Himeji-jō – The castle The white heron

Imposing in the center of the city of Himeji, is the Himeji Castle. A 6-story high castle that has become an icon of Japan, being one of the finest examples of fortifications in the world. Not to mention that it is one of the most visited castles in Japan!

From a distance, the elegant roof lines of its towers are reminiscent of a group of white herons soaring, hence its nickname, La Garza Blanca.

It is 46.4 meters high, made of stone, wood, plaster and ceramics.

It was built in 1346 as a fortress, and its original name was Himeyama Castle. Two hundred years later (1581), Kuroda Shigetaka carried out some remodeling work to finally convert it into the main base of the Himeji Castle we know. Two later renovations or expansions were carried out, one from 1601 to 1609 by Ikeda Terumasa and the other from 1617 to 1618 by Honda Tadamasa.

Himeji Castle had the most advanced defense system in feudal times. Loopholes in a circular, triangular and rectangular shape strategically placed throughout the castle. This allowed defense with muskets or bows without exposing yourself to the enemy.

The castle area had numerous warehouses where they kept rice, salt and water, which was essential to resist in the event of a siege. It also had 33 wells inside the walled area. Thirteen of these wells still exist, the deepest being 30 meters.

A very interesting detail of the castle are the confusing paths that led to the heart of it, which were a true labyrinth. The gates and outer walls were arranged in such a way as to confuse the enemies who found themselves running in circles around the defense zone without advancing to the castle.

These are the emblems of some feudal lords who protected Himeji Castle.

These photos are from inside Himeji Castle with depictions of daily court life at Himeji Castle, the armor they wore in wartime, and the Shinto shrine on the top floor of the main tower.

Himeji castle has been introduced to local and international audiences in movies and video games, there are even toys on it!

It is considered one of the three main castles in Japan along with Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto Castle. The castle’s central courtyard area was designated a Special Historic Site and its five main structures are designated National Treasures. A beautiful historical place that you can’t miss when you come to Japan!

If you want to know other castles and interesting places in Japan, we invite you to watch our videos on Youtube, like the one you can see below!

Osaka is very easy to get to by train , including the super- fast Shinkansen or bullet train , making it a comfortable ride from Tokyo. And although it is possible to travel by plane, bus or boat, the train offers the best prices and convenience of all . To have an even better price, we recommend traveling with the Japan Railways universal pass called JR PASS , which can be purchased on their website. This pass is purchased before traveling to Japan , arriving at the airport or at any train station , you can pick up your pass with proof of purchase .