Himeji Castle
| The Good | The Not-So Good |
| Best castle in Japan? | Lots of castles in Japan |
| Easy to get to and tourist friendly |
Himeji Castle is World Heritage site located a short train ride from Osaka, about 3 and a half hours (using the JR Pass Hikari Shinkansen) from Tokyo.
Apart from the castle, which is very tourist friendly and caters to families with costumed characters, ninja games and AR apps, the city of Himeji has a few other sightseeing spots that can help fill up a day in the city. For a pro-tip make sure you avoid peak days, which are listed out on this calendar. Crowded periods are all Japanese public holidays, but if you have followed the advise of “When Japan” then you wouldn’t come to Japan during those times anyway.
Wheelchair access is limited and the castle itself cannot be accessed. Castles of that period did not have air-con so expect the summer months to get hot inside.
If you are passing by, spend half a day looking around especially if on a weekday when few Japanese will be visiting. If you just want to see a Japanese castle, then there are others you can visit (Matsumoto Castle being the best) that might be on your route.
