Himeji Castle
On a new travel footing I set out from Sakaide and headed straight for Himeji three hours away. This small to medium sized town is home to one of Japan’s last remaining authentic wooden framed castles. It quickly became apparent that this place would join my top five places to see in Japan list.
Kyoto is often called the cultural heart of Japan for its plentiful shrines, temples and gardens. While these sites are beautiful in their own right, they are interspersed among the large, mundane city that Kyoto has become.
It’s less often that you can find a place that transports you body and mind to the Japan of the past. Himeji castle is one of these places, along with Nara and Nikko. These three places share a special energy that is distinctive and will add a spark to any Japan travel itinerary.
The castle is six stories plus a basement level. The main tower is a sight to behold, but I enjoyed the surrounding grounds just as much. Wandering the expansive grounds you can imagine the daily routines that people followed hundreds of years ago. There are numerous wells, long storehouses for rice and salt, and living quarters. Outside the main tower the most interesting place is the West Bailey, a long hallway with adjacent rooms that runs the length of the western wall. This building used to house Princess Sen, the eldest daughter of one of the early Tokugawa Shoguns. Her marriage to Honda Tadatoki united two of Japan’s most powerful families, marking the beginning of the long period of relative peace during Japan’s Edo period.
Also of interest is Okiku’s well, said to be haunted by the ghost of a servant woman who was wrongfully killed. As a servant to the Lord’s chief retainer, she informed the Lord of her master’s plot to kill and overthrow him. When her master found out he broke a priceless treasure dish and blamed her. She was tortured and killed and they threw her body in the well that is now named after her. It is said that her voice can still be heard counting the pieces of the broken dish.
If you’re in Western Japn, or base your Japanese travels in the Kansai area, Himeji can’t be missed. Local train service from Osaka takes about 1-1.5 hours and makes a good day trip, possibly in combination with an evening in Kobe on the way back.
Tags: Capitals tour of Asia, Japan on the cheap
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fantastic stories dan.