In the coastal city of Himeji, part of Hyōgo Prefecture and about 47 km west of Kōbe, lies the spectacular and brilliant Himeji Castle, one of the most visited castles in Japan.
Considered a very special historical site by its inhabitants, as well as a National Treasure, Himeji Castle is commonly called Hakuro-jō or Shirasagi-jō, which translates as “White Heron Castle.”
The reason? The bright white color that covers the entire exterior.
Himeji Castle was built by order of Akamatsu Sadanori in 1346, during the Nanbokuchō era. Although it was originally too small to be called a “castle,” Kuroda Shigetaka later decided to expand it in the 16th century.
The main tower was not built until the Edo period and the Ikeda Terumasa regime.
Although Terumasa and his descendants inherited and ruled both the castle and the surrounding areas, power later passed to the tozama daimyō. Curiously, they were the rivals of the Tokugawa shogunate, and remained so until the end of the period.
Himeji Castle is one of the “Three Famous Castles,” the other two being Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle. However, it is the most visited castle in all of Japan; maybe helped by the fact that UNESCO granted it World Heritage status in 1993.
Here is a list of our five castles in Japan chosen by us.
As an interesting fact, it is worth mentioning that Himeji Castle has starred in numerous films and series, mainly because it has a main tower and is widely shown on Japanese television.
It is also considered the heart of Himeji and a reference point or meeting point, because from there you get spectacular views of the entire city. Therefore, it is a must-see place, and one of the icons of the city.
What is the best way to visit? There are volunteer guides who offer guided tours in English, which last approximately 1.5 hours. You cannot book in advance, but you can ask about them when you buy your ticket.
However, if you prefer, you can go “at your own pace”, as the signage has improved and there is even free WiFi, so you will be very comfortable.
If you have the Japan Rail Pass, there is no excuse not to stop at the city station, leave your backpacks in the locker, and walk to the castle grounds. It is only 15 minutes away. In addition, from there you can move to other points of interest in the city, making it ideal.
But if you wish, you can also take guided tours of the castle and excursions that leave from other cities. They are detailed below:
