- Address: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture 670-0012, Japan
- Phone: +81 79-285-1146
- Discovery: 1346
- Height: 46 m
- Working hours: daily 09: 00-16: 00, days off December 29-31
- The cost of visiting: adults - $ 5.2, children - $ 3.4, visit the observation platform - $ 1.7
In the Japanese city of Himeji on top of the hill stands a beautiful snow-white castle, considered one of the most popular tourist places of the prefecture. And this is not surprising, because Himeji Castle, or, as it is also called, the Castle of the White Heron, is a vivid representative of the cultural and historical heritage of the country.
History of Himeji Castle
This popular tourist attraction began to be built in the middle of the XIV century - at a time when the shogun rate was located in the city of Kyoto . First, Himeji Castle was the subject of controversy between different samurai clans, so it changed from one to another. As a result, at the end of the 16th century, he was placed under the command of the military commander Toyotomi Hideyoshi in a fairly dilapidated and battered state. Then his grandiose reconstruction began.
Approximately in 1601-1609 the main tower of the castle of Belaya Tsapli was erected, a photo of which can be seen below. By the way, this name was given to the object because of its elegant and refined forms reminds Japanese of this snow-white bird. Since 1993, Himeji Castle in Japan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Features of Himeji Castle
Already at the beginning of the XVII century the temple complex acquired a modern look, the main decoration of which is a 45-meter long tower. Orienting on it, tourists do not have to worry about where the Himeji Castle is located. He towers above the city, like a mountain, surrounded by high walls and numerous towers.
Currently, the following buildings are located on the territory of the Castle of White Heron in Japan:
- 21 towers of different sizes and heights;
- more than 80 wooden structures;
- 38 premises for different purposes;
- defensive ditches and embankments.
Himeji Castle contains many elements that have long been included in the arsenal of traditional Japanese architecture. Among them:
- carefully whitewashed walls;
- A beautiful tile covering the roofs of the towers;
- loopholes;
- embrasures;
- high stone foundation and much more.
The Himeji Castle of White Heron was a reference point for all other temples and palaces that were built much later than him. Inside its walls adorn samurai armor and mural paintings, and in the corridors dominate the wind. External walls have the form of a fan, which turned out because of a small slope of the walls.
Around the castle of Himeji is a spiral garden-labyrinth, which was created as a defensive object. According to the project, the garden had to play the role of a kind of trap for the enemies. But this idea was not tested in practice, since peace began almost immediately after the construction of the facility in the country.
The Castle of the White Heron has more than once become the location of films that were shot in Japan. Here, many scenes from the movie "The Last Samurai" featuring Tom Cruise, "You Live Only Twice" from the Bondiana series, as well as the famous films of the Japanese director Akira Kurosawa - "Run" and "The Shadow of a Warrior" were shot.
How to get to Himeji Castle?
This ancient building is located in the eponymous city in the central part of Japan about 8 km from the coast of the Harim Sea. Tourists who do not know how to get to Himeji Castle from the capital , you need to go to Shinjuku metro station and drive almost 650 km to the west, paying $ 140 and spending 4 hours on the road. At Himeji Station, you need to change to a bus that takes you to your destination in 5 minutes. You can also use the flights of Skymark Airlines, whose planes land at the airport of Kobe , an hour's drive from Himeji Castle.