A day of mountain temples, iconic castle views, garden strolls, and a guide who forgot his own instructions.
Today we left Osaka and travelled towards Okayama, with stops at Mount Shosha, Himeji Castle and Kōraku‑en Gardens along the way. After boarding the coach, we set off with yet another change of guide. Thankfully, today’s guide was excellent, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and able to explain the history of each place with real clarity.
Mount Shosha.
Our first stop was Mount Shosha, home to Engyo‑ji Temple, where scenes from The Last Samurai were filmed. The temple complex sits at the top of the mountain, reached by a steep trail. The guide warned me that the walk would likely be too much, so I waited at the entrance with a couple who had also decided not to attempt the climb.
We sat chatting and explored the small shrine near the entrance while waiting for the group to return. After a long delay, another guide appeared and told us that everyone was already back on the coach, the original guide had come down via a different exit and hadn’t bothered to collect us. It was the first time I’d ever been late returning from a place I hadn’t even visited.
We walked back with the second guide, rejoined the group, and continued towards Himeji.
Himeji Castle.
Himeji Castle was a place I’d been looking forward to seeing, having first learned about it through the game Civilization VI. Our coach parked across the road, and we walked through the gateway into the castle grounds. After collecting our tickets, the guide explained the castle’s history and then told me that the interior would likely be too difficult to climb in the time allowed.
He also mentioned that the inside was empty and not particularly interesting, and then led the group off without pointing out the accessible route.
I noticed a path marked as a disabled route and decided to take it myself. It was steep and challenging, and certainly not suitable for anyone with mobility issues, but I managed to climb several levels to reach the keep. The view over Himeji was worth the effort, and I found a few benches where I could rest before heading back down.
I returned through the grounds, stopped in the gift shop to buy a T‑shirt, and made my way back to the coach.
Lunch in Himeji.
We stopped at a local restaurant where several coach groups were seated together at long benches. The food was fine, though nothing memorable.
Kōraku‑en Gardens.
Our final stop of the day was Kōraku‑en Gardens in Okayama, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. After collecting our tickets, the guide gave us the usual 40 minutes, the standard allowance on this tour, it seemed.
I would happily have spent a few hours here. The gardens were beautiful, with open lawns, ponds, streams and traditional buildings. I visited the enclosure housing the Red‑crowned Cranes, stunning birds, though it was a shame they weren’t free to roam, and then explored a small section of the grounds before it was time to return to the coach.
Arrival in Okayama.
We were dropped at our hotel in Okayama. For dinner, I walked to a nearby 7‑11 and picked up a selection of Japanese snacks and a Kirin beer, which I took back to my room to enjoy before bed. I spent the rest of the evening relaxing and unwinding after a long day of sightseeing.
My hotel tonight was the Ana Crowne Plaza, Okayama, Japan.
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