Making Each Day Count

Hey everyone, happy Sunday! I’m still buzzing from the first leg of our Kansai trip – Himeji, Japan!

Himeji had always been in my bucket list all thanks to the magnificent Himeji Castle. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Japan’s National Treasure, it is a true architectural masterpiece. In our early trips to Japan, D and I were not as determined to visit the castles because whenever we did, there were lots of tourists like us and we assumed we would not be able to move around as much hence we settled with just appreciating them from the outside. But after finally exploring Matsumoto Castle in 2019 (with barely a soul in sight), we decided to embrace the crowds and make it a point to check out castle interiors moving forward.

I did some research and found Himeji Castle consistently ranking among the top 3 original castles in Japan. As per www.japan-guide.com it is Japan’s best preserved feudal castle. My sister and I originally planned to visit Himeji for our 2020 Hiroshima trip (alas the travel bans). So, this is our long overdue trip to Himeji. While D and I are getting a head start on my sister and my brother-in-law do, 2024 is finally the year we all get to fulfill our Himeji Castle travel adventures together.

We landed at Kansai Airport and bought ICOCA (IC) cards from a vending machine at the train station. These IC cards are rechargeable cards that we used for our train rides in Osaka. As soon as we stepped out of the Himeji Station, Himeji Castle’s grandeur greeted us from a distance. Our home for the night, the Toyoko Inn Himeji Station Shinkansen Hotel, was just a short walk away. Since we arrived before check-in time, we left our luggage at the lobby and wasted no time exploring the streets of the charming city.

Otemae Street was a delightful surprise with its charming sculptures, artistic manholes, and colorful floral displays.

While Himeji Castle was closed for the day, we were pleasantly surprised to find an outdoor concert by Novelbright, a Japanese rock band, taking place on the grounds. We enjoyed listening to a few songs before heading out to explore the city some more, and to find a restaurant for dinner. After dinner, D and I headed back to the hotel, exhausted from our day of travel.

After a filling breakfast at the hotel, we spent our Sunday morning at the Himeji Catholic Church. Afterward, we immersed ourselves in the beauty of the Himeji Castle.

The castle was built at the start of the 17th century. As we climbed up onto the castle entrance, I noticed the arrow slits along the castle walls, a testament to its defensive purpose. At the first floor, we removed our shoes and placed them in plastic bags provided by the staff. The castle was composed of six floors, and its wooden interiors were dimly lit. The walls of each floor gave vantage points of view of the city. Some of the staircases were tricky because of limited to no handrails, low headroom, and steep stairs. As part of crowd control, we waited for the people from the top floor to descend first before we continued our ascent.

Himeji Castle may have tested our calves with its steep staircases, but the stunning views and rich history made it absolutely worth the climb. When we got back down, we rewarded ourselves with a cone of matcha soft serve.

Exploring Himeji Castle was just the beginning of our annual leisure trip to Japan. Stay tuned for more stories of our Kansai-Hiroshima adventure.