This group of temples belonging to the Tendai sect, to the north-west of Himeji Castle, paints a romantic picture mingling Buddhist art and nature at the top of Mount Shosya (370m/1,213ft). Its oldest features date from 966. The path, lined by maple and cherry trees and statues of the thousand-armed goddess Kannon, passes by the Jiki-do (treasure house) to end at the Daiko-do, the pavilion where some of the combat scenes between samurai warriors and the imperial army were shot in The Last Samurai movie starring Tom Cruise.