Himeji Castle in Japan
Japanese Military Architecture at its Finest
With its white plaster walls and multiple curved roofs giving the impression of a large white bird perched and ready to take flight, this remarkable structure--sometimes called Shirasagi-jo or White Heron Castle--exemplifies a sense of elegance and history that is unique to Japan.
The 14th century fortress is considered to be the best preserved example of classic military architecture in Japan. In contrast to the stone castles of Great Britain and Europe, Himeji-jo (jo means “castle” in Japanese) is built of an inner structure of timberwork and outer walls of painted plaster.
The castle sits on a base of large boulders. Instead of cementing the huge rocks together with mortar, the builders filled the cracks and crevices between the boulders with smaller stones. This allows the structure to move during an earthquake, a frequent and obvious problem in Japan.
The main tower of Himeji-jo rises seven stories tall, but was cleverly constructed so that only five of those stories are visible to approaching visitors. This was a defensive design intended to keep invaders from knowing exactly how big the tower was or how many samurai might be hiding inside. The open floor plan of the main tower's interior allowed the defending samurai freedom of movement.
Tour An Authentic Samurai Fortress
Visitors roaming the winding, walled paths of the courtyard can quickly become disoriented. More than 80 narrow, wooden gates arrayed along the footpaths ("mind your brain" the overhead signs advise) were designed to disorient invading armies and keep them from easily moving throughout the grounds.
A tour of the castle’s interior provides a glimpse into the era of the samurai. Life-size mannequins and period furnishings illustrate the 17th century life of the Lord of the castle, Lord Honda and his wife Princess Sen.
A series of steep, wooden staircases lead to the apex of the main tower where a Shinto shrine holds court. The vista from this vantage point provides a 360 degree view of the city of Himeji below.
Broad stone steps lead ominously down to a walled courtyard with a raised platform at one end--the Hara-kiri Maru or Suicide Bailey. A pervading sense of fatality and high drama evokes the image of a disgraced samurai facing an honorable, yet self-inflicted end.
A Ghost in the Water Well
A story is told about a beautiful, young maid servant, Okiku, who overheard a servant plotting to murder the lord of Himeji castle. Okiku told her lover, a loyal samurai, about the plot in time for him to avert it. The servant took revenge on Okiku by framing her for a theft she did not commit. He arranged for one of ten treasured plates to be stolen and for Okiku to be blamed.
Okiku was tortured for the crime, executed, and her body thrown into a well on the castle grounds. It is said that her sobs of anguish still emanate from the bottom of the well and that she can be heard counting as she searches for the missing plate to prove her innocence: "Ichimai... nimai... sanmai..." The well today is called Okiku's Well.
Himeji castle is a designated National Treasure and a UNESCO World Cultural and Heritage site. Located in the Kansai region of Japan in South Western Honshu, Himeji sits 400 miles west of Tokyo, a 3 ½ hour trip from the capital city by Shinkansen, the bullet train.
Admission 600 yen ($6), open daily 9am-5pm
