Castle · Himeji, Japan
Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in Himeji, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Built 1609. It drew 1,532,111 visitors in 2024.
Photo: Nikos Kitsakis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Himeji, Japan |
|---|---|
| Type | Castle |
| Built | 1609 |
| Area | Area: 1.43 km² |
| Annual visitors (2024) | 1,532,111 |
| Coordinates | 34.8394° N, 134.6939° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Himeji Castle is known for
Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in Himeji, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
About Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in Himeji, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 structures with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The castle is frequently known as Hakuro-jō or Shirasagi-jō ("White Egret Castle" or "White Heron Castle") because of its brilliant white exterior and supposed resemblance to a bird taking flight.
History
Himeyama hill, the location of present-day Himeji Castle, was first fortified in 1333 by Akamatsu Norimura, the shugo of Harima Province, during the Genkō War. In 1346, his son Sadanori demolished this fort and built Himeyama Castle in its place. In 1545, the Kuroda clan was stationed here by order of the Kodera clan, and feudal ruler Kuroda Shigetaka remodeled the castle into Himeji Castle, completing the work in 1561.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Himeji Castle website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Himeji |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Kobe Airport (UKB) |
| Distance from the airport | 33.4 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Kobe Airport (UKB) · Kobe, Japan · 33.3 miles away
- Kansai International Airport (KIX) · Osaka, Japan · 42.3 miles away
- Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM) · Osaka, Japan · 42.6 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Japan
More castles
Frequently asked questions
What is Himeji Castle?
Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in Himeji, a city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.
Where is Himeji Castle located?
Himeji Castle is in Himeji, Japan. Its coordinates are 34.8394° N, 134.6939° E.
How do I get to Himeji Castle?
The nearest town is Himeji, and the nearest airport is Kobe Airport (UKB), about 33.4 miles away (straight line).
When was Himeji Castle built?
Himeji Castle was built 1609.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q188754 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.himejicastle.jp/en/ — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.