Himeji Castle Day Trip From Osaka & Kyoto, Japan

by David & Intan

Himeji Castle (also known as Himeji-jo) is the biggest medieval Samurai castle in Japan, and arguably one of the coolest and most photogenic places in the entire country.

The design and history here are incredible and very worth a visit even from other parts of Japan. Himeji Castle can be visited easily on a day trip from nearby places like Kobe, Osaka, or Kyoto.

I grew up loving Samurai everything, so naturally this castle was on my Japan โ€˜bucket listโ€™ for years. Weโ€™ve done the day trip to Himeji Castle from Osaka a bunch of times now, and itโ€™s always fascinating.

This travel guide will explain how to get to Himeji Castle from either Osaka, Kyoto, or Tokyo, and everything you need to know before you go!


Travel guy posing in front of Himeji Castle in Japan

Distant view of Himeji Castle in Japan       My woman posing with the fun play samurai guard at Himeji Castle in Japan
 

History Of Himeji Castle

Himeji-jo started construction in the 1300s, and then it was expanded even more in the 1600s by Samurai ruler Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

At one time, thousands of soldiers lived in the Himeji-jo complex, and many times throughout history the castle was almost lost. During World War II, Allied bombs were dropped on the castle and failed to explode. It also survived a major earthquake in the 1990s.

Today, Himeji-jo is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and also a National Treasure of Japan, and it gets about 3 million visitors per year.

The castle just went through 5 years of restoration work and itโ€™s finally viewable again without tons of scaffolding on the main keep, so right now is a GREAT time to go see it.

Sunrise on the rafters at Himeji Castle in Japan

A courtyard and wall at Himeji Castle in Japan

The castle grounds are huge and you could spend hours exploring them.

Main keep tenshu at Himeji Castle in Japan

The main keep (tenshu) of Himeji Castle has 6 floors. You can go to the very top.


 

Himeji Castle Japan: What To Expect

Himeji can easily be visited as a day trip from nearby cities like Osaka or Kyoto.

This is a huge fortress complex that covers almost 240 hectares (600 acres), stands about 60 meters (200 feet) tall, and has dozens of defensive gates and walls from the medieval period.

I would budget at least a couple of hours for walking around the castle complex and seeing everything here, although we personally explored the castle grounds for almost 4 hours and could have stayed longer.

Iโ€™ve wanted to see Himeji Castle ever since I was a kid, so when I was passing through Japan recently I knew I had to devote an entire day to the experience.

The castle is such a work of art, especially when you view it at a distance.

Graceful windows and rooftops of Himeji Castle in Japan

The architecture of the castle is incredible.

Mon emblems on the walls of Himeji Castle in Japan

Mon symbols


 
The castle complex is HUGE and there are a lot of different areas to explore; itโ€™s easy to get lost in, but thatโ€™s part of the fun.
 
The main keep has 6 stories and you can climb to the very top and look out through the bow-and-arrow slits for a better view of the surrounding city.
 
There are some great restaurants and gift shops near the castle that are worth checking out as well.
 
Himeji Castle in Japan rising above the white walls

Birds flying above the steep walls at Himeji Castle in Japan

Tiny travel guy posing with the huge Himeji Castle in Japan

See tiny me in this photo?


 

Entrance Fees

  • Adults: ยฅ1000 ($7 USD)
  • Kids: ยฅ300

 

Visiting Hours

  • Normal Hours: 9 AM โ€“ 5 PM
  • Summer Hours: 9 AM โ€“ 6 PM

The last allowed entry time is 1 hour before closing.

The castle is generally open every day of the year except for December 28 and 29. Tickets canโ€™t be reserved in advance.

Front view of Himeji Castle in Japan

Mon emblems on the wall at Himeji Castle in Japan

Looking up at the main keep tenshu of Himeji Castle in Japan

The entrance fee is 1,000 Yen. Thereโ€™s no extra charge for going into the main keep.


 

How To Get To Himeji Castle Japan

The best way to reach Himeji is by train. Japan has an awesome rail network so this is a pretty smooth process.

If the instructions below seem confusing, you can click on the links to bring up the exact routes in Google Maps! No guesswork needed.
 

From Tokyo

While itโ€™s technically possible to visit Himeji Castle on a day trip from Tokyo, I would not recommend it because you would spend almost 8 hours total in transit and the tickets would be very expensive. The one way journey takes about 3.5 hours and costs ยฅ15,120 ($105 USD).

If possible, itโ€™s definitely a better idea to visit Himeji from somewhere closer, like Kyoto or Osaka (info below).

Bullet train near Osaka and Himeji in Japan

Riding trains like this is part of the fun in getting to Himeji Castle!

Travel times to Himeji from various cities in Japan. Courtesy of the Himeji-jo JP official website.


 

From Kyoto

 

From Osaka

After you exit Himeji Station, the castle entrance will be just a 15 minute walk away. Happy travels!

Himeji train station welcome sign at the entrance

This is one of the signs that greets you as you arrive in Himeji city.


 

Best Time To Visit

The most popular months to visit Himeji Castle are late March to mid-April, with the first week of April being especially busy because of cherry blossom season. Golden Week (first week of May) is also very busy because of the holidays.

I personally think the castle is amazing any month of the year, so I say just go when the crowds arenโ€™t around! We went in January and had the whole castle mostly to ourselves.

Thereโ€™s no way to reserve tickets in advance, so if you go during peak season youโ€™ll have to be there early in the morning to get tickets.

The Himeji Castle official website has a congestion forecast with the expected number of visitors, and they also have a helpful calendar that shows which days of the year are typically busiest.

Wall and main keep in the distance at Himeji Castle in Japan

Himeji Castle in Japan on a stormy day
 
 

Best Tours & Activities In Japan


 

Where To Stay In Kyoto

 

Where We Stayed

We stayed at Hotel Mikado in Osaka for 4,000 Yen ($30 USD). As a solo traveler or couple, you won't find a better budget hotel in Japan!

For this price we got a clean, private room with heat/AC, fridge, TV, and super fast WiFi. The room is a little small but comfy, and bathrooms are shared, but that's the norm in Japan.

The location was perfect -- just a 2 minute walk from restaurants and the train stations, and only a 15 minute ride to Osaka Castle and Dotonbori shopping street. We also made day trips to Himeji, Kyoto, and Nara!

Prices may fluctuate from time to time, so just keep an eye out for a good deal.


 

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