About Himeji Castle
History
The first fortification on Himeyama Hill was built in 1333 by Akamatsu Norimura. Over the following centuries, the castle changed hands among feudal lords until Toyotomi Hideyoshi — the man who unified Japan — oversaw a major expansion in 1581. The castle complex as it stands today was built almost entirely between 1601 and 1609 by Ikeda Terumasa, whom Tokugawa Ieyasu rewarded with the castle for his decisive role at the Battle of Sekigahara.
In December 1993, Himeji Castle became one of Japan's first two UNESCO World Heritage Sites — inscribed alongside Hōryū-ji Temple in Nara. Read the full history →
Architecture
The main keep rises six floors above a basement, appearing from the outside to be five storeys — a deliberate visual deception. It is connected by corridors to three smaller subsidiary keeps. Across the entire complex stand 83 structures, of which 74 are designated Important Cultural Assets. The white plastered walls that give the castle its famous appearance aren't decorative — they are fire-resistant earthen plaster applied over the wooden frame to protect against attack by fire arrow. Explore the architecture →
The Miraculous WWII Survival
On the night of July 3, 1945, Allied incendiary bombs destroyed much of Himeji city. The castle keeper reportedly climbed to the top floor and extinguished incendiary bombs that landed on the keep by hand. Himeji Castle — Japan's largest and most elaborately preserved original feudal castle — survived the war untouched, when almost every other major castle in Japan was destroyed.
