姫路城
Himeji Castle
Présentation
Himeji Castle, known as 'White Heron Castle,' is the supreme masterpiece of Japanese castle architecture — a National Treasure and Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its brilliant white plaster walls and the spectacular complex of the five-story main tower and three smaller towers represent the ultimate fusion of architectural art and military engineering. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Ikeda Terumasa carried out a major reconstruction to create the castle as it appears today. Its ingenious spiral layout confuses approaching enemies with a labyrinthine path to the main tower. Miraculously surviving wartime bombing, Himeji Castle preserves over 400 years of history as one of Japan's greatest treasures.
Lien avec les sabres
Swordsmiths of Harima Province were active around Himeji Castle, as Harima contributed to sword production since ancient times. Castle lord Ikeda Terumasa earned Himeji through his exploits at Sekigahara, and as a battle-tested daimyō, he handled many notable blades. The later Sakai clan lords collected and preserved swords as part of their daimyō heritage. Himeji Castle sits at a key point on the San'yōdō highway, close to the Bizen Osafune sword production area. The journey from Himeji to Okayama (Bizen Osafune) makes an ideal route for tracing the history of Japanese swords.
Points d'intérêt
- National Treasure & World Heritage main tower complex
- Beautiful white plaster castle walls
- Nishinomaru & Keshō Turret (associated with Princess Sen)
- Ingenious spiral defensive layout
- Kōko-en (adjacent Japanese garden)
* Les horaires d'ouverture et les tarifs sont susceptibles de changer. Veuillez consulter le site officiel avant votre visite.