Himeji Castle

A hilltop castle complex in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture: 83 structures with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. It is often called Hakuro-jō or Shirasagi-jō (White Egret Castle, or White Heron Castle) for its brilliant white exterior and its likeness to a bird taking flight. The tenshu, the main keep, served as a storehouse in peacetime and a fortified tower in war, with the daimyo’s offices and residences in single-storey buildings around it. The site dates to 1333, when Akamatsu Norimura built a fort on Himeyama hill.