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

Billy Chitkin @_gernge - 2020-01-24: @bstsrvdbld nara, himeji castle, endlessly roaming around dotonbori, shosei-en garden, fushimi inari & kiyomizu-der… https://t.co/uMW2jtQ12u
内藤 @naito10745 - 2020-01-24: @Emeishan108 　good evening himeji castle picture see thank you
内藤 @naito10745 - 2020-01-24: @JEstrada15 　good evening himeji castle picture see thank you
Maychinedramon @AncientIrismon - 2020-01-23: @WithTheWill Is that Himeji castle? My fave.
Mick Linehan @M1line1 - 2020-01-23: @sfcartwright @ji3430 We also made a day trip to himeji castle whilst in osaka, but if you're strapped for time Osa… https://t.co/69xGHVblUK
Yoko 🌸 Lost in Japan 🇯🇵 @yokolostinjapan - 2020-01-23: Next to Himeji Castle you can find the beautiful Koko-en Garden. We were strolling around there and especially enjo… https://t.co/sgjWY4lfqk
Yoko 🌸 Lost in Japan 🇯🇵 @yokolostinjapan - 2020-01-23: We moved on to Himeji and visited the famous castle. It was my second time to be there, but the building is still i… https://t.co/4gkCMH0ej8
tctc @ToastCrust - 2020-01-23: @eithi007 I mean, would YOU want the Himeji Castle Pyramid Cjete singularity to persist????
tctc @ToastCrust - 2020-01-23: I wonder which part of Cjete Pyramid Himeji Castle got turned into a warehouse... https://t.co/4e03CdNNjj
tctc @ToastCrust - 2020-01-23: oh no

oh NO.......

Cjete Pyramid Himeji Castle gets converted into an Amazoness Branch Office for the subcontract… https://t.co/ntCwlNgbVG
ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕒 ℍ - 𝕊 @amazoness_ceo - 2020-01-23: ' My company is delivering some stuff to Himeji castle you see and you know who bought them all. . . . that damned… https://t.co/tpt1HoWaDj
ℙ𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕒 ℍ - 𝕊 @amazoness_ceo - 2020-01-23: ' Yes she's a faliure of a heroic spirit a lazy one to boot!
She's the famous Osakabehime of Himeji Castle! ' https://t.co/5ZBkpHGRpT
Adrian Domican @adrianjdomican - 2020-01-22: @Herring1967 so at Himeji Castle there was a master Ftone Clearer https://t.co/8Z8QSzuESs
FutureAlpha➡️MCFC2020 @furrygraywolf - 2020-01-22: @KyashKT That reminds I need to build my nanoblock Himeji Castle I have..
Kazu- Sake to the World @eballer11 - 2020-01-22: On my way back home, I always drive past this amazingly beautiful castle. No matter how many times I look at it, I… https://t.co/jw1kS9jIQu
るぐらんドゥミ with ネコ&ひよこ @Aime_tan0000000 - 2020-01-22: 【#Topics④】They are Himeji Castle (#姫路城) in Hyōgo Prefecture (#兵庫県) and Matsue Castle (#松江城) in Shimane Prefecture (… https://t.co/g4KmsZA2jo
じゅふ @jiufu_ - 2020-01-21: @dyreatic Wow stayed in Himeji castle I didn't know you were royalty
ひゅいごー @takeshiyawata - 2020-01-21: @KayliMills Best cherry blossom viewing place
Around Heian Jingu shrine, Ninnaji temple（Kyoto city）
Rome theater Ky… https://t.co/4BPmo5lbC4
Japan Archives @japanarchives - 2020-01-20: It's here. Episode 27 😄🎙️

Today some of the legends surround the #castle of #himeji, and we got a #tonguetwister f… https://t.co/uOeomdui1t
Lunaguava @Lunaguava - 2020-01-20: Ghosts of Himeji Castle - #archives #lp #travel https://t.co/eLlrwT61QN
Craig Hoffman @CraigHoffman11 - 2020-01-19: Craig-560 On More Than A Castle- Affordable Afternoon Bar Hopping In Himeji And 5 Superb Social Media Posts To Help… https://t.co/bQ5KRbtrlB
Ferxe @Ferxe02 - 2020-01-19: Visited the Himeji Castle earlier today~ https://t.co/40u6oW4Z07
Wonder Completed @CompletedWonder - 2020-01-19: Himeji Castle has been built in a faraway land!
garcons @6951deeps - 2020-01-19: @japan15530575 @valuabletofind1 Himeji Castle was a castle at the time when it was built.
At that time, several c… https://t.co/AbE3dLobF3
j♥mee @strawberryxtalk - 2020-01-19: Himeji Castle 💞 Almond Toast https://t.co/ctfbP9pExe
Alex Bauman @LoquaciousBird - 2020-01-18: @BillLindeke You could spend a couple weeks going to all the temples & palaces in Kyoto. You should probably go to… https://t.co/TqZ8NW4uqO
Christine @ChristineDoae - 2020-01-18: We also visited Himeji Castle https://t.co/w14yaKSzMx
Mitchell Bernard @MitchellBernar2 - 2020-01-18: @HirokoTabuchi @henrygolding As a former long-time Kobe resident (灘区篠原北町) I have always thought Himeji castle is wo… https://t.co/iDg9kSkbY7
Never Stop Building @jasonrobertfox - 2020-01-18: Last one from Himeji Castle. This might be just as at home on a back alley up some Mediterranean village hill. Love… https://t.co/OU92rZtFlS
Paprika Girl @PaprikaGirl_JP - 2020-01-18: The beautiful Himeji Castle, built in 1333 (rebuilt twice, latest in 1609). Like Fuji, its presence looms over the… https://t.co/sQZuOfS61b
kenta @kenta08361478 - 2020-01-18: My hometown is Himeji in Japan.
As you may know, this town is famous for Himeji castle,wonderful world heritage! https://t.co/T50S2jBp2z
チャーハンターツイッター @frice777 - 2020-01-18: The dragon Chinese you meet in Himeji, the menu with a wide selection of variations is the best! For preparation be… https://t.co/lLr1Yxg29g
Emma @emmaloves_blog - 2020-01-17: The view from the keep of Himeji Castle is pretty awesome. @ Himeji Castle https://t.co/MfIRnDuxQU