Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is a flat mountain castle built around Himeyama and Sagiyama, located in the north of Himeji City, and is a representative example of early modern castle architecture in Japan. The castle is known as "Shirasagijo" (White Egret Castle) because of its white plaster walls, which look like an egret soaring in the sky. The present Himeji Castle was built by Terumasa Ikeda, whose wife was the second daughter of Ieyasu Tokugawa, and it took eight years from 1601, the year after the Battle of Sekigahara.

The conservation and repair of the main keep was completed in 2015, and even after more than 400 years, it still retains its beautiful appearance. The castle tower, which was built in the early Edo period (1603-1868), and other major structures such as turrets still exist, and most of the castle area within the central moat has been designated as a Special Historic Site as "Himeji Castle Site." Of the existing structures, eight buildings including the main and minor towers and turrets have been designated as National Treasures, and 74 various buildings (27 turrets and turrets, 15 gates, 32 walls) have been designated as Important Cultural Properties. In 1993, it was registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Opening times

Opening Hours

9:00 - 17:00 (Entry until 16:00)

Summer: 9:00 - 18:00 (admission until 17:00)

Closed on December 29 and 30

Price:

Adult (18 years old and up) 1,000 yen

Children (elementary, junior high, and high school students) 300 yen