Himeji: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Himeji Castle is called the White Heron for its white plaster walls and its wings of roofs. It is the best surviving castle in Japan, and around it lie a garden and three museums by leading architects. All of it is on foot from the station. Arrive at opening time, do the castle first, then the rest.

A short history of Himeji

A first fort was built on the hill at Himeji in 1346. In 1581 Toyotomi Hideyoshi enlarged it, and between 1601 and 1609 Ikeda Terumasa, son-in-law of Tokugawa Ieyasu, built the castle that still stands there, with its five-storey main keep. Because of its white walls it is called 'White Heron Castle'. The castle survived the civil wars, the dismantling of castles after 1868 and the bombing of 1945, which destroyed most of the city around it. In 1993 it was one of the first two sites in Japan to be declared World Heritage.

The ten best sights in Himeji

1
Himeji Castle
Japan's finest original castle; come at opening time, the queue for the keep grows fast
2
Koko-en Garden
Nine walled gardens beside the castle; combined ticket with the castle
3
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History
Castle models and local history in a Kenzo Tange building
4
Himeji City Museum of Literature
Tadao Ando building on the castle's west side
5
Himeji City Museum of Art
Red-brick former army arsenal with a sculpture garden
6
Engyo-ji
Mountain monastery of wooden halls in the forest on Mount Shosha
7
Mount Shosha Ropeway
Four-minute cable car up to the monastery; then a 20-minute walk or shuttle
8
Himeji Central Park
Drive-through safari plus rides, 20 minutes from town
9
Himeji City Aquarium
Small, cheap aquarium of local rivers and the Inland Sea on Tegarayama
10
Hiromine Shrine
Hilltop shrine north of town in old cedar forest

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Himeji →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Himeji:

Free walking tours in Himeji

The White Heron

Himeji Castle · The keep was finished in 1609 and was never taken in battle or burned. In July 1945 a firebomb hit the top floor and failed to explode while the city below burned, and in 1993 the castle became one of Japan's first World Heritage sites.
Okiku Well · Inside the castle is the well of the ghost story Banshu Sarayashiki: a maid accused of losing one of ten precious plates was thrown down it, and at night her voice counts the plates, one to nine.
Senhime Tenmangu · Senhime, Ieyasu's granddaughter, lived in the castle's West Bailey with her husband; tradition says she prayed each morning toward this shrine on the hill.
Koko-en Garden · The gardens opened in 1992 on the ground plan of samurai houses that once stood here; each walled garden follows the line of an old residence.
Himeji City Museum of Literature · Tadao Ando designed the concrete halls in 1991, set at an angle that frames the castle keep from the terrace.
Himeji City Museum of Art · The red-brick hall was built as an Imperial Army arsenal in the early 20th century, when Himeji was a garrison town; it became a museum in 1983.

Monks and soy sauce

North of Himeji the hills hide a thousand-year-old monastery, and to the west lies Tatsuno, a small castle town that made its fortune from soy sauce. This route combines both by car in a day. The monastery needs good shoes and an hour or two. Tatsuno is quiet, with old streets and few tourists.

Hiromine Shrine · The shrine looks down on the castle from the north; from its forest you see the white keep with the sea behind it.
Mount Shosha Ropeway · The ropeway climbs the mountain in about four minutes, replacing what was for centuries a long pilgrims' climb.
Engyo-ji · The monk Shoku founded the monastery in 966. Its great wooden halls stood in for a mountain temple in the 2003 film The Last Samurai.
Tatsuno Castle · Tatsuno is the home town of Miki Rofu, who wrote the words of 'Akatombo' (Red Dragonfly), one of Japan's best-loved songs.
Usukuchi Tatsuno Soy Sauce Museum · Usukuchi, light soy sauce, was developed in Tatsuno in the 17th century: saltier but paler, so Kyoto cooks could season without darkening their food.
Tatsuno History Museum · The museum tells the story of the Wakisaka lords who ruled Tatsuno for two centuries, and of the soy brewers who made it rich.

The coast and the 47 ronin

The Harima coast west of Himeji holds Japan's most famous story of loyalty, the 47 ronin of Ako. This route goes from the city's aquarium and festival shrine, by ferry to fishing islands if time allows, and on to Ako. Ako is about 45 minutes by car. On 14 December Ako holds a parade for the ronin.

Himeji City Aquarium · The aquarium on Tegarayama keeps the fish, crabs and turtles of the local rivers and the Seto Inland Sea.
Matsubara Hachiman Shrine · At the Nada Kenka Matsuri each 14-15 October, teams smash portable shrines into each other until the wood splinters; it is one of Japan's roughest festivals.
Ieshima islands · The islands have long supplied stone for building, and quarries still cut into some of them, seen from the ferry.
Ako Castle · In 1701 Asano Naganori, lord of Ako, drew his sword inside Edo Castle and was ordered to kill himself. His 47 retainers waited almost two years, then killed his enemy — the story of Chushingura.
Oishi Shrine, Ako · The shrine stands on the site of the house of Oishi Kuranosuke, who led the 47; it was founded in 1912, and stone statues of all the ronin line the approach.
Ako City Museum of History · Ako was famous for sea salt made in flat salt fields along this coast; the museum shows the method beside the story of the ronin.

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Getting to Himeji and getting around

JR Himeji Station · Shinkansen stop, 15 minutes from Kobe and 40 from Osaka; the castle is straight up the avenue
Sanyo Himeji Station · Private Sanyo line, cheaper and slower, along the coast to Kobe
Kobe Airport · Domestic airport about an hour away; Kansai International is nearer two

Cheap eats in Himeji

Himeji has a few things of its own: ekisoba at the station, oden dipped in ginger soy sauce, and almond toast for breakfast. The Harima Sea gives conger eel, anago, which the region grills or simmers instead of the freshwater eel of the east. Lunch near the station costs a fraction of Tel Aviv prices.

Maneki ekisoba · Bowl of ekisoba, about ¥500-700
Miyukidori arcade cafés · Almond toast and coffee, about ¥500-800
Tachigui Sushi Totoro · Standing sushi bar, about ¥100-400 a piece
Butaya Tonichi · Tonkatsu set, about ¥1,000-1,500
Menya Rokusanroku · Ramen, about ¥800-1,000
Maneki Coffee · Coffee at the station, about ¥400-600

Museums in Himeji

Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History · Castle models from all over Japan; free on some days
Himeji City Museum of Literature · Writers of the region in a Tadao Ando building
Himeji City Museum of Art · Brick arsenal, Western and Japanese art
Usukuchi Tatsuno Soy Sauce Museum · Brewing tools in an old soy house; cheap entry
Ako City Museum of History · Salt fields and the 47 ronin

Nature and day trips near Himeji

Koko-en Garden · Nine gardens; tea in the tea house
Mount Shosha · Forest walk among the monastery halls
Tegarayama Botanical Garden · Greenhouse garden on a city hill
Ieshima islands · Ferry day to quiet fishing islands
Hiromine Shrine forest · Cedar forest above the city

Things to do in Himeji with kids

Himeji Central Park · Drive-through safari, then rides
Himeji City Aquarium · Local fish, turtles and a touch pool
Himeji City Zoo · Small, cheap zoo inside the castle grounds
Mount Shosha Ropeway · Cable car up the mountain

Where to eat in Himeji

Nikaimachi lanes · Izakaya lanes off the arcades; try Himeji oden
Kaisen Sushi Rikimaru · Conveyor sushi near the station; try anago
Okonomiyaki Bonanza · Okonomiyaki on the hot plate
Fukutori · Chicken izakaya on Omizosuji

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Frequently asked questions about Himeji

What is there to see in Himeji?

The top sights in Himeji are Himeji Castle, Koko-en Garden and Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Himeji?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Himeji without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Himeji?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Himeji, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The White Heron.

How do you get to Himeji and get around?

The main ways are JR Himeji Station, Sanyo Himeji Station and Kobe Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Himeji, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Himeji that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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