A One-Day Trip Plan in Himeji– the Samurai City!

Getting to Himeji Station from Osaka Station takes about 1 hour when using the JR Rapid Service, or about 30 minutes if you use the Shinkansen. Since Himeji Castle is close to the station, you can enjoy smooth sightseeing by using public transportation.

To maximize your day in Himeji, we recommend the following day trip plan in Himeji!

All destinations are covered by value tickets offered by Shinki Bus!

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Step 1) Pick up a Himeji discount ticket

An economical way to explore Himeji is with value ticket sets! Tickets can be purchased at the Shinki Bus Information Center in front of Himeji Station. The Shinki Bus Information at Himeji Station sells several discounted ticket sets. Check here for other great deals!

1. The "Shoshazan Ropeway Set Ticket": covers unlimited bus rides from Himeji Station to Shoshazan Ropeway and a round trip ticket from the Ropeway to the summit of Mt.Shosha. From there you can reach Shoshazan Engyoji Temple, the filming location of The Last Samurai.
2. The "Shiro-no-machi Meguri 2-Day Pass": covers unlimited bus rides for 2 days around Himeji Station and a round trip ticket to the Mount Shosha Ropeway. It also includes 20% discounts to local museums around the area! This deal is unbeatable even for one day trips!

From Kyoto or Osaka

Himeji is a perfect day trip from Kyoto or Osaka due to its close vicinity and convenient transportation. Even if you spend the whole day in Himeji, getting back to Kyoto or Osaka is doable due to the frequent trains running. However, we highly recommend spending a night in Himeji to fully take in the area.

Step 2) Shoshazan Engyoji Temple

Engyouji Temple is an ancient temple with a history of over 1,000 years surrounded by beautiful nature. It's commonly known as the filming location of many historical movies and dramas, including the wildly acclaimed film, the Last Samurai.

Many people take the ropeway up to Engyoji Temple, which is a four-minute ride one-way.This ropeway along with the bus ride to the station is covered with the Shoshazan Ropeway Set Ticket which can be purchased at Himeji Station. Once reaching the top of the ropeway, you can see panoramic views of Himeji City. From here, you can take the shuttle bus to Shoshazan Temple, but we recommend taking the 15-20 minute walk through the forest.Walking through the forest to reach the temple is thought of as a spiritual experience for many people.

The main hall, Mani-den, is similar to the main hall of Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto and includes three other halls in addition to the main hall. One of the additional halls is called Jiki-do, and you can experience making copies of sutras on the first floor. On the second floor are exhibits of various treasures, such as statues of Buddha. The Last Samurai was filmed in these three halls. We recommend taking around 3 hours to visit this temple.

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Step 3) Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is one of the most beautiful and highly cherished castles in Japan, also known as White Egret Castle because of its beautiful exterior. Since its construction in 1609, it has undergone several renovations, but still retains its magnificent appearance today, adding even more value to the castle. In 1993, it became the first site in Japan to be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Even though Osaka has Osaka Castle, it's nothing like Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle has a unique charm that attracts even Japanese people.

Despite being made of wood, Himeji Castle is a real castle constructed with over 400 years of history. The original main keep has survived until today granting it the title of a World Heritage site. In comparison to Himeji Castle, Osaka Castle was rebuilt in 1931 with a reinforced concrete structure. Its scale is immense, and its structure has a unique grandeur and beauty to it. Of all the castle ruins left in Japan, not only is it enormous in scale, but also highly valued for its artistic value. It is said to be the pinnacle of wooden architecture in Japan. This area is covered by the Shoshazan Ropeway Set Ticket and 1 and 2 day passes.

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Step 4）Koko-en, an authentic Japanese garden

Koko-en is a garden situated right next to Himeji Castle and covers an area of approximately 33,000 square meters. It opened in 1992 and features a pond garden in the traditional Japanese style with Himeji Castle as a backdrop. Built on the original site of the Himeji feudal lord's residence, it consists of nine gardens of various sizes. A variety of flowers and trees can be admired across the changing seasons, and during the cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons, the gardens are often illuminated with special lights. It's a beautiful garden to visit and we certainly recommend it as a place to stop for a cup of matcha green tea when the weather is nice.

While it is possible to get around all of the sights mentioned here in a day, the Himeji area has so much more to see and do, so you may not be able to fully enjoy everything it has to offer in just one day. But if you have the opportunity, please do visit Himeji at least once.

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Gourmet spots where you can even enjoy food tasting tours!

Tatsuriki Sake Brewery

A sake brewery in Himeji with over 100 years of history, producing high-quality and delicious sake with a focus on quality. This spot is very accessible from Himeji Castle, and English support is also available in addition to their tasting experiences.
Google Map

Notable points:

• The sakes rich rice flavor and regional influence is popular amongst even wine enthusiasts
• We recommend the 7-variety tasting set which features different flavors from each sake rice production region
• Just a 5 minute walk from Himeji Station, you can casually enjoy sake tastings at Tatsuriki Sake Shop
• They also offer special reservation-only experiences where you can learn about sake aging and create your own custom blend

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Yamasa Kamaboko Factory Tour & Experience

Yamasa Kamaboko is a spot where you can observe and experience traditional Himeji kamaboko (fish cake) making. Here you can taste freshly fried processed fish products, and in the spring, you can enjoy a photogenic pink, purple, and white flower field. It's an ideal local experience spot to visit during sightseeing.
Access: From Himeji Station North Exit, bus stop #17, take Shinki Bus bound for Maenosho for about 30 minutes, get off at "Shimizu Bridge West End (Shimizubashi Nishizume)" and walk 15 minutes (on weekends and holidays, buses stop at "Yamasa Kamaboko-mae").
Google Map

Notable points:

• You can observe the latest kamaboko and chikuwa (tube-shaped fish cake) manufacturing processes for free, with tours held twice daily on weekdays and six times on holidays
• There's a popular program where you can experience making kamaboko and chikuwa in about one hour under a craftsman's guidance (reservation required, 1,500 yen)
• The direct sales store is also popular, where you can taste and purchase a variety of processed fish products including fresh kamaboko and "Castle Town Dogs."
• In spring, a walking path with approximately 210,000 colorful moss phlox flowers opens for free, making the factory tour even more photogenic

After experiencing Japanese food culture with all five senses at Yamasa Kamaboko, head back toward Himeji Station and consider stopping by "Koko-en," a Japanese garden located just west of Himeji Castle.