Himeji Castle is widely considered Japan's most spectacular castle. Unlike many other Japanese castles, Himeji Castle was never destroyed in wars, earthquakes or fires and survives in its original form. It is both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.
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Construction Notice: Major renovation works are being carried out on the castle keep's roof and walls from April 2010 until March 2015 (see photos of the current state). Below is a schedule of the renovation works and the effects they have on a visit to the castle:
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From now until spring 2014
A large scaffold structure is covering up the entire main castle keep. The interior of the castle keep is partially open to tourists. Depending on the state of renovation works, all or only a limited number of the castle's six floors will be open to tourists. At times, access to the interior may not be possible at all.
Furthermore, visitors are able to use an elevator to access an observation deck in the scaffold structure, from where the renovation works can be observed (see our report). The observation deck's limited capacity might result in waiting times on busy days. To avoid bad surprises, it is possible to make advance reservations for the observation deck on a bilingual website.
Most other parts of the castle grounds are accessible to tourists.
Himeji Castle covered by a huge scaffold structure
Observation deck inside the scaffold structure for tourists to observe the renovation works
From spring 2014 to March 2015
The scaffold structure will be removed, during which time the interior of the castle keep will be off limits to visitors. The renovation works should be completed by the end of March 2015.
Alternative castle destinations in the region
Alternative castle destinations during Himeji's renovation include Hikone Castle, not far from Kyoto. While its castle keep is much smaller than Himeji's, Hikone Castle is also original with a wooden interior, impressive walls and moats and an interesting approach. Another alternative is Osaka Castle, although its castle keep is a relatively recent concrete reconstruction with a modern museum inside.
Inside Himeji Castle
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