel Monterey Himeji is an urban hotel directly connected to JR Himeji Station, and is in a great location, with World Heritage Site and national treasure "Himeji Castle" about a 15-minute walk away. You can also get to Mount Shosha by bus in about 30 minutes. The chic and refined hotel rooms combine Art Deco style and Japanese taste to offer a wide variety of types for a comfortable stay. The Italian restaurant located in the hotel has an open kitchen with a pizza oven, and you can enjoy pizza, from the process of making it all the way to baking it. You can also enjoy course dishes here. When you’re feeling tired from your travels, you can check out the bathing facilities, which has a sauna.
Spot information
- Spot name: Hotel Monterey Himeji (ホテルモントレ姫路)
- Street Address: 60 Ekimaecho Himeji-shi, Hyōgo-ken
- Access: Directly connected to JR Himeji Station
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