Himeji Castle – A National Treasure of Japan

Located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, Himeji Castle is one of the historic castles boasting beautiful landscapes.  Its predominantly white appearance, resembling a flock of flying white egrets, has earned it the nickname “Shirasagi Castle” (White Egret Castle). In 1931, the castle keep was designated as a National Treasure, and in 1993, Himeji Castle was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site.

With its beautiful, majestic appearance that has continued to attract tourists the world over, the castle has also been featured in numerous movies and dramas. In this article, we will introduce an overview of Himeji Castle, its history, architecture, and a sightseeing guide.

 Himeji Castle Overview

 The popularity of Himeji Castle among domestic and international tourists stems not only from its elegant and white appearance but also from its historical and cultural significance, with many structures dating back to the early Edo period.

 Here, we will provide an insightful overview of Himeji Castle, the reasons for its prominent status as a National Treasure and World Heritage site, and its unique architectural features that have earned it the nickname “Shirasagi Castle”.

About Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is a flat mountain castle located in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. A flatland castle refers to a Japanese castle built on a low mountain or small hill with surrounding flat land. The origins of Himeji Castle can be traced back to a fortress built in 1333, making it a castle with a significant history.

 After the full-scale construction in 1346, the castle was expanded and renovated by various warlords as an important base for governing the western part of Japan.

The area of Himeji Castle encompasses approximately 230,000 square meters (275,000 square yards) within the castle’s inner area alone. Including the outer area of the castle, it covers approximately 2,330,000 square meters (2,787,000 square yards).

Himeji Castle has been the setting for numerous movies and dramas. Some notable films include “You Only Live Twice” starring Sean Connery, “Kagemusha” and “Ran” directed by Akira Kurosawa, and the well-loved Japanese dramas like “Mito Komon”, “Ooku”, “The Unfettered Shogun” series, among others.

The existing Himeji Castle was built in 1609, and 400 years later, it was eventually recognized as a National Treasure and World Heritage site..

National Treasure and World Heritage

It was in 1951 that Himeji Castle’s main keep, west minor keep, dry minor keep, east minor keep, and watariyagura (tower) were designated as a National Treasure. A keep refers to a high-rise structure built within the castle walls, and “watariyagura” (connecting corridor) is a wooden structure spanning across the left and right stone walls with a passageway underneath.

In 1993, Himeji Castle, along with Horyu-ji Temple in Nara, became Japan’s first entry on the World Cultural Heritage list. Since most of the “castles” in the world that are registered as World Heritage sites are built of stone or brick, Himeji Castle’s wooden structure makes it a rare and invaluable masterpiece.

The following two reasons have been given for its registration as a World Heritage site.

The first reason is for its “aesthetic perfection that ranks at the top of Japanese wooden architecture and is unparalleled in the world”. The second reasonis that it represents a “well-preserved example of castle construction from the early 17th century, with its central tower and surrounding structures such as stone walls and moats, illustrating the unique Japanese castle structure.”

In other words, Himeji Castle vividly conveys the architectural and cultural fragrance from over 400 years ago.

Shirasagi Castle

Himeji Castle is called “Shirasagi-jo” (White Egret Castle) as it evokes the image of a flock of egrets flying together The castle Comparing a castle to birds is likely due to the elegance of its landscape.

The castle’s exterior is white because it is made using Shiro-Shikkui So-Nuri-Gome (white plaster all over), a technique in which all exposed areas of an exterior wall are coated with a highly adhesive white plaster.

Himeji Castle is characterized by its white plaster applied even to the joints of the roof tiles. The innovative use of color, which dispels the image of castles as “dark-colored”, is thought to be one of the reasons why Himeji Castle is loved by so many tourists.

History of Himeji Castle

The origins of Himeji Castle can be traced back to a fortress built in 1333 by the warlord Akamatsu no Norimura during the Kamakura period to the Nanboku-cho period. Akamatsu Sadanori, son of Akamatsu Norimura, is said to have completed the earliest Himeji Castle in 1346 based on this fortress.

Further, in 1467, Akamatsu Masanori of the Akamatsu family built the core buildings of the castle, including the main keep. Over time, expansion work that utilized the topography of Himeyama (Himeji’s hill) was carried out, gradually enlarging Himeji Castle into a larger fortress.

In 1580, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the warlord who unified the country, entered the castle and renovated it as a base for ruling western Honshu of Japan. He surrounded the castle walls with stone walls and built a three-story castle tower, officially naming it “Himeji Castle”.

After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ikeda Terumasa became the lord of the castle in 1600 and embark some significant renovations.. It was during this time that the exterior walls were painted white. Then, in 1617, Honda Tadamasa, who became the lord of the castle, added the San-no-maru (third citadel) and Nishi-no-Maru (western citadel), leading to the castle’s present form.

The keep of Himeji Castle has undergone three major restorations in 1873, 1935, and 2009. The restoration work in 2009, known as “Heisei no Daishuri” (the Great Repair of the Heisei Era), included re-roofing, reapplying plaster, and structural reinforcement, resulting in the completion of a graceful yet sturdy Himeji Castle.

Construction of Himeji Castle

Located on Mt. Himeyama at an elevation of 45.6 meters (about 49.9 yards), Himeji Castle has the largest-scale main keep among the five castles that are designated as National Treasures in Japan.

The castle has not suffered any major battles since its construction, and due to careful restoration and maintenance, nearly 100 buildings from the original construction period still stand today, earning it another nickname ”Fusen No Shiro” (“Castle without Battles”).

The following section describes the external and internal structural features of Himeji Castle.

External Structure

Himeji Castle’s main keep appears to be a five-story building due to its five-layer roof, but it is, in fact, a “5-layer-7-story” structure. It is said that the structure has one basement level and six floors above ground in order to confuse the attacking enemy.

A significant feature of Himeji Castle is that the main keep tower and the three smaller towers (East, West, and Northwest [“Inui” in Japanese]) are connected in the shape of a square by “Watariyagura”, a connecting corridorbuilt over a stone wall, with a passageway underneath.

The passageway to the keep is intentionally intricate. While following the tourist route, one may lose their sense of direction.

This complex design was likely intended to disrupt the enemy’s invasion in the event of a battle. Twenty-seven corridors and twenty-one gates, which play an important role in the castle’s defense, are still in existence.

The white plaster applied to the entire castle serves not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for defensive purposes, as it is said to be effective in fire prevention and waterproofing.

Internal structure

Himeji Castle has unique features not only in its exterior but also in its interior structure. The corridor inside the tenement, built around the Nishinomaru, was about 300 meters (about 328 yards) long and was called the “Hyakken corridor” (Corridor of One Hundred Rooms). Another distinctive feature is the “Kesho Yagura” (Dressing Tower), a wooden structure built for Tokugawa Ieyasu’s granddaughter, Princess Sen, to apply makeup.

The interior of the aforementioned connecting corridors is also spectacular. It consists of two floors, each approximately 28.8 meters (about 31.5 yards) east-west and 5.9 meters (about 6.5 yards) north-south, with an area of approximately 170 square meters (about 203.3 square yards), making it one of the largest surviving connecting corridors. The movies “Samurai Shifters” and “Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai” were also filmed in these connecting corridors.

Himeji Castle Tourist Guide

Here we will show you how to get to Himeji Castle, its opening hours, closing days, admission fees, and some highlights for sightseeing.

How To Get There: Train, Bus, Car

For train travel, there are two options: JR (Japan Railways) and Sanyo Electric Railway.

Train

If you choose JR, get off at JR Himeji Station; if you choose Sanyo, get off at Sanyo Himeji Station. Both stations are approximately a 20-minute walk from Himeji Castle.

Bus

If you prefer not to walk much, taking a bus might be a good choice. Take the Shinki Bus from the North Exit of Himeji Station, get off at Otemon-mae, and it is about a 5-minute walk from the castle.

Car

For those arriving by car, it takes about 15 minutes from the Chugoku Expressway’s Tohori Ramp, about 15 minutes from the Sanyo Expressway’s Hanada IC, about 25 minutes from the Himeji Nishi IC, and about 15 minutes from the Hanshin Expressway Himeji Bypass Nakaji Ramp.

Various parking lots are available, such as Otemon Parking Lot, Himeyama Parking Lot, Otemae Park Underground Parking Lot, Otemae Underground Parking Lot, Egret Underground Parking Lot, and Castle North Parking Lot. Each lot has different operating hours, so please check the website of the Himeji Castle Management Office below.

Himeji Castle Official Website: Homepage

Opening Hours and Closing Days

The castle is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (entry until 4:00 p.m.) and closed on December 29 and 30.

 During the summer months (from June 1 to September 24 in 2023), the opening hours are extended until 6 p.m. In addition, special seasonal lighting displays are held for 15 minutes each day from 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., allowing visitors to enjoy the panoramic view of Himeji Castle.

Admission Fees

The admission fee for Himeji Castle is 1,000 yen for adults (18 years and older) and 300 yen for children (elementary, junior high, and high school students). For those with a disability certificate, admission is free along with one accompanying caregiver.

Group discounts are available for 30 or more visitors: 800 yen for adults and 240 yen for children. Credit cards, electronic money, transportation-related electronic money, and QR code payment can be used to pay the admission fees.

Tourist Highlights and Points of Interest

There are numerous attractions within the vast castle grounds of Himeji Castle. Visitors can expect to enjoy a variety of historical structures, including the grand keep (with a five-story exterior and six stories above ground and one below), the “Hishinomon”, (the first gate into the castle), and the “Hyakken corridor” (where Princess Sen was said to have walked).

Many places have been the setting for movies and dramas. Checking out the episodes before coming will double your enjoyment.

There are some things to keep in mind when sightseeing. Himeji Castle is built on top of a small mountain about 46 meters (50 yards) high, so there are numerous stairs and slopes. The keep and corridors are not equipped with elevators. If you use a wheelchair, please note that sightseeing is possible only with one caregiver or more accompanying you.

*The information in this Himeji Castle Tourist Guide is current as of July 8, 2023.

Summary

Himeji Castle is one of Japan’s representative castles, and is loved by local residents because of its white graceful landscape that is reminiscent of a flock of egrets flying away from the castle.

Built in the 14th century, Himeji Castle has undergone numerous expansions and renovations. Despite periods of war, it has managed to avoid both destruction and significant damage, earning it the nickname of the “Castle without Battles.”

Because of its historical and cultural value, it has been designated as a National Treasure and World Heritage site, attracting many visitors to enjoy various historical architectural wonders.

As it has served as the setting for many movies and TV dramas, the sightseeing experience will be more enjoyable if you keep those movie and drama scenes in your mind. Besides, the night illumination of Himeji Castle and the ever-changing landscapes throughout the seasons are truly breathtaking. With different times of day and seasons, it remains an enchanting spot that can be enjoyed again and again.