Himeji - A Castle and Its Garden

Yesterday there was once again no blog entry – simply because it was a rather uneventful travel day. We were still in Fukuoka, checked out early, and used the remaining time to do a bit of shopping (I finally own some nice chopsticks now). After a hearty lunch – ramen number two in Japan – there was naturally some Specialty Coffee.

Just before continuing our journey, there was a small shock moment: The coffee nerd thought for a few minutes that he had lost his phone. In the end, it was simply very well hidden in one of the many bags that had accumulated from our successful shopping. After that, we took the Shinkansen onward to Osaka.

Today, we started directly from there for the next sightseeing trip: we headed to Himeji.

The destination was the famous Himeji Castle, one of the best-preserved castles in Japan and well-deserved UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even from the outside, it impresses with its size and its radiant white facade, which has earned it the nickname White Heron Castle. The white color comes from the plaster used, which not only serves an aesthetic purpose but also had a certain fire protection function.

Especially interesting is the construction: a combination of massive stone walls, wood, and sophisticated defense mechanisms. The main castle consists of five floors plus a basement and is supported by two huge wooden pillars inside that stretch from the foundation almost to the roof. The castle reaches a height of around 46 meters – absolutely impressive for the early 17th century.

Inside, you could only move without shoes, so we walked through the castle in socks. There isn't much furniture, but that makes it exciting: You get a good feel for how large and functional this complex was – and how advanced the construction must have been for its time.

Inside the castle, it becomes clear just how impressive the construction is: Massive wooden pillars spanning multiple floors form the backbone of the structure, complemented by a complex mesh of beams and cross-braces. The following model illustrates this quite well:

After touring the castle, we continued to the Kōko-en Gardens nearby. Several separate garden areas, each with its own design, waterways, bridges, and lovingly tended plants. The entire atmosphere seemed deliberately designed for deceleration – winding paths, quiet corners, and that feeling of simply being able to breathe. Truly balm for the soul.

After so much culture, the daily ritual followed: coffee. This time in a small, very cozy café – and indeed my current favorite of the entire trip. No frills, just really good coffee, a pleasing atmosphere, and toast with almonds and/or cinnamon. Everything about it just fit.

As it was already around four o'clock at that point, we skipped the classic lunch and instead made plans for dinner right away. After all, somewhere between Himeji and Osaka lies Kobe – and we definitely wanted to go there to try the famous Kobe Beef. It fit perfectly with the timing, so we quickly drove there.

Following a recommendation from a colleague, we headed straight to a restaurant that specializes in Kobe Beef. The prices were initially quite surprising – not because they were inappropriate, but because we simply weren’t mentally prepared for it yet. In the end, we thought: When, if not here?

And yes – it was absolutely fantastic. Several small courses were served alongside the meat, and at the end, there was even coffee and dessert. The beef itself was prepared right at the table, and the cook turned it into almost a little show. Overall, an experience that will definitely be remembered and was more than worth the visit.

After that, the day was really over. With the train back to Osaka, then with the Loop Line (also a train, but a different one) to the hotel – and pretty soon, off to bed. Tomorrow, it’s time to wake up early again, as the next day trip is already waiting.