Himeji Things to Do

3 more images

Along the road to Himeji castle are numerous shops. Well, if you see anything you like, just buy, coz things are cheaper here compared to Kyoto and Osaka.

Best place I like to wander around is this photography shop. It's on the right side of the road when you walk back to the station from the castle. Very beautiful photographs, and they do make some into postcards too.

There's a marche too, but I didn't go into it.

Himeji Koko-en (or Himeji Castle Nishi Oyashikiato Garden) is a nice garden located next to Himeji Castle. The area is divided into 9 different gardens, each designed in the escence of the Edo period (1603-1867). It was an easy walk around the gardens as they are not too large, but they are very nice and the area is quite peaceful. There is even a tea ceremony house in the gardens. The entrance fee is ¥300, or ¥720 for a combined Himeji Koko-en and Himeji Castle ticket.

Himeji Castle (Himeji-jo) is one of the most beautiful sites in Japan. It is easily accessible for a day or a half-day trip from Kyoto, Osaka or Hiroshima. Entry to the grounds and castle is ¥600. The self-guided tour around the grounds is easy to follow, before making your way up the castle to the top. The staircases inside are narrow and you are required to remove your shoes, so watch your step (as well as your head). Slippers are provided to wear while ascending the stairs. As you climb the castle, artifacts are on display that provide insights on the history of the area. From the top there are nice views over the city of Himeji.

I recommend purchasing a combined Himeji Castle and Himeji Koko-en garden ticket at the entrance to the castle grounds (cost ¥720). The gardens are located just to the west of the castle and are a nice area to relax and view gardens in the Edo period design.

Featured in the main intro of this travel page. It represents the center of attraction for this once indentured town. Gates open 9:00am to 5:30pm. Allow 90min to walk through castle and grounds.

There are sheltered/covered shopping streets parallel to the main street leading to the castle from the Himeji train station. An alternative way to the castle especially during extremely hot/cold days.

If you are lucky you will find fair young maidens dressed in summer kimonos (Yakata).

With being approximately 50 mins from Kyoto, visiting Himeji castle (one of Japan's national treasures and most famous castle) also known as the "White Heron" should be a must see on anyone's itinerary. It is one of the few remaining, original castles in Japan (built in 1580); a lot of the others having been destroyed by bombing or earthquakes and rebuilt from concrete. The main castle keep is on seven floors and the views are pretty impressive from the top. There are also a few antiques inside that are worth a look. Especially pretty to visit during the sakura season.

Himeji Castle kicks ass. It's big and cool to walk around in. I cost a few bucks to get in but is worth it. The grounds themselves are huuuuge and you can walk around for a good afternoon popping out of places and stuff. The castle is the last standing original castle in Japan. Check it out yo!

The gardens nearby kinda suck but make for a nice place to chill out from the heat. Man, I wanna go back!

It's about 15 mins walk from the train station and makes an ideal half day stop.

West of the castle but still inside the complex is the Oyasiki-ato Gardens. You can get a combined ticket which saves you some yen.

The gardens are very traditional Japanese style, and are probably the best that I saw in all my time in the country.

It's the reason that you go to Himeji. This is the best preserved castle in Japan. Nicknamed "The White Heron" due to its white walls, the castle is a marvel of Japanese architecture and makes for a great day trip from other cities.