Mount Shosha · Engyoji
A forest-temple half-day from Himeji
Visit Engyoji by bus and ropeway, then walk through the forest to Maniden and the three great halls. Budget ¥2,000 for adult ropeway return and temple admission, or ¥2,500 with the bus-return combo from Himeji.
Cover: illustration, not a photograph of the temple or festival.
Checked against operator and city information on 13 October 2026. · 日本語
Choose your ticket
The ropeway and temple admission are separate charges. The ¥1,700 bus-and-ropeway return ticket does not include the ¥800 temple admission.
| Charge | Junior-high+* | Elementary school* |
|---|---|---|
| Temple admission | ¥800 | ¥500 |
| Return ropeway | ¥1,200 | ¥600 |
| Total, before city bus | ¥2,000 | ¥1,100 |
*Temple prices use school stages; the city’s ropeway notice uses junior-high and older for adults and age 6+ for children. Preschool temple admission is free. For a child near a school-age boundary, check the ropeway ticket counter rather than assuming both operators use identical rules. Engyoji · Himeji City
Direct bus-return combo: ¥2,500 total
Pay ¥1,700 for the return city bus + return ropeway, then ¥800 at the temple. Buy the paper ticket at Shinki Bus’s Himeji Station information counter, QWELL Himeji 1F. There is no digital version of this ¥1,700 ticket.
Two-day sightseeing: ¥2,700 total
The ¥1,900 Shiro-no-Machi Meguri 2DAY ticket covers the designated ¥250 bus area from Himeji Station and the Shosha Ropeway route for two days. One ropeway return and one Himeji Castle loop-bus ride are included. Temple admission is another ¥800. The child 2DAY ticket is ¥950; with elementary-school admission the total is ¥1,450.
Already at the mountain: ¥2,000 total
Pay ¥1,200 for the ropeway return and ¥800 for temple admission. The optional temple shuttle adds ¥500 return. For elementary pupils, the paper bus combo is ¥850 plus ¥500 admission.
Check official ticket options (Japanese)
All amounts are yen. Meals and travel to Himeji are extra. Tickets bought at the counter avoid an online booking form; bring a way to pay locally. We have not confirmed which overseas cards the counter accepts.
Bus, ropeway, then forest path
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Himeji Station → lower ropeway station
Use north-side bus stand 10 for route 10 towards 書写山ロープウェイ. The operator lists about 29 minutes and ¥320 one way. From Himeji Castle, use 姫路城大手門前, about 26 minutes at the same fare.
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Lower station → upper station
The ropeway ride takes about four minutes. Normal departures are at :00, :15, :30 and :45, beginning at 08:30. Check same-day operation before setting off.
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Upper station → Maniden → Mitsunodo
Engyoji describes about 1 km and 15–20 minutes to Maniden; the ropeway homepage allows 25 minutes. Allow 20–25 minutes rather than treating the arrival station as the temple entrance. The fuller temple-and-film-location circuit is roughly 2–2½ hours, excluding the city bus.
Bus 10 / 書写山ロープウェイ · Route / 所要時間
Maniden and the three great halls
Maniden’s timber terrace stands on tall supports against the slope. Continue beyond it to Mitsunodo: Daikodo, Jikido and Jogyodo face the courtyard. This forested complex was used in The Last Samurai. The buildings are spread out, so choose the shorter Maniden visit if you cannot allow time for the full circuit.
Plan the return first
The temple shuttle ends earlier than the ropeway. From 11 October through February, its planned final departure is 15:55 from the upper-station donation office and 16:05 from below Maniden. The return shuttle costs ¥500 extra; early departures, delays and cancellations are possible. It does not remove the steps and paths around the halls. From 1 March to 10 October, the planned final shuttle times are 16:38 from the donation office and 16:45 from below Maniden.
Normal last ropeway: up / down
- March, all days; April–10 October, Mon–Sat
- 17:45 / 18:00
- April–10 October, Sundays / holidays
- 18:45 / 19:00
- 11 October–November, Mon–Sat
- 16:45 / 17:00
- 11 October–November, Sundays / holidays
- 17:45 / 18:00
- December–February, all days
- 16:45 / 17:00
These are normal times. Special operations and closures override them. Allow time to reach the upper station before the last descent. Official timetable
Autumn evenings: 21–23 November
The 2026 Momiji Festival runs 21–23 November. Special cultural-property openings are 10:00–16:00; foliage illumination around Maniden and Jumyoin is 17:00–20:00. The festival ropeway’s last ascent is 19:15 and last descent 20:30. Rain can cancel special openings for conservation reasons. The notice does not confirm an evening extension of the temple shuttle.
Read Himeji City’s festival notice (Japanese)
Lower station and parking
For driving directions use 書写山ロープウェイ 山麓駅, 姫路市書写1199-2, not the mountaintop temple. The lower-station car park has about 270 ordinary-car spaces and is free for ropeway users. A car cannot take you to the mountaintop halls. In busy periods, use public transport rather than relying on an available parking space. If your navigation app places the station on the expressway, the ropeway operator suggests the neighbouring 杵屋 書写お菓子の里 (079-267-2333).
Walking essentials
Slopes, stone steps and woodland paths continue after the ropeway. Wear shoes with grip and carry water and weather protection. Keep the bus return timetable and ropeway notice on your phone. Do not make an unfamiliar mountain descent your fallback for a cancelled ropeway.
Add Himeji Castle or Kokoen
If seeing the castle and garden on the same day, begin early and keep Mount Shosha as a half-day, not a quick final stop. For a lighter schedule, choose either the mountain or the garden after the castle.
Check today’s ropeway information
Official sources: Engyoji: admission, mountain shuttle and access · Mt Shosha Ropeway: fares, last rides and 2027 closure · Mt Shosha Ropeway: bus 10, stops and parking · Mt Shosha Ropeway: counter tickets · Mt Shosha Ropeway: temple halls and visit duration · Himeji City: autumn festival 2026