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When travelling to Osaka and Kyoto, most people first think of Nara when they want to do a day trip. But I was actually more excited by the second most common option, a Himeji day trip from Osaka.
Over the years, Himeji had repeatedly caught my notice thanks to one thing – Himeji Castle. Look at any list of best castles in Japan and the one in Himeji should be right at the top, thanks to its scale, beauty, and authenticity. For that alone, adding a day trip to Himeji from Osaka in my itinerary was a no-brainer.
But there are other things about Himeji that you’re also bound to enjoy. From how easy it is to get there on your own, to the cherry blossoms that brighten the city up, the city rewards visitors who make time to visit. Whether you’re ready to go or on the fence about visiting, here’s how to do a Himeji day trip yourself.
How to Get to Himeji from Osaka
Besides wanting to see the city’s castle, a big reason for my Himeji day trip was knowing just how easy it is to get there.
Himeji is just to the west of Osaka and Kyoto and can be reached by taking the JR Tokaido Sanyo Main Line New Rapid. The direct train from Osaka only takes 1 hour, while from Kyoto it takes 1.5 hours. Trains depart every 15 minutes, how easy is that?
Taking the train to Himeji is no sweat if you’re travelling with a JR Pass, but it’s also super easy using the Kansai Area Pass, as I did. The Kansai Area Pass is one of the most useful regional passes in Japan I came across, because it works so well for day trips like this. Even just the return ticket from Osaka to Himeji is more expensive than it, and it works for going from Kyoto which would cost more.
To plan when you should leave for your day trip, consider two things. Go to early in the morning and you have to contend with the morning rush, which is especially bad in Osaka/Kyoto. Leave too late and you limit your sightseeing time and increase the chances of lines at Himeji Castle. The sweet spot is to leave Osaka Station around 9am, but go early if you don’t need to take the Osaka Metro to reach the station.
Himeji Castle Grounds
Arriving at Himeji Station, you’re probably going to want to head straight to Himeji Castle, like I did. After all, it is the city’s star attraction; people often only come to see it and then leave again. Fortunately, it’s super easy to get to, as you just walk out to Otemae Street and follow it directly to the castle. You’ll see the castle down the end soon enough.
Himeji Castle is also known as the White Heron Castle and the name feels quite spot on. Besides looking beautiful, what makes Himeji Castle special is that it’s one of the few castles in Japan to survive centuries of turmoil. At its core, this National Treasure dates back to 1601 and its sole purpose was to defend against attack. While I enjoyed visiting Osaka Castle and Matsumoto Castle, neither really compare to the scale and beauty of Himeji Castle.
Before you get to the actual castle itself, you first encounter the castle’s extensive grounds, which are also easy on the eyes. Cross the moat, pass through the gate, and you’ll reach a large field, Sannomaru Square.
There you can see the immense stone foundations of the castle, but also rows and rows of cherry blossom that stop you in your tracks. Off to one side there’s the Princess Sen Peony Garden, but I’d leave that to the end and make a beeline for the castle entrance.
Touring Himeji Castle
While exploring some parts of the castle grounds is free, you’ll need tickets to head inside its walls and see the castle keep. At the ticket office, there are electronic machines and manned desks. Ironically, the manned desks were quicker than the self-service machines, so honestly, that’s what I’d recommend doing.
Once inside the entrance, you have the choice of two routes for your visit. While you can head straight to the main keep, I chose the longer route that also visits the West Bailey. What’s nice about that route is that you get to walk through the “Long Gallery” of the West Bailey, which is basically a series of exhibits inside the castle fortifications. Here as well as in the keep, you’ll remove your shoes and carry them in a bag – make sure to wear (nice) socks.
After the West Bailey, you’ll weave your way up through multiple gates and courtyards. My visit was very busy, with lines holding up traffic periodically at many of these points. And this was on a week day when the castle is meant to be less busy, even in April. The only upside to the lines is having time to spot the clan rest on the roof tiles.
Inside the White Heron Keep
The longest line of all though is the one heading into the main keep and you’ll never really leave it as you tour the keep. Inside, you’ll climb up the six floors of the keep (excluding the basement), but you may notice that from the outside it only looks like there are five.
Much of the keep tour, besides waiting to climb the steep stairs, involves looking at the castle’s subtle defensive features. From weapon racks and firing platforms to ambush rooms, every little detail seems to serve a purpose. As for the views, you’ll sporadically get views on lower levels, but it’s from crowded top floor that you’ll see panoramas of the city.
Koko-en Gardens
When buying tickets to Himeji Castle, there’s the option of buying a combination ticket for the castle and the Koko-en Gardens. Since it’s only an extra 50 yen, I said why not and got the combined ticket.
From the main entrance to the Himeji Castle grounds, it’s a short walk to Koko-en. Secluded behind high walls, it’s a little green oasis, complete with waterfalls, bamboo gardens, and teahouses. There is even a large pond with bridges running over it and schools of carp.
It all looks quite traditional, but in fact the garden was started in 1992 on the site once home to samurai houses. What is traditional though are the techniques used to create its nine different garden areas. And the gardens are pristine, with every detail handled perfectly and just so.
Koko-en may not hit the heights of the gardens at Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, but they’re still very pretty. The other aspect of the gardens that I didn’t explore was the Kassui-ken Restaurant there with its garden views. Based on the number of people waiting to dine there, I imagine it’s quite the spot.
Walk the Castle Moat and Senhime-no-Komichi
Leaving Himeji Castle and walking over to the Koko-en Gardens I noticed how pretty it looked along the castle moat. So after visiting the gardens, I went for a wander on the nearby path outside the moat. Much of the view early on is simply the castle’s walls; once you reach the South Segakushi Gate ruins though, you lose sight of the castle walls under the trees.
Eventually the path reaches Himeyama Park, but I turned off the path the other way towards Senhime-no-Komichi, a different park. Once you reach Senhime-no-Komichi you’ll see why I couldn’t resist going there instead. The park follows a very narrow island on the Senba River, one that’s so narrow that the path basically covers it. Senhime-no-Komichi is probably the most beautiful place in Himeji, particularly in spring thanks to all the cherry blossom.
Otokoyama Haisuiike Park
After wandering along Senhime-no-Komichi, I noticed Otokoyama Haisuiike Park on the map and saw it wasn’t far away. It wasn’t somewhere I had planned to visit, but I figured I may as well check it out.
What didn’t show up on the map were the stairs leading up to Otokoyama Haisuiike Park. To get to the park, you need to negotiate a long staircase which was even more tiring under the midday sun. The climb was worth it though because the park offers a spectacular view of Himeji and especially its castle. Here more than anywhere else, you can see just how high the castle sits over the rest of the city.
As for the park itself, there’s not much more going on. What you may find interesting though are the various shrines that sit off to the side of the staircase up. I decided to take the zigzagging path down that leads to them. They didn’t seem all that different to other shrines I’d already visited in Japan, but you may feel differently.
Miyukidori Shopping Street
It may not be necessarily photogenic, but the Miyukidori shopping street offers a bit of variety to your Himeji day trip. Miyukidori is a covered shopping street, like you can find in Kyoto and Nara, and is home stores, cafes, restaurants, and more.
It’s useful if you want a souvenir or food following your castle visit. Unlike Nara where some of the restaurants in the Mochiidono shopping street had long lines, Miyukidori came across as much less busy, although it did get busier closer to the station. The street is also useful if it’s raining and you want to stay under cover going to/from the castle.
My only recommendation from my time exploring the shops is Hamamoto Coffee. I went here for the coffee but it was the almond toast, a Himeji favourite apparently, that I still remember to this day. Yum!
Other Things to Do in Himeji
No matter how much you pack into one day, there is a limit to how much you can do. While it’s not a long list, there were more things to do in Himeji that I didn’t have time for. There are also places such as the Harima no Kuni Sōsha Shrine, which I did visit, but don’t really have anything to say about.
Visiting on a Monday meant several city museums including the Himeji City Museum of Art and the Himeji City Museum of Literature were closed. I feel like the Himeji City Museum of Literature would have been good just to add some variety. Himeji is also home to a city zoo and aquarium, but they’re not really my thing. If you’re travelling with kids, they may be more appealing to you.
Travel Tips for Visiting Himeji
While I think I’ve done a decent job of showing you what a Himeji day trip has to offer, maybe you want personalized help with your visit. In that case, I recommend organizing a tour guide for your visit, whether it’s for a half-day or a full day. They won’t help with getting to Himeji, but you can really dig into the history and culture with them.
As for when to visit Himeji, I really can’t see any other season beating spring. The cherry blossoms everywhere, especially along the moat and river, are just too special. It does sound like autumn is a beautiful time too though.
Should you decide that a day trip to Himeji isn’t long enough, it could be interesting to stay here overnight. There is a small selection of accommodation in Himeji if you choose to spend longer here.
Does a Himeji day trip sound like something you’d like to do when visiting Osaka or Kyoto? Have you seen photos of Himeji Castle before and wanted to go? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
