Hyogo Prefecture

One of the smaller cities in Kansai, Himeji City, is less well-known than Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto. The city is best known for Himeji Castle, but there are numerous other places to see and things to do in Himeji. Himeji Castle The top reason to visit Himeji is the castle. In fact, if you have time to see only one castle while in Japan, you should make sure it’s Himeji Castle. There are many beautiful castles around Japan, but none so famed for its majesty as Hyogo Prefecture’s Himeji Castle. Designated as one of Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1993, the castle, also known as Shirasagi-jō (“White Heron Castle”) due to its brilliant white exterior and resemblance to a bird taking flight, is the largest and most visited castle in Japan. Matsumoto Castle, Kumamoto Castle, and Himeji Castle are considered the “Big Three” of Japan’s castles. Of this exalted trio, Himeji Castle is the largest, with 83 buildings in the defensive compound. Himeji, located in Hyogo Prefecture, was first deemed necessary by samurai Akamatsu Norimura who participated in the sacking of Kyoto in the 1330s. His fort was ripped down by his son Sadonori and rebuilt in 1346,…