Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is listed in the Japanese city of Hego. It was erected in the 15th century by the Norimura Akamatsu dynasty and is one of the oldest castles in Japan, as well as the most popular among tourists. Since 1993, listed in UNESCO.

Japan's facilities stand out for their design approach. But majesty and beauty are not the main task of the castle. The most important purpose of such buildings in Japan is, first of all, to perform a protective function. Unapproachable castle are made by moats with river water, embankments that surround it, as well as a powerful stone base of the walls. There are many secret moves and confusing mazes. And the walls themselves, of such an unusual design, rise sharply up, where they turn out, due to which it is simply not real to climb them. The basis of the defense were archers who cut off the attackers through specially designed cuts in the walls of ( I-zama ). The main tower was defended by dropping down stones.

Given the fact that Khimaji Castle has wooden walls, it has been preserved unchanged. Although in those days, wars often flared up between dynasties, but Khimaji ignored all the bad things.

The color of its walls, which are painted with white paint, makes the lock very elegant and attractive. Thanks to the snow-white color, which also strengthens the walls with the roof, this structure has a middle name - « White Heron Castle ». The territory of the castle is surrounded by several towers, a protective wall, ditches filled with water, as well as gates and luxurious greenery. All this unusual beauty, the ensemble occupies 22 hectares.

Khimeji Castle began to be erected in the middle of the 14th century near Khime Mountain. The castle architecture served as an example for many castles in Japan. The original structure of the castle, made 1333-1345, passed from hand to hand during internecine wars, during which it was severely battered. In 1601-1609, the castle was rebuilt and acquired its current form. A seven-tier main tower was built - a shaft and a number of other buildings, a huge spiral garden was broken with dead ends, in which enemies should have lost their minds, and archers would shoot them from the towers. But militant times passed and it was not possible to test the actions of the maze in practice. In 1871, the White Heron Castle was confiscated and it was auctioned for 23 yen. During World War II, the territory near the castle was bombed more than once, but the castle itself was almost unaffected.

Khimaji Castle, along with its rich territory, starred in famous films: « Warrior Shadow », « The Last Samurai » and others. Visiting the White Heron Castle is best in the month of April. At this time, the whole beauty of this complex opens, thanks to the blooming sakura at this time. This unusual beauty landscape fascinates even experienced travelers.

Getting to this attraction is not difficult, taking advantage of the high-speed express from Tokyo. You will spend 4 hours on this.