Himeji – White Heron Castle in Japan

Himeji is the most visited castle in Japan. It has miraculously escaped all wars, fires, earthquakes, and is perfectly preserved to this day. How we got there and what interesting things we saw – read in this article.

Where to have breakfast in Himeji

In order to see the castle without lines, we went to Himeji from Kyoto early in the morning. We didn’t have time to eat, we were in a hurry to catch the train.

Please note: the number of visitors to Himeji Castle is limited to 15,000/day. Another reason to come early

If you happen to be looking for breakfast in Himeji, here are some coffee shops that are open from 7am:

• Hamamoto Coffee
• Holly’s Café – Daiwa Roynet Himeji
• Starbucks
• St. Marc Café Himeji Festa Shop

You can’t get a normal, hearty breakfast there, but it’s a great place to have a snack.

After loading up on coffee and scones, we headed for the castle. It’s about a 20-minute walk from the station.

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History of the Castle

We made it just in time for the opening. There was no one at the cash register or in the yard! We bought tickets. Along with the ticketswe got a map and an interesting brochure with a description and history. Himeji Castle was much older than I had imagined!

In the 13th century, the samurai Akamatsu Norimura built a fortress on top of Himeyama Hill. A few years later his relative rebuilt the fort into a palace, Himeji.

During the civil war of the 15th century, Himeji passed from one clan to another. Until in 1600 the castle was presented to Prince (daimyo) Ikeda Terumasa for the battle of Sekigahara. It was during his ownership that the main building was completed and other structures were erected, which have survived almost intact to this day.

After Terumasa, Himeji was controlled by several prominent families, sold at auction, survived the bombing of World War II, was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has become a favorite pilgrimage destination for millions of tourists.

Himeji Castle

The area with its gardens and buildings is as impressive as the castle itself. Himeji is 45.5 meters tall and has 7 stories! You can’t see everything quickly. Plan on about two hours. And if you’re also a photoholic like me, then as many as 3 or 4h. The castle is fabulously beautiful! Not for nothing it is called the “White Heron”, because of the elegant white color and exquisite shape of the soaring bird.

We moved toward the main building. In addition to the white walls, the shingles immediately catch the eye. The joints between the round and flat tiles are generously caulked with plaster. Such expensive technology is very rare.

We were given slippers at the entrance. The wooden floors were polished to perfection and we slid across them like on a skating rink. The first thing all visitors did was to hurry up to the top floor. We didn’t fall behind.

In one of the halls we took a break near the map. The caretaker called us over and showed us something interesting. It turned out that the load-bearing beams, on which the entire castle stands, are fixed to each other with wooden nails! In some places, through the cracks, you can even see them. It’s unbelievable how this gigantic Himeji has stood for 400 years on wooden nails…

We thanked the caretaker and hurried on. There were more and more people panting past. Finally, the steps ended. The top floor had a beautiful view of the city.

The interior of the castle was unimpressive. The ascetic nature of Japanese rulers and samurai is legendary, but even it could not be appreciated. All the rooms were empty except for a small altar and weapon racks.

Castle Territory

The scale of the White Heron is best seen from above. Gates, walls, towers, small houses, gardens – a total of 83 buildings. Intricate, elaborate in case of battle and disorienting the enemy. Walking and walking, watching and watching. So we hurried down and got to the wide area – the courtyard. Here we strolled at the very base of Himeji and took beautiful pictures.

Don’t miss “Hyakken Roka,” next to the ticket office. This 240-meter long corridor housed the princess’s servants and was also her chilling room. I really liked it there. Like Himeji himself. It wasn’t our first castle in Japan, but it pleasantly surprised me and impressed.

There is a free “Himeji Castle Great Discovery“ app to navigate the area, and guided tours are also available.

If you have time, check out the Kokoen Garden nearby. Admission is for an extra fee or a combo ticket.

READ MORE: Japan’s most beautiful garden

Interesting facts

• Himeji is a defensive castle, but it has never been attacked in its history
• During World War II the town of Himeji was reduced to ashes, while the castle itself was hardly damaged. One of the bombs hit the roof of the White Heron, but never exploded
• The castle survived one of the largest earthquakes in Japanese history, the Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995 in Kobe (about an hour’s drive from Himeji), without visible damage. During that earthquake about 200,000 buildings were destroyed and more than 6,000 people died.
• Several famous movies were filmed in the castle: the Bon “You Only Live Twice”, “Kagemushya: Shadow of the Warrior Warrior” and “Ran” by Akira Kurosawa.

Office hours

• Summer (April 27-August 31) 09:00 – 18:00 (last entrance at 17:00)
• In winter – 09:00-17:00 (last entrance at 16:00)
• The castle is closed on December 29 and 30
• On some especially busy days, the box office is open from 8:30 a.m. You can check the dates here.

When is the best time to go?

• Himeji’s peak season is from late March to late summer. The number of visitors is limited to 15 thousand/day. On the site you can see a forecast of attendance and adjust your plans
• Fewer tourists on weekdays
• Arrive early, in time for the opening of the ticket office (8:30-9 a.m.)

Ticket price

You can’t buy tickets in advance. They are sold only at the box office and on the current day

READ MORE: 27 ways to save money in Japan

How to get there and prices

From Himeji Station (JR and Sanyo)

• Walking 20 minutes
• Bus – 5-6 minutes, 100 JPY
• Cab – 3 minutes, 650 JPY

From Tokyo.

• Bullet train – JR Tokaido/Sanyo. About 3 hours on the Nozomi trains and 3.5 hours on the Hikari. Cost – from 15,400 JPY (≈120 USD) per seat without reservation. The exact schedule and prices can be checked on this website

Please note, Nozomi is not part of the JR Rail Pass. Hikari on the Ordinary JR Pass requires a surcharge on all seats except the standard coach. During the season it is better to book in advance

• The night bus departs at 10 p.m. from the station in Tokyo and arrives at 8:20 a.m. in Himeji. Cost – from 6,500 JPY (≈51USD), order online at this site

From Kyoto

• Bullet train – JR Tokaido/Sanyo. About 45 minutes on the Nozomi trains and 55 minutes on the Hikari. The most convenient and fastest way. Cost – from 4,840 JPY (≈38USD) per seat without reservation. The exact schedule and prices can be checked on this website

• Direct regular high-speed JR trains – the trip takes about an hour and a half. Costs 2 times cheaper than shinkansen – from 2,310 JPY (≈ 18 USD), covered by JR Pass. You can check the schedule and prices on this site
• About 2 hours by car

From Osaka

• The high-speed train is a JR Sanyo. About 30 minutes from Shin-Osaka station by Nozomi, Hikari, Sakura, Mizuho, Kodama trains. Cost – from 3,280 JPY (≈26 USD) per seat with no reservation. The exact schedule and prices can be checked on this website

Note, Nozomi and Mizuho are not part of the JR Rail Pass. Hikari, Sakura, Kodama Ordinary JR Pass requires a surcharge on all seats except the standard coach. During the season it is better to book in advance.

• Direct regular high-speed JR trains – the trip takes just over an hour. Limited express – from 2,510 JPY (≈20 USD), Special Rapid – 1,520 JPY (≈12 USD). You can check the schedule and prices on this site
• Local trains from “Hanshin Osaka-Umeda” station to “Sanyo Himeji” – about 1.5 – 2 hours. Inexpensive – 1300 JPY (≈10 USD). Not covered by JR Pass.
• An hour and a half by car

From Hiroshima

• The high-speed train is a JR Sanyo. About an hour and a half on the Nozomi and Sakura trains. Cost – from 7,910 JPY (≈62 USD) per seat without reservation. The exact schedule and prices can be checked on this website

• Local JR trains are about 5 hours. It usually takes two to four transplants. Cost – from 4,510 JPY (≈35 USD) Schedule and prices can be checked on this website

Other Info

• You can’t smoke in the castle
• There are no trash bins on the territory
• Pets may only be brought in a carrier/cage. There is a free rental cages in the Administration building
• Drones are banned
• It is strictly forbidden to bring alcoholic drinks, your own lunch, canned food, drinks in glass bottles, chewing gum, candy and ice cream inside the castle.
• You cannot re-enter the castle on the same day with the same ticket
• The nearest “Otemon parking” is 10 minutes from the park entrance. 3 hours – 600 JPY(≈4.7USD). Other parking lots and their costs can be viewed on this website