Himeji castle

 
Himeji castle, a symbolic icon of Himeji city in Hyogo prefecture having the outstanding strong presence is one of the most beautiful castles in Japan and retaining its original shape until today. The castle covered with white stucco shines beautifully, looks like a white egret about to take flight by the Kotenshu (small tower), Watari yagura (turret connecting other building), Kuruwa (castle compound), and Hori (moat) which surrounding the castle, earned the sobriquet “Hakuro-jo” (Egret Castle). This castle is registered as a first UNESCO World Heritage site in in December 1993 with the temple of Horyu-jin in Nara.  It was 1 year after the entrance of World Heritage Convention.
 
In 16th century which was Sengoku (The Warring States) period, there has been a castle in Himeji, but it has been restored as we see today in the beginning of 17th century in Edo period after the disturbances of war days. The castle at that time substituted the power of the feudal lord, and it was a base of the authoritiy and the political power rather than being a simple military base. However, this beautiful Himeji castle was not being only the symbol of coercion, but also it has been functioned of defence with many devices and mechanism. It has been an incomparable sturdy fort.

The Tenshu (tower) located in the center and Hori (moat) and other buildings are covered and layered it as triple spiral. So nobody cannot approach to the Tenshu avoiding the spiral. The Edo castle which has been the first and biggest castle in Japan used to have the same construction at that time (but we cannot find it today as it was), but except for the castle of Edo, there was no other castle having the same construction as Himeji castle.

At the visit, you would be impressed by those complicated and ingeniously devised traps inside of the castle and would fell that the castle has been an outstanding fort.
The reason why this castle has been built in Himeji, it was because Himeji might have a risk to be against the big western cities far from Tokyo as Kyoto and Osaka.
However, it has never been in a war and never used as a fort even if it has been surrounded by the armed forces in 19th century. It was surrended at the end without war.
 
In the second world war, Himeji city was suffered an air raid and innumerable incendiary bomb burned the castle town, but there were only some bombs hit the castle, and they were misfired or extinguished. After the air raid, the people of Himeji found the Himeji castle flawless and they were so touched them to tears.

Himeji castle has many anecdotes and stories.  Not only the beauty which charm people but it has also the original charms and fascination captivate people.
It is miraculously preserved until today and it must be conserved in the future, so that there was a big restoration from 2009 for 6 years, and now it shows again the beauty appearance. 

The very first World Heritage of Japan, Himeji castle will impress you more than you might expect.

  

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- A journey in Hyogo prefecture: where Japanese charms meet
- 10 Japanese castles to admire the cherry blossoms