Browse two vastly different Himeji icons; one a centuries-old castle, the other a magnificent garden planted just a few decades ago. Himeji developed as a castle town when a fortress was built there in the 14th century. The recon structed version that stands today is considered the finest surviving 17th-century castle architecture in Japan, the reason UNESCO deemed it a World Heritage site. As you browse the interior, you can expect to see its main keep, rock chutes and concealed spaces built for defensive purposes. The top floor offers a panoramic view and the best perspective to see the maze invaders had to negotiate to reach the castle. In contrast, the draw of nearby Kokoen Garden is its peace and tranquility. Although it opened in 1992, the garden looks as if it has been there for centuries. That was the intent, as the design reflects the gardens of Japan’s 250-year Edo period that ended in 1867.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Marvel at the features that earned the castle a UNESCO World Heritage site designation.
• Meander through serene Kokoen Garden, which reflects Edo period garden design.
• Notice the garden’s different themes showcasing plants such as flowers and bamboo.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Sample a selection of sake after discovering how it’s produced and then meander through a tranquil garden designed like the ones that flourished during the Edo period. First, you will visit Sake Brewery. The Harima region of Hyogo Prefecture has a long history of sake brewing, with the oldest record of the first sake made with malted rice, and many long-established sake breweries can be found there. The tour will observe the technique of sake brewing, which uses carefully selected sake rice produced in Hyogo, a region with a climate suitable for sake brewing, and naturally fermented in the traditional way. In the end of the tour, you will enjoy tasting the sake. Afterwards, you will pause for photos of Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site that is considered the best intact example of 17th-century Japanese castle architecture. You can also see the castle’s towering main keep while meandering through nearby Kokoen Garden. Although the garden is only a few decades old, it was designed like the ones in the Edo period, which began around the time that Himeji Castle was constructed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour an award-winning sake brewery and then sample some of the product.
• Behold Himeji Castle, an outstanding example of 17th-century Japanese castle architecture.
• Meander through serene Kokoen Garden, which reflects Edo period garden design.

Ascend Mount Shosha in a window-walled ropeway gondola, the most scenic means to reach the spectacular Buddhist temple at the top. The higher the altitude, the better that the views will be of the Himeji metropolis and beyond. Upon arriving at the summit, you will follow a winding mountain path to Engyoji, a temple founded more than 1,000 years ago. It is one of 33 temples on Japan’s oldest pilgrimage route. Inside and around the grounds, you will see statues of Kannon, the six-armed Goddess of Mercy. Engyoji has changed so little over the centuries that it often serves as an atmospheric location for historical films, the most famous being “The Last Samurai,” which was nominated for four Oscars. While walking about the main hall, inner sanctuary and dormitory for monks in training, you will see artifacts that reveal much about Japanese life over the centuries.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride the ropeway up Mount Shosha and enjoy panoramic views along the way.
• Browse the Buddhist temple Engyogi that sits atop Mount Shosha.
• Discover the history of Engyogi, which lies on an ancient pilgrimage route.
• Enjoy the atmospheric setting of the temple, which was founded 1,000 years ago.

Gain an appreciation for the craftsmanship behind some of Kobe’s finest architecture and for the production of sake by browsing two unusual museums. While walking through the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, the only venue of its kind in Japan, you will see large-scale models of temples and tearooms and the rare hand tools used to construct them. The museum building is as remarkable as the collection inside as master craftsmen built it using traditional techniques and materials such as juraku clay and Ibushi-smoked roof tiles. The Kiku-Masamune Sake Museum is devoted to the finer points of Japan’s revered rice wine, the country’s most iconic drink, whose origins predate recorded history. Besides gaining an understanding of how Kiku-Masamune sake is processed, you will sample several varieties of this beloved brand of sake. As you will discover, it is an authentic dry sake free of lingering aftertastes so it doesn’t affect the flavor of any dishes paired with it.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Browse the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, the only one of its kind in Japan.
• See how Kiku-Masamune sake is produced and sample this dry rice wine.
• Appreciate the craftsmanship behind Japanese carpentry and sake production.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Visit attractions that best represent the character of Himeji and come away with an excellent understanding of the culture. From a window-walled gondola on the Mount Shosha Ropeway, you will enjoy sweeping views of Himeji that only get better the higher you go. While browsing the Buddhist temple Engyoji at the summit, you will see several statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, which were erected because the temple lies on an ancient pilgrimage route that honors the goddess. Although the temple was founded in the 10th century, Himeji didn’t thrive until a protective castle was built there in the 14th century. While pausing for photos of this UNESCO World Heritage site, which has been reconstructed numerous times, you can’t help but notice its graceful design and white plaster exterior, two reasons why the Himeji Castle is better known as the

HIGHLIGHTS
• Ride the ropeway up and down Mount Shosha and enjoy panoramic views along the way.
• Browse a Buddhist temple atop Mount Shosha that lies on an ancient pilgrimage route.
• Behold Himeji Castle, an outstanding example of 17th-century Japanese castle architecture.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.