Himeji Castle, Symbol Of Ancient Feudal Japan
Himeji Castle is one of the best preserved castles throughout the history of Japan. It is located in Hyogo prefecture and is the biggest tourist attraction in the area. If you want to know it, keep reading, it sure fascinates you
Himeji, a nice seaside town
The city of Himeji enjoys great fame thanks to its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle. It only has half a million inhabitants, but it is the second largest city in Hyogo Prefecture, after the capital, Kobe.
It can be reached from Osaka or Kyoto with the JR Pass in less than an hour, as it is part of the Sanyo Shinkansen bullet train line.
Himeji Castle, the pride of the city
Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993 and a National Treasure, it is one of the three most famous castles in Japan. The other two are Matsumoto’s and Kumamoto’s. It is considered the best preserved and most beautiful feudal castle in the entire country.
In fact, the current building is the original building, since it has never been destroyed by any war, earthquake or fire. As a curiosity, it should be added that during the War of the Pacific several bombs fell on the main tower of the castle. However, miraculously, they did not explode.
It was built in 1333, although it was only a fort at the time. Later, in 1581, a three-story castle was erected in its place to defend the region. In 1601 the main tower was replaced by a five-story one and other smaller towers were built.
From then on, Himeji Castle was an important seat of feudal government during the Edo period. Later, it became the headquarters of the Imperial Army during the Meiji period.
Has appeared in several movies
Himeji Castle is used by many Japanese film studios to record historical films. However, the castle has also made its appearance in some foreign film. Specifically, in the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice, the castle is the secret ninja school of “Tiger” Tanaka.
Although the experience was not very good: in a scene where the characters throw shurikens from the castle wall, the castle was damaged. For this reason, to this day permission to use the castle is denied to foreign studies.
Festivities that take place at Himeji Castle
Annually, there are two occasions when a day is dedicated to Himeji Castle. On the one hand, the Himeji castle festival is celebrated on the first 10 days of August. In San no maru square, a play known as Takigi No is performed and a parade of the Queen of the castle is performed.
On the other hand, the Kanokai Festival is the first Sunday in April. Hanami (Japanese for cherry blossom viewing) is celebrated .
The gastronomy of Hyogo prefecture, the best in the country
Since we are in the area, we cannot forget to highlight its impressive gastronomy. Within the gastronomy of Japan, in Hyogo you can taste world-famous dishes. Next, we will recommend some that you cannot miss if you travel to Japan and, specifically, if you pass through Hyogo:
Kobe beef
This is the name given to the beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyu beef . They are raised according to a strict tradition that only takes place in Hyogo Prefecture. This meat is considered a delicacy and is famous for its taste, tenderness and marbled texture.
Akashiyaki
The Akashiyaki is a kind of dumpling original round of the city of Akashi, Hyogo Prefecture. It consists of a piece of octopus with a batter made with egg that is dipped in dashi (fish broth) before eating. It has a softer texture than takoyaki .
The Matsuba Crab
Hyogo prefecture is the largest producer of crab in the country, especially the so-called snow crab or Matsuba crab.
If you have the opportunity to visit Japan and stop by Hyogo prefecture, you cannot miss Himeji and its impressive castle, the image of ancient feudal Japan.
