Traveler Description
One of the grandest feudal castles of Japan.

Address: Honmachi
Phone: 0792/85-1146

http://www.himeji-castle.gr.jp/index/English/index.html

Traveler Reviews

Beautiful Castle
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Sep 19, 2008


If you have to see one Japenese castle, it has to be this one. Once visited, it becomes obvious why the Himeji Castle is the most visited castle of Japan.

One of the better castles to view
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Apr 8, 2008


GARDENS As it was cherry blossom season, the gardens were full of cherry blossoms and it was pretty crowded with people having picnics under the blossoms. It is a rather pleasant walk around the gardens before heading to the castle. CASTLE They reconstructed the castle so it is definitely a better visit than Osaka Castle. The only problem is you had to take off your shoes and climb many many stairs to reach the top of the castle. (Not recommended for the unfit :) or those physically challenged as you literally have to climb many steep stairs). You can see an old sink, storeroom, artillery, and other little pieces of history. Don't expect too much. It's like a very tiny museum. OUTSIDE THE CASTLE There are shops selling snacks and ice cream. Try the cherry blossom ice cream if visiting during this season. It's not fantastic but an interesting taste. I'm not sure if this is seasonal but when I visited there was a little section with stalls selling typical Japanese food like okinomiyaki, sotong, etc

If you have the chance, go see this castle!
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Nov 27, 2007


I had the opportunity to visit Himeji castle in 2004 as part of a 6 week trip where I visited many parts of Japan. Himeji castle stands out as one of my favorite locations - it felt the most like the quintessential Japan you always imagine in your head - has a very traditional feel to it. If I had to choose between some of the temples I got to see in Kyoto or Himeji, I would choose Himeji. Very majestic castle! I enjoyed perusing through the few small exhibits inside. One word of warning - it is very uphill and the inside of the castle has a series of steep stairs. We made it all the way to the top of the castle - it was worth the trek! But something to be aware of if your knees give you trouble.

It's not just about the castle
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Mar 15, 2007


A lot of people go to Himeji Castle and that's all they do; they walk in the gate, pay their money, do the tour, oooh and aaah a few times, and then go to their next destination, usually either Kokoen, Mt. Shosha, or back to the station. But like Mt. Fuji, climbing it is a great experience, but it's a lot better to look at. For Himeji this means getting outside the castle walls and wandering around. There are three classic castle views that you see in the various professional photos/brochures. One is the view from the station straight down the main street, a wonderful combination of the old and new sides of Japan. All tourists experience this, but rarely see the other two. Here's a rough guide to what I consider two of the great views of For starters, it's almost impossible to get lost in Himeji so don't worry; the castle dominates the skyline, and if you have any sense of direction at all you should have no problem. As you face the castle from the station you're looking North, with West to your left and East to your right. The best view of the castle is from Otokoyama, a small hill to the West. If you can find a tourist map (you can get these from a tourism office or online) you'll see Senhime Shrine; the shrine is located on Otokoyama. Walk to the shrine and go up the many, many steps to the top of the hill. Once there, oooh and aaahh a bit, catch your breath, and go down the opposite side. Turn right along the walking path (going left takes you to an apartment building with a small play area). Head more or less East and walk until you see the large castle wall and the moat. I suggest first walking around the outside of the wall through the park, where you'll find a large play structure; this is an excellent place for families and is a nice spot to spread a blanket and have a picnic. Continue along the castle wall past the two museums until you get to a very busy street corner with a waterfall cascade. You'll know you're in the right spot because you can see the post office from here (a good place to get cash since in my experience the post office ATM will accept foreign (at least US) ATM cards). This is the second good view of the castle. Return to the front of the castle. From here you can either return to your itinerary or walk around the inside of the castle wall. It's a very serene place and I really enjoy wandering around. Also look up the Senhime Trail, a short walk along a dyke in the moat.

Beautiful castle with great gardens
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Oct 5, 2006


I have been to Himeji Castle and Garden 5 times as I live Japan and my visitors always want to go there. It is a beautiful castle and if you are one of the first visitors of the day you may be lucky enough to get one of their free English speaking guides. The guides are able to give you a great history of the building and the people who lived in it. For some reason it seems like they always have a sign up that says they have no English speaking guides available - but they always have had one when I ask. You do remove your shoes when you walk in the castle as is the custom in Japan. They will provide slippers for you, but it is fine to go through in socks or barefoot (in the winter you may want the slippers because the floor is very cold). When you buy your ticket for the castle, I would recommend buying the combo ticket for the castle and gardens. The garden is beautiful, especially in Cherry Blossom season. It is my favorite garden in Japan. I usually try to have lunch at the garden's restaurant. They have an English menu, good food (if you are tired of Japanese food you can even get spaghetti - my kids think it is great), and a terrific view of the garden's pond. The garden also has a tea room so you can fit a tea ceremony into your day. The castle is open 9-4 (5 during the summer), the gardens are open 9-5 (6 during the summer) Both the castle and garden have English brochures free with your admission.