Overview
Himeji Castle is a hilltop castle rising above the city of Himeji in Hyōgo Prefecture. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ikeda Terumasa rebuilt and greatly expanded the existing castle, completing the present complex between 1601 and 1609. Its brilliant white plastered walls earned it the name White Heron Castle.
Description
The complex is a network of 83 buildings centred on a five-storey main keep that conceals six floors and a basement inside. The approaches spiral toward the keep like a maze, designed to keep attackers exposed to the defenders for as long as possible. It is regarded as the finest surviving example of early-modern Japanese castle architecture in the Momoyama style.
History and legacy
Himeji Castle was never taken in battle, and it survived both the 1945 air raid on Himeji and the 1995 Hanshin earthquake before undergoing a major restoration from 2009 to 2015. It is a National Treasure and, in 1993, became one of Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage sites.