A Perfect Day Trip from Osaka to Himeji Castle

As soon as you step out of Himeji Station, you begin to see the pristine white facade of Himeji Castle in the far distance, and you realise why this castle is nicknamed the White Heron Castle, as it resembles a white heron bird taking flight.

A straight road from the Himeji Train Station will take you right up to the castle through the beautiful town of Himeji...

Getting to Himeji Castle

Himeji can easily be done as a day trip from both Osaka and Kyoto.

The castle is one of the most visited in Japan and is well-connected by train.

It takes 30 minutes from Osaka by Shinkansen and 40 minutes from Kyoto.

If you wish to visit it from Tokyo, then a one-way ride will take about 5 hours and will cost you $ 75.

The castle is about a mile away from the train station, and the road leading to the castle is dotted with small eateries and lots of benches for visitors to sit and relax.

About Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is the first monument to be recognised in Japan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has been bestowed with the title of Japanese National Treasure, and it's one of the 12 castles in Japan that have been preserved in their original state.

Built in the 14th Century, this stunning castle has miraculously survived many earthquakes and natural disasters over the centuries, even fire bombings during WWII, catapulting it into a very auspicious monument that stands today just as it stood 400 years ago!

The castle was initially built as a strategic defence fortress and later served as an army barracks. The wide moat surrounding the castle walls, the maze-like layout, arrow slits in the outer walls and its imposing structure on a hill were all made to ward off invaders and enemies.

If you've seen the popular Hollywood movie 'You Only Live Twice', starring Sean Connery, you will see that it was shot at the Himeji Castle!

And that's not all...Himeji is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a servant girl called Okiku, who was falsely accused of a crime she did not commit and thrown into a well. You can see this mystery well on a tour of the castle.

A few things to know about visiting the Himeji Castle

• The main keep of the castle becomes visible as you enter the castle grounds. Don't forget to admire it from all angles and see the sun casting luminous glows on its white exterior. The inside of the main keep is empty, but earlier it was used as an armoury.

• Castle grounds are free to enter. However, there is a ticket to see the castle from the inside. You can purchase the tickets from ticket vending machines at the entrance. If you are going during the peak tourist season, then making bookings can be a good idea.

  Very close to the castle are the beautiful Koko-en Gardens. A combo ticket for the castle and gardens is 1000 yen that grants entry to both.

  Please refer to the official website of Himeji Castle at the time of booking.

  https://www.himejicastle.jp/en/

• A lot of walking is involved in visiting the Himeji Castle, first, about a mile from the train station to the castle entrance, second, as you enter the castle, a steep uphill ramp will take you inside. Multiple flights of wooden ladder-like stairs will lead you through the six storeys, leading to the top storey, where you can get vantage views of the city of Himeji. The ascent to the top can be challenging for people with limited mobility.

• Shoes are not allowed inside; you will have to carry them around in a plastic bag provided for the purpose.

• If you are a keen history buff, then you can hire an English guided tour of the castle. You will have to check the timings of the tour for the day, since only two tours are available each day.

  There is also a free smartphone audio guide available in multiple languages. You will have to connect to the internet at the castle, access the audio guide on the official website of Himeji Castle, and keep clicking on the numbers displayed at the exhibits as you go along.

  There is also a lot of information that is displayed on placards about the exhibits. I prefer reading that as we go, and that's what we did.

  
  

• After visiting the castle, you can leave from the main gate, the Otemon Gate, to reach the beautiful Koko-en Gardens. This Japanese-style garden has 9 distinct walled gardens, each with a theme of its own, including a tea garden, a pine garden, a bamboo garden, and a seasonal flower garden, among others. You can spend about an hour strolling along this picturesque garden.

After spending half a day at the stunning Himeji Castle, we took a train to Hiroshima. Coming up next...