A Magnificent Japanese Castle

Continuing on my series of blogs on travelling Japan, I'd like to show you some more of the amazing places I have visited.

There is something special about visiting castles around the world, and Japanese castles are unique in their own right. Today I'm writing about a stunning white hill-top castle called Himeji and sharing with you some photos I took during a visit there. It's easy to access Himeji as it is just a high-speed train day trip from Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and Hiroshima. It is also possible to visit from Tokyo if you get up early and are prepared for an approximate 8 hour round train trip!

If you visit you should prepare to spend a few hours looking around. You can enter the castle and some of the outbuildings and there are also beautiful Japanese gardens.

Himeji Castle

As you will see from the photos this is a magnificent feudal castle. As you wander around the grounds you cannot fail to be in awe of this building. It is a designated UNESCO heritage site and was one of the few Japanese castles to survive the last world war. The city in which this castle is located sustained heavy bombing, but luckily the castle survived this period!

The castle's origins date back to 1333. Since then it has been remodelled and expanded a number of times, but has incredibly survived natural disasters and wartime. It more recently underwent a renovation process which has given the castle’s white exterior appearance an even more pronounced spectacular look. Indeed as a result of this shining white appearance which some say can look like a bird taking flight, the castle is commonly referred to as "Shirasagi-jo" or "white heron castle". 

Inside Himeji

Inside is primarily wooden structures. When climbing the six rather steep staircases you need to be careful not to bang your head on the overhead wooden beams, especially if you are a tall person. As with everything in Japan, the interior is very well maintained, spotlessly clean and has some interesting exhibits. As you climb the floors you get some great views of the surrounding area.

Inside the castle:

View from the castle:

As you can see above, I travelled to Himeji Castle during the famous cherry blossom season in Japan. This actually provided some excellent photo opportunities of the castle with cherry blossom.

What's around Himeji Castle?

There are outbuildings that you can explore, some nice lawned areas and if you travel at the right time, a lot of cherry blossom trees.

You also have Koko-en which is located next to the castle grounds. It consists of a series of well-maintained Japanese gardens with some different themes. For example, you have the garden of Lord's residence and the garden of flowers. These different gardens have a multitude of different things to see including beautiful flowers, fish-filled ponds, pleasant walkways and garden buildings, small streams and lush trees. If you enjoy Japanese gardens, this is also definitely worth a visit as part of your trip to Himeji Castle.

To end this post, here's a few pictures of the gardens and a flower to finish.

Thank you for reading.