Travel Guide For Activities to Undertake in Himeji, Japan
Himeji is most famous for its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle, widely considered to be Japan's best and most beautiful surviving feudal castle. The castle is designated both a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.
With half a million inhabitants, Himeji is the second largest city of Hyogo Prefecture after Kobe. It can be reached in less than one hour from Osaka or Kyoto and is also a popular stopover on journeys along the Sanyo Shinkansen, for example, on a trip from Tokyo or Kyoto to Hiroshima.

1. Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance, is widely considered Japan's most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is both a national treasure and a World Heritage Site. Unlike many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one of the country's twelve original castles.

2. Kokoen Garden
Kokoen is a relatively recently constructed Japanese style garden, which was opened in 1992 on the former site of the feudal lord's west residence (Nishi-Oyashiki). It consists of nine separate, walled gardens designed in various styles of the Edo Period.Among the gardens are the garden of the lord's residence which features a pond with a waterfall, a tea garden where visitors can enjoy green tea, a pine tree garden, a bamboo garden and a flower garden.

3. Mountain temples
Mt. Shosha is at the northern edge of Himeji City and is home to Engyoji, a temple that has a history of over 1,000 years. The temple's lack of modern infrastructure means it is a common feature in period films; it appears in "The Last Samurai." Despite its fringe location, the mountain is only 25 minutes away from the center of Himeji City by public transport.Not far away from Mt. Shosha is Mt. Seppiko , a collection of vertical rocky crags that attract rock climbers from across the Kansai region. The mountain is one of the Kinki 100 Famous Japanese mountains and has an excellent hiking trail to the top.

4. The Himeji City Museum of Art
The Himeji City Museum of Art is housed in an historic red-brick building on a site whose many beautiful features include an impressive view of Himeji Castle. The castle, designated a World Cultural Heritage and National Treasure, is often likened to a white heron because of its elegant lines. Opened in 1983, the museum promotes art and enhances local culture, by acquiring, exhibiting, and conducting research on a broad spectrum of art works. Exhibitions are held in three galleries: the Permanent Exhibition Gallery, the Special Exhibition Gallery, and the Collection Gallery. In addition to exhibitions, the museum hosts lectures, gallery talks, workshops and other events to promote public understanding of the arts. Our aim is to be a museum that is both popular and accessible.