Himeji Castle in Himeji City in western Hyogo was constructed in the
mid-14th century. In the 16th century, the great unifier of Japan, Toyotomi
Hideyoshi, added a three-layer castle tower. After that, Ikeda Terumasa, a feudal
lord who lived in the castle remodelled it in the 17th century. The castle
was designated as a national treasure in 1931, and as a World Cultural Heritage in 1993.
There are extensive renovation works going on at the castle from April 2010 to
March 2015. This means that accessibility may be limited. The castle is covered in
a scaffold until summer 2014, after which it is removed and the renovated castle is
presented to the public again. The work will be finalized in spring 2015. As long as the
scaffold remains, you can ascend a lift to the top and have a closer look at the
renovation works. This is a rather unique chance to see how they do this, but check
ahead to see if it's still there!
Image (ed.) by CptnRedArt on deviantart.com
Website: http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/guide/castle/ in Japanese
http://www.himeji-castle.gr.jp/index/English/ in English
Address: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture 670-0012, Japan
Tel no.: +81 (0) 79-285-1146
Price: 600 yen (400 yen April 12, 2010 - March 2015)
200 yen is required to observe the restoration. (March 26, 2011-)
Opening times: 09:00-16:00
