Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in Hyogo, Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving Japanese castle architecture with 83 rooms with advanced defensive systems from the Feudal Period. The castle is frequently known as "White Egret Castle" or "White Heron Castle" because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight.
Himeji Castle was originally built in 1346 by Akamatsu Sadanori as a fortification against local shoguns. After the emperor, Nobunaga Oda, took control of the Harima district in 1577, he placed Hideyoshi in control of the castle, who converted the fortified building into a castle with over 30 turrets.
In 1601, Ikeda Terumasa was handed control of Himeji Castle as a gift for his support of Ieyasu Tokugawa in the Sekigahara battle against the Toyotomi Daimyo. He intended to model the castle after the emperor's own castle at Azuchi. He undertook a nine year construction program, at the end of which Himeji Castle assumed its present day form.
Visitors enter the main keep through an entrance in the lower floor of the building and climb upwards via a series of steep, narrow staircases. Each level gets progressively smaller as you ascend. The floors are generally unfurnished and display just a few multilingual signs explaining architectural features such as portholes, rock chutes and concealed spaces as well as renovation efforts made over the years to preserve the structure.
The topmost floor houses a small shrine and lets visitors peer out in all directions, down over the castle roofs, at the maze-like defenses below and out across the city of Himeji. You can also admire an up close view of the fish-shaped roof ornaments that are believed to protect from fire.
Himeji Castle was never actually used in a battle and thus has remained in its present shape for over three hundred years. In 1931, it was designated a national treasure. After several aborted attempts, restoration work began in 1956 and was completed in 1964. In 1993, it was put on the list of UNESCO World Cultural and Heritage Sites.
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