Himeji Castle
CountryJapan
RegionHyogo
Period17th century
Year Built1609
About Himeji Castle
Called the White Heron Castle for its brilliant white exterior. The finest surviving example of Japanese castle architecture. Survived WWII bombing and the 1995 Kobe earthquake. A UNESCO World Heritage Site with 83 buildings.
Related Castles
Matsumoto Castle
One of Japans most beautiful original castles. Known as the Crow Castle for its black exterior. A fl...
Osaka Castle
Built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the second great unifier of Japan. The castle was the site of two major...
Osaka Castle detail
See Osaka Castle main entry....
Nagoya Castle
One of the most important castles in Japan. The golden shachihoko (tiger-headed carp) on the roof ar...