Benkei’s Mirror Pond

This still pond at Engyoji Temple on Mt. Shosha is connected to Musashibô Benkei, the warrior monk who trained at the temple and became one of Japan's most celebrated folk heroes. According to legend, a young monk wrote an insult on Benkei's face with charcoal while he slept. When Benkei came to this pond and saw his reflection, he flew into a rage and tore apart sections of the temple buildings, triggering a fire that burned the most important structures to ash. There's no historical evidence for the story, but it's told with relish at the temple, where Benkei is remembered as both heroic and, in equal measure, ill-tempered.