Covered with a shiny white exterior, Himeji castle is one of Japan’s most magnificent castles. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, this national treasure is the largest and most visited castle in Japan. It situates in Himeji city in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. Himeji Castle includes the topmost impressive castles, where it calls White Egret Castle or White Heron Castle. The resemblance of this pure white castle to a heron bird in flight has given these names. Besides, Himeji Castle is the country’s most beautiful castle during the cherry blossom.
Himeji Castle is among the top 100 spots to view cherry blossom in Japan. More than 1800 cherry blossom trees are planted at the castle ground around the main keep, along the walls and moats. With the start of Spring, this castle turns into a heaven on earth filled with lovely cherry blossoms. Therefore, it is a must-go place in Japan during cherry blossom season.
While we are living in Kyoto city, we decided to go and see the stunning beauty of Himeji Castle during cherry blossom. Here we are going to share with you the details of our fascinating trip to this gorgeous castle during the Sakura season.
History of Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is one of the best-preserved original castles left in Japan. Built in 1333, Himeji Castle is an excellent example of typical Japanese castle architecture. This castle remained resilient throughout the years while surviving several calamities. Unbelievably, it was left intact by the bombing raid during World War 2 and a massive earthquake that caused significant damage to the Himeji area.
The castle regards as the finest surviving Japanese castle. It is comprising a network of 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems. It has built on top of a hill called Himeyama, which is 45.6 m above sea level. The castle has a high rising structure and stays above the hill with its six-storied architecture. The steep walls are quite high, inhibiting the advancement of any intruders.
Access to Himeji Castle
We started our journey in the early morning from Kyoto station. We arrived at JR Himeji station within a few hours and headed out of the main entrance. Then we had to walk straight up to Otemae Dori and gradually the Castle came into clear view. Even from the distance, we could see the picture-perfect sight of the gleaming white walls of Himeji Castle.
Himeji Castle is especially popular to see the cherry blossom in Japan. Hence, we could see that the entrance pathway was highly congested with the visitors who came to enjoy the stunning beauty of Cherry blossom in Himeji castle. We had to line up for nearly one hour to buy the entrance ticket. After paying the 1000-yen admission fee, we lined up again to enter the main keep.
We slowly progressed along the walkway, enjoying the fresh spring breeze. But we didn’t feel tired of waiting, since the surrounding was completely refreshing. Himeji castle gave a spectacular view from a far distance and we captured many lovely shots in our lens.
Cherry blossom in the entrance
The Himeji castle ground is containing a large number of Sakura trees. With 1,800 somei yoshino, yaesakura, and shidaresakura trees, it is one of Japan’s best places to view cherry blossoms. The radiant pink and white Sakura blooms offered a breathtaking contrast to the castle’s white walls.
Immediately upon walking into the main castle grounds, we saw rows and rows of Sakura trees. With neatly lined Sakura trees in full bloom, it was like entering a flower paradise.
The castle’s narrow pathways are winding to protect it from intruders. Getting to the actual main keep required going through multiple gates and alleyways. We found so many picturesque views along the pathways.
Interior of the Castle
Entering the interior of this spectacular castle was like a dream come true. Certainly, the interior of the castle was very clean and neat. We found the inside of the castle is relatively unfurnished with just a few exhibits. There were some ancient arms and samurai armors on display. Other than them, it contained mostly empty rooms. But the rooms were quite beautiful with Tatami flooring.
Panoramic View from the Top
Himeji Castle’s main keep has six wooden floors with plenty of stairs to climb. We walked through each floor and gradually climbed up to the top floor. The view from the top of the castle was well worth visiting. It gave a panoramic view over the whole Himeji city and a stunning view of pink cherry blossoms in the castle garden.
The surrounding gave a breathtaking sight with the dazzling hues of the pink, white, and sky-blue combination. Certainly, it was an eye-pleasing view that was a joy to behold.
From the top floor, we got a glimpse of the fascinating architecture of the castle roof. We could get a close view of mythical tiger-headed fish called shachi on the roof. This motif was used atop the castle towers as a talisman for magical powers and to bring good luck to the castle. It is believed that this guardian fish ornament protected Himeji castle from fires throughout history.
Cherry Blossom in the Garden
Once you finish touring the insides of the castle, make sure to stop by the adjacent garden, which has lots of Sakura trees. We really enjoyed the beautiful Sakura blooms and captured some nice shots. There were lots of Japanese people enjoying Hanami parties in the garden. It was fun mingling with the crowds and exploring the beauty of the garden.
Himeji Castle is a marvelous place for traditional Hanami parties. Therefore, be ready to mingle with high crowd levels during Sakura season. Nevertheless, visiting this magnificent castle during cherry blossom will give you an everlasting golden memory. When you are visiting Himeji Castle, remember to go to the adjacent Himeji Zoo. There you can get the below iconic photograph of Himeji Castle with the red bridge.
To sum up, here we have bought you the details of the stunning beauty of cherry blossom in Himeji Castle. If you had to pick one place in Japan to see the Cherry Blossom, this would be it. Since there will be endless opportunities to capture lovely shots of Sakura blooms, be ready with your cameras. Hope everybody will enjoy the enchanting beauty of Himeji Castle someday!
