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Himeji Castle (Himeji-jō, aka Himeyama-jō) is the most visited of the "Three Most Famous Castles" (Himejo-jō, Kumamoto-jō, Matsumoto-jō). This castle with its fireproof white-plaster walls is also called Shirasagi-jō (White Heron or, more specifically, Snowy Heron Castle), recalling a flock of herons lifting off heavenward. The first Himeji Castle was built in 1333 on Himeyama (Princess Hill), then an addition in the late 1500s, finally the main donjon (castle keep) in the early 1600s, for a total of 38 buildings* and 21 gates (source: Himeji City castle brochure). *The UNESCO site says 83 buildings. From "My Travelogue Manga of Japan (Sans Drawings)," by K. Avila, Sequential Tart, May 2006, 4 April 2006 entry: "I visit Himeji Castle. Along the street [Otemae-dori] from the train station to the castle, there are a number of statues of naked young women, though not all. Coming back from the castle down the other side, the last bronze statue I see is of a fat naked guy playing a saxophone." UNESCO World Heritage site—Himeji-jo. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/661 Japanese Castles 
by Michio Fujioka (Osaka, Japan: Hoikusha Publishing, 1968) |
  Himeji Castle brochure cover and castle layout, Himeji City office, 1970s(?) Re the red ink stamps, such stamps can be collected at many tourist destinations in Japan. |
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 train station entrance |
 statues by entrance |
 statues by entrance |
 statues by entrance |
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  The sign says: "The 'shachihoko' of the tenshu (main tower of the castle) or the roof ornament on the ridges of the roof of the castle are [an] abstract representation of fish in the sea. The ornament is a charm to guard against fire and ward off disaster. These shachihoko are replicas of the ones on the castle." |
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 Main Gate (Ōte-mon) is across the street on the right side. |
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 A jogger combines exercise and sightseeing. |
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 A father talks about the castle to his family. |
 inside Ni Gate |
 gateway |
