Himeji Castle and Mt Shosha

We started off this morning by getting an early start to visit Himeji Castle before the crowds arrived. This is just a day trip for many, so we were able to get a jump by staying here last night.

The castle is 6 floors, of course no elevator. Lots of steps. You take your shoes off and carry them in a bag with you. The wooden floors are beautiful, I understand why they make everyone take their shoes off.

Really not a lot to see on each floor. I was expecting to see some furniture or something, but I guess it is a castle and not a palace. There are little write ups on each floor explaining how the castle was defended, but really not much else, except lots and lots of steps.

After we finished touring the castle and more of the grounds of the castle we walked to the castle garden Koko En. This was quite small but very pretty. The rain came down pretty good for about 20 minutes while we were there, but we were able to find shelter with a bench to sit on so didn't mind too much. This will be very pretty in a couple of weeks when more are blooming. It was interesting that some of the garden you walk through rooms and they had cut flowers and arrangements in the rooms that were very beautiful, not sure if I have seen this in a garden visit before.

A quick lunch of different things on a stick that we had read about and wanted to try. We had fish, squid, and crab. It was all OK, but I'm not sure any of us would go back for it again.

This afternoon we went to Mt. Shosha to visit Engyoji. It was about a 30 minute bus ride from the city, then a ropeway to get to the top. Then we walked about 2 very hilly kms to visit the temples. This area was founded about 1,000 years ago by a Buddhist priest and this area became a training center for priests. Lots of pilgrimages made here by the Japanese. It was very beautiful walking through the forest to get to the temples. “The Last Samurai” had parts filmed here, will put it on our list to rewatch when we get home.

Supper done, plans made for travel day again tomorrow and we will see what that brings.

Steps 21,500 many of them vertical, / 14 kms

A little earlier than we see these at home

Manhole covers here are the castle

On our castle tour

Nail covers

Braces for the castle

Shrine at the top

View from the top

Many many steps

Touring the garden beside the castle

Then the rain started

So many bikes here, we rarely see them locked

Lunch today, fish cake on a stick

Cute bike

Mt Shosha

Going up the ropeway, early garden

Our walk back to the temples

Yep, that was a lot uphill, at some point later I am going to need to walk down this

Maniden is the main building from AD 970.  The second time we needed to take our shoes off today to enter.  Beautiful wood

Maniden balcony, beautiful

Inside Maniden

Honda Family Graves

Daikodo is made up of three temples/properties

My favourite of the Daikodo temples of the 3

Supper tonight, very yummy

Total for the 3 of us, Heather had chicken and peas, approx $20 Cdn

Supper restaurant