Himeji Castle

Information

Himeji Castle is the most magnificent of Japanese castles which survive in their original form. The castle is also known as "Shirasagi (White Heron) Castle" because of its white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight. The castle's beautiful Tenshukaku donjon and complicated structure is an invaluable treasure that expresses the height of Japanese wood architecture techniques.
Although there have been a castle named Himeyama Castle here since 1346, today's Himeji Castle was built in 1580 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and enlarged some 30 years later by Ikeda Terumasa. Ikeda Terumasa was awarded the castle by Tokugawa Ieyasu for his help to defeat the Toyotomi armies in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. In the following centuries the castle was home to 48 successive lords.
Himeji Castle has a five-story Tenshukaku main donjon and three smaller donjons, the entire structure being surrounded by moats and defensive walls punctuated with several forms of openings for firing guns and shooting arrows at attackers. The walls of the donjon also feature "Ishiotoshi" or openings that allowed defenders to pour boiling water or oil on to anyone that made it past the defensive slits and was thinking of scaling the walls.
Himeji Castle is designated as a National Treasure and registered as a World Cultural Heritage Site. The castle was extensively renovated in 2015 after five years of full-scale repair work.

Opening Hours

9:00 – 16:00
9:00 – 17:00 (April 27 - August 31)

Closed

December 29 - 30

Price / Entrance Fee

1,000 yen (General, Adult)
300 yen (Child)
Combination ticket with Koko-en Garden: 1,040 yen (General, Adult)
Combination ticket with Koko-en Garden: 360 yen (Child)

Access / Public Transport

15 minutes walk from JR Himeji Station

Address / Location

68, Hommachi, Himeji-shi, Hyogo, 670-0012

Tweets

Curtis Herbert @parrots - 2019-08-21: @rmondello Kyoto: I love Kiyomizu-dera. Bamboo park is nice, too. Fushimi Inari Shrine is awesome, and a long hike… https://t.co/IwsA6g8ggj
Vandie @Vandie_ - 2019-08-21: @SwampUnicorn @_kagirii Kyoto is so pretty! Highly recommend checking out the shrines and temples there and bathhou… https://t.co/A7jBCOKK4C
ARPelayre @AlexPelayre - 2019-08-20: Himeji Castle (I think?) being really ominous.. https://t.co/xdF7atHu3U
Patrick Lew @patricklewsband - 2019-08-20: I love Japan. @ Himeji Castle https://t.co/Dx7gWRrdWG
Patrick Lew @patricklewsband - 2019-08-20: Just posted a photo @ Himeji Castle https://t.co/oAeW2vnAjY
ビブロスの本棚 @Biblos_Library - 2019-08-20: The castle tower of Himeji Castle is the largest of the existing castle main towers. The height of the castle main… https://t.co/L2iRNeMEiA
Janelle Waz @JanelleWaz - 2019-08-19: @Mirror_Ayako It was a bit humid here as well.

Thanks! Metal Earth seems to have two Japanese castle metal models.… https://t.co/pGt2XX2C9P
Janelle Waz @JanelleWaz - 2019-08-19: I finished my metal model of Himeji Castle! A small tower in the back broke, so I could not attach it to the final… https://t.co/VT4uT1N7Mf
Mirror Ayako 🍙🖖🏻 @Mirror_Ayako - 2019-08-19: @JanelleWaz Oh it was a Japanese castle! I didn’t know what you were building. I’ve actually been to Himeji castle about 3-4 years ago.
toblix_ebooks @toblix_ebooks - 2019-08-19: HIMEJI CASTLE, THE BIG APPLE.
Craig Hoffman @CraigHoffman11 - 2019-08-18: Craig-560 On More Than A Castle- Affordable Afternoon Bar Hopping In Himeji And 5 Superb Social Media Posts To Help… https://t.co/nOSSkzs7cG
RiN @RiN67138641 - 2019-08-18: I went to Himeji Castle four years ago.
Have you grown up? I am.
I'm looking forward to going to Himeji Castle. https://t.co/h2sqAaTwaP
Andrew Thompson @Pandasport - 2019-08-17: Today we visited the World Heritage site Himeji Castle, Japan's best preserved castle, it was an amazing experience… https://t.co/ki8waiA6OI
DJ BoogieShoes @djboogieshoe - 2019-08-17: Himeji Castle in 37 degree weather…so hot, but enjoying !
Visit our website for venue reviews or info to book your… https://t.co/8v7AwkKZc0
Fuji @Japan @TheFujiFPS - 2019-08-17: @NintenZ I loved Disney Sea!!! It was so amazing. I haven’t seen the rest yet- but I am going to Kyoto soon!

Did you go to Himeji Castle?
Janelle Waz @JanelleWaz - 2019-08-17: Commander Waz reporting for duty! In addition to watching Trek, I'll also be building another metal model. I like J… https://t.co/gEkpsYaMNS
たいし @sakura_musubu - 2019-08-17: @RogersBase @reagankathryn_ Please come to Himeji castle.
It's world Heritage.
Kristine Ohkubo @AuthorKristineO - 2019-08-16: Any visit to #Shiga Prefecture has to include a tour of #Hikone_Castle. It is one of only four #Japanese castles to… https://t.co/f2H0slCnvu
Christopher Lentz @AuthorLentz - 2019-08-15: Climbed to the top of Japan's Himeji Castle. Can you tell by the moisture on my shirt that it was extremely humid d… https://t.co/Jm5jfFk8bj
RA Black @WordsofRABlack - 2019-08-15: Day15: my main non-writing hobbies are photography and cheese-making. I'm not particularly good at either, but prac… https://t.co/f6REijy5Yq
Roddy McDougall @KujiGhost - 2019-08-15: @paularcurtis Is that a LEGO Himeji Castle too? 🏯
白黒☆ @DECARABlA - 2019-08-15: hoku: huuuuh
that famous csejte pyramid himeji castle........
......
......
no, hold up
what's that supposed to be https://t.co/NZmp5sZklc
白黒☆ @DECARABlA - 2019-08-15: hoku: huuuuh
that famous csejte pyramid himeji castle........
......
......
no, hold up
what's that supposed to be https://t.co/NZmp5sZklc
蒼乃冷笑／deepbluejeer @deepbluejeer - 2019-08-15: osakabehime bringing in mecha eli's arm as an item and using it as a catalyst along with her authority as one of th… https://t.co/7YrcLLQHev
蒼乃冷笑／deepbluejeer @deepbluejeer - 2019-08-15: osakabehime bringing in mecha eli's arm as an item and using it as a catalyst along with her authority as one of th… https://t.co/7YrcLLQHev
Chris Chan クリス @ChrisChanAtWork - 2019-08-14: After 3 weeks and 15-20 hours of assembly, I finally completed this wooden model of Himeji Castle!… https://t.co/2niuLZ8RNA
Nigel Ngan @NganNigel - 2019-08-14: On a very hot summer day walking around #himeji #castle #japan #travel #summerbreak @ Himeji Castle 姬路城 https://t.co/eptxO3yaNb
Ryo Diaz but it's a travel blog @RyoFTW - 2019-08-14: Himeji Castle! Atsui but more windy than expected! We went to the top and windy~!~!~ https://t.co/fgFeYTmvFD
とらっどじゃぱん @trad_jpn - 2019-08-14: Himeji Castle is a National Treasure, and in 1993 it was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. 1/2 #gogakuru #English
Ewerthon Tobace @tobace - 2019-08-13: Have you ever been to Himeji Castle? https://t.co/ECFPJoMjX9
Remote Lands @RemoteLands - 2019-08-13: Myth, superstition, bloodshed, and glory: don't miss this short history of Japan's fascinating Himeji Castle:… https://t.co/qIIXv9CxfT
月の船 @tsuki_no_fune_ - 2019-08-13: I am going to go Himeji to see my grandparents. I am looking forward to see them and also see Himeji Castle.
🍩ATastyTimbit🍩 @ATastyTimbit - 2019-08-13: Himeji Castle, also known as 'White Heron Castle'. Unlike many other Japanese Castles it was never destroyed by war… https://t.co/5Uj8WvhGIE
Nikhil Ruikar @nikhilruikar - 2019-08-12: Himeji castle standing tall in the summer heat..! This majestic castle gives amazing views in every season, which a… https://t.co/AyDi8Eu06J