Planning a trip to Japan and wondering how to visit the beautiful Himeji Castle in your itinerary?
Many first time travelers, just like you, want to maximize their time in Japan and visit as many places as possible.
Yet, navigating the train system to get to Himeji City can be super confusing. What’s the difference between the local trains, rapid trains, and high speed bullet trains (Shinkansen)?
Justin and I have traveled extensively throughout Japan. We’ve visited this country over 20 times and have always used the train as our primary mode of transportation, so we are familiar with the train system. We visited Himeji for the day as a stopover on our way to Okayama, so we have insider tips on train travel.
We’re here to help you understand how to get to Himeji from nearby cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Tokyo, Fukuoka, and beyond. For each city, we include the total travel time with a departure time between 9:00am to 10:00am, different train options, and the cost for reserved and non-reserved seating. The cost is current as of the time of publishing. We hope this post provides you with more confidence in getting to Himeji smoothly.
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Helpful Train Tips
Himeji City has two main train operators – Japan Railways (JR) and Hanshin-Sanyo Electric Railways.
The main train station is Himeji Station 姫路駅, where local trains, Limited Express/Express, Special Rapid/Rapid, Shinkansen (high speed fast bullet trains) for JR line.
Sanyo Himeji Station 山陽姫路駅 is the nearest station to Himeji Station for the Hanshin-Sanyo Electric Railway and has a local train line.
We walked from JR’s Himeji Station to Himeji Castle to see this iconic landmark!
What’s the difference between Local trains, Limited Express/Express, Special Rapid/Rapid, and Shinkansens?
The local trains are slower, cheaper, and stop at every station.
Limited Express/Express and Special Rapid/Rapid trains skip the smaller stations, so you’ll arrive in Himeji faster.
Shinkansens are the high speed bullet trains that will get you to Himeji super fast! Nozomi and Mizuho Shinkasen are the fastest and most expensive bullet trains. Sakura, Hikari, and Kodama trains are cheaper and will arrive at the destination slightly slower than the Nozomi and Mizuho trains. Most JR Passes cover the slower shinkansens, but you’ll need to read what your pass includes.
Limited Express and Shinkansens have reserved and non-reserved seats. Reserved seats require an additional ticket. If you have a JR Pass, you can reserve seats for free.
Use the JR West Timetable and Route Finder to find the schedule and cost of trains.
We highly recommend using the JR West Timetable and Route Finder to figure out which trains to use. We always use this website as the schedule can be more accurate than Google Maps if you’re only using one train operator.
Input your starting and ending location (Himeji Station if taking the JR line), departure time, date, and the type of trains (Shinkansen, Limited Express/Express, and Special Rapid/Rapid Services). You may exclude Nozomi/Mizuho Shinkansen trains in the search.
As mentioned in the introduction, the information below has a departure time between 9:00am to 10:00am.
JR Passes can be used at Himeji Station and on any JR lines.
The country-wide JR Pass or regional JR passes can be a convenient way to travel around by JR trains. We’ve used both of these passes. We prefer the Regional JR passes as we can focus on one area rather than trying to travel across the country in 2 weeks.
These are the Regional JR Passes that stop by Himeji Station. The links will bring you to Klook, a third-party site where we buy all our JR Regional Passes. We love using Klook for our Japan travels and buying tickets.
- JR West All Area Pass: This is ideal if you want to explore the entire JR West area in 7 days. Click here to learn more.
- Kansai Wide Area (5 days): This pass covers the greater Kansai area. We wrote a comparison post between Kansai Wide Area and Kansai Area Pass. We encourage you to read it.
- Kansai Area Pass (1 to 4 days): The area coverage is not as extensive as the Kansai Wide Area or JR West All Area Pass. We’ve used this pass for 4 days and enjoyed it. Read our Kansai Area Pass review here.
This is what the 4 day Kansai Area Pass looks like
- Sanyo-San’in Area Pass (7 days): This pass travels from Kansai Airport, Okayama, Tottori, and Fukuoka’s Hakata Station.
- Kansai Hokuriku Area Pass (7 days): This pass travels from the Kansai, Wakayama, and Hokuriku areas, such as Kanazawa.
- Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass (5 days): Travel to Kansai Airport, Wakayama, and Hiroshima.
- Setouchi Area Pass (7 days): Travel from Kansai Airport to Fukuoka’s Hakata Station.
- Sanyo-San’in Northern Kyushu Pass (7 days): This pass includes a part of Northern Kyushu and Kansai area. We will use this pass in an upcoming trip, so stay tuned for our review.
From Osaka to Himeji
Osaka is a major city to travel to Himeji. We’ve traveled to Osaka 10+ times and love how it’s centrally located to other cities. We recommend exploring Osaka in a day or up to 4 days before doing day trips.
From Osaka to Himeji, there are two train operator options – the JR line and the Hanshin-Sanyo Electric Railway. You can choose to take either local trains, limited express, or high speed bullet trains.
All JR Shinkansen trains depart from Shin-Osaka Station (新大阪駅).
For the information below, we’ve used Osaka Station (大阪駅) as the main departure station unless otherwise noted. Yet, you can decide where to depart.
JR Trains
Special Rapid – Direct Train (Cheapest Option): 1 hour 2 minutes
The special rapids are local trains but skip a few stations. From Osaka Station, take the Tokaido Sanyo line. You’ll end up at Himeji Station faster than a local train that visits every station.
The seating is non-reserved, so you can sit anywhere. Therefore, you pay for a regular train fare.
Total cost: 1,460 yen Adults / 730 yen Children
Limited Express – Direct Train (Fast Option & Mid-Range Cost): 55 minutes
The limited express trains on the line will get you from Osaka to Himeji faster than the Special Rapid trains. These trains skip stations.
You’ll take the Limited Express Super Hakuto. Reserved seating is only available.
Total cost: Base fare + Reserved seats: 2,990 yen Adults / 1,490 yen Children
Special Rapid Train & Shinkansen with 1 Transfer (Fastest Option & Higher Cost): 43 minutes
Take the Special Rapid Service train on the Tokaido Sanyo line or Osaka East line from Osaka to Shin-Osaka Station for 4 minutes. Since this is a local train that skips several stations, it has non-reserved seating. You’ll pay a regular train fare.
Then, you’ll need a Shinkansen ticket or JR pass, and take the Shinkansen Sakura train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Shin-Osaka to Himeji Station for 29 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 3,550 yen Adults / 1,770 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 3,220 yen Adults / 1,610 yen Children
Hanshin – Sanyo Electric Railways
Local Train – Direct (Cheapest option): 1 hour 38 minutes
There is a direct train that utilizes the Hanshin and Sanyo Electric Railways, another train operator besides Japan Railways. It’ll take 1 hour 38 minutes. These are non-reserved seats.
You’ll need to start at Osaka Umeda Station 大阪梅田駅 for the Hanshin Electric Line. Then you’ll ride on the same train when it changes over to Sanyo Electric Railway. The last station is Sanyo Himeji Station 山陽姫路駅.
Total cost: 1,350 yen Adults (This price is according to Google Maps. I couldn’t find the actual cost on the website.)
Note: Consider getting the Hanshin-Sanyo Seaside 1 Day Pass for 2,450 yen (Adults). You have unlimited rides between the stations with the pass. Learn more about the pass here.
From Kyoto to Himeji
Kyoto is the most sought after destination to visit temples and shrines in Japan. It was the former capital before moving to Tokyo. We’ve been to Kyoto a handful of times and love visiting Uji area for the matcha desserts and wandering through the old streets.
We’re departing from Kyoto Station (京都駅) as it’s the main station operated by JR. Shinkansens and local trains depart from this station.
Special Rapid – Direct Train (Cheapest Option): 1 hour 35 minutes
This is a local train on the Tokaido Sanyo Line that skips stations, so you’ll arrive in Himeji quickly. It has open, non-reserved seating, so you’ll pay the normal train fare.
Total cost: 2,210 yen Adults / 1,100 yen Children
Shinkansen + 1 Transfer (Fast Option & High Cost): 58 minutes
Take the Shinkansen Nozomi train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka for 13 minutes.
Then, take the Shinkansen Kodama train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Shin-Osaka to Himeji for 40 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 5,280 yen Adults / 2,630 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 4,740 yen Adults / 2,360 yen Children
Note: This is the same cost as taking the Non-reserved Nozomi or Hikari trains that we mentioned below, and has a direct route.
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Faster Option & Higher Cost): 50 minutes
The high speed bullet train is a great option if you want to get somewhere ASAP.
Shinkansen Hikari train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line is a slightly slower high speed bullet train compared to Nozomi. The difference in the arrival time is minimal – under 10 minutes.
The price will be slightly lower on Hikari trains versus Nozomi trains.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 5,070 yen Adults / 2,530 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 4,740 yen Adults / 2,360 yen Children (Same cost as taking the Non-reserved Nozomi)
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fastest Option & Highest Cost): 43 minutes
Shinkansen Nozomi train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line is an ultra-fast high bullet speed train. You’ll take 43 minutes from Kyoto to Himeji.
Reserved and non-reserved seating are available.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 5,500 yen Adults / 2,740 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 4,740 yen Adults / 2,360 yen Children (Same cost as taking the Non-reserved Hikari train)
From Tokyo to Himeji
Most people fly into Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport or Narita International Airport when entering Japan.
So, if visitors want to head straight to Himeji after they land, it is possible. You could visit Himeji as a day trip from Tokyo. Yet, it’s not ideal since it takes over 3 hours to get there one way by Shinkansen.
We recommend visiting Himeji when combining it with other cities in the area, such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe for a longer vacation.
But if you want to do this ride, we will start from Tokyo Station (東京駅). However, feel free to start from any station with a Shinkansen line.
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Cheaper Option) – 3.5 hours
The Shinkansen Hikari train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line is the slower high speed bullet train, yet it’ll still fast. The difference between the Nozomi (ultra fast) versus Hikari is 30 minutes to get to Himeji.
There are reserved & non-reserved seating available.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats on Hikari: 15,730 yen Adults / 7,860 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats on Hikari: 15,400 yen Adults / 7,690 yen Children [Same cost as taking the Non-reserved Nozomi]
Shinkansen + 1 Transfer (Fast Option): 3 hours 12 minutes
This route combines the super fast Nozomi train and a slight slower Shinkansen Kodama train. To be honest, I don’t think this route is worth it since you need to transfer.
Take the Shinkansen Nozomi train on Tokaido Shinkansen line from Tokyo to Shin-Kobe Station for 2 hours 42 minutes.
Then take the Shinkansen Kodama train on Sanyo Shinkansen line from Shin-Kobe to Himeji for 22 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 16,270 yen Adults / 8,130 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 15,400 yen Adults / 7,690 yen Children [Same cost as taking the Non-reserved Nozomi and Hikari trains]
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fastest Option): 2 hours 57 minutes
We’re taking the Shinkansen Nozomi train on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. This ultra fast train will get you to Himeji in under 3 hours.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats on Nozomi: 16,370 yen Adults / 8,180 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats on Nozomi: 15,400 yen Adults / 7,690 yen Children
From Kobe to Himeji
Kobe is a popular port town to visit as a day trip. It’s known for the delicious Kobe beef. But we like it for the small Chinatown area (1 out of 3 Chinatowns in Japan) and hiking Nunobiki Falls.
Kobe is the nearest city to Himeji, so you’ll have frequent trains traveling between the two cities. You can choose to use the Japan Railways high speed bullet train or local trains or the Hanshin Sanyo Railway’s local train.
The JR Shinkansen station is at Shin-Kobe (新神戸駅). The other local JR train stations are Kobe (神戸駅) and Sannomiya (三ノ宮駅).
For the options below, we’re departing from Kobe Station unless otherwise noted.
JR Lines
Special Rapid – Direct Train (Cheaper Option): 36 to 37 minutes
The Special Rapid train on the Tokaido-Sanyo line goes directly from Kobe to Himeji. The train schedules are frequent between the two cities. So, if you miss one train, you can wait for the next one.
Since this is a local train that skips several stations, there are only non-reserved seats. You pay a regular fare.
Total cost: 960 yen Adults / 480 yen Children
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Faster Option): 16 minutes
If you want the fast speed of the bullet train and slightly lower cost, then take the Shinkansen Sakura train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line. You’ll get there in 16 minutes (versus 15 minutes on the Nozomi train).
Reserved and non-reserved seating are available.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 3,050 yen Adults / 1,520 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 2,720 yen Adults / 1,360 yen Children (Same cost as the non-reserved Nozomi train mentioned below.)
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fastest Option): 15 minutes
We’re taking the Shinkansen Nozomi train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line. You’ll get there in lightning speed in 15 minutes.
Reserved and non-reserved seating are available.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 3,370 yen Adults / 1,680 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 2,720 yen Adults / 1,360 yen Children
Hanshin – Sanyo Electric Railways
Local train – Direct (Cheaper Option): 60 minutes
Remember how we mentioned this train line from the Osaka to Himeji section above? This is the same Hanshin-Sanyo Electric Railway and it passes through Kobe. Therefore, you can use this option.
Take the train from Kosobu Kobe Station 高速神戸駅 and end at Sanyo-Himeji Station. You stay on the same train.
Total cost: 1,020 yen Adults (According to Google Maps)
Note: Consider getting the Hanshin-Sanyo Seaside 1 Day Pass for 2,450 yen (Adults). You have unlimited rides between the stations with the pass. Learn more about the pass here.
From Hiroshima to Himeji
Hiroshima is a popular destination to visit in Japan. It’s known as the first atomic bombing site by the U.S on August 6, 1945. It was a tragic event that will never be forgotten.
We recommend spending at least 2 days in Hiroshima to learn about the history and visit the nearby Miyajima Island.
Hiroshima Station 広島駅 is the main train station in Hiroshima City, so all trains will depart from there to Himeji. Using the high speed bullet train is the recommended way to travel from Hiroshima to Himeji.
Shinkansen + 1 Transfer (Cheaper Option): 1 hour 39 minutes
This route uses two lower-cost and slower Shinkansen trains, yet you’ll still arrive in Himeji quickly.
Take the Shinkansen Sakura train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Hiroshima to Okayama for 40 minutes. Then, take the Shinkansen Hikari train from Okayama to Himeji for 31 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 8,240 yen Adults / 4,110 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 7,910 yen Adults / 3,950 yen Children (Same price as the direct Mizuho non-reserved train.)
Shinkansen + 1 Transfer (Faster Option): 1 hour 25 minutes
This route combines the higher-cost Nozomi train with the lower-cost and slower Kodama train.
Take the Shinkansen Nozomi train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Hiroshima to Okayama for 39 minutes. Then, take the Shinkansen Kodama train from Okayama to Himeji for 34 minutes.
Reserved and non-reserved seating are available.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 8,560 yen Adults / 4,270 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 7,910 yen Adults / 3,950 yen Children (Same price as the direct Mizuho non-reserved train.)
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fastest Option): 56 minutes
Take the Shinkansen Mizuho train on the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Hiroshima to Himeji. Reserved and non-reserved seating are available.
*Note: You can also take the direct Shinkansen Nozomi train, which will arrive in 55 minutes. You save 1 minute!
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 8,770 yen Adults / 4,380 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 7,910 yen Adults / 3,950 yen Children
From Fukuoka Hakata to Himeji
Fukuoka’s Hakata Station 博多駅 is located on Kyushu Island and west of Himeji. This is the major station to depart from on the JR line. Taking the high speed bullet train is the recommended way to travel from Hakata to Himeji Station.
We’ve traveled to Fukuoka’s Hakata area three times and love the low-key vibe. The city is the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen, so it’s great for ramen lovers.
We have a post on how to spend a day in Fukuoka here.
Shinkansen + 1 Transfer (Cheaper Option): 2 hour 44 minutes
If you miss the direct train, you can take the Shinkansen Sakura from Hakata to Okayama for 1 hour 50 minutes. Then take Shinkasen Hikari from Okayama to Himeji for 31 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 13,870 yen Adults / 6,930 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 13,540 yen Adults / 6,770 yen Children
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fast Option): 2 hour 7 minutes
Travel on the Shinkansen Sakura from Hakata to Himeji.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 13,870 yen Adults / 6,930 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 13,540 yen Adults / 6,770 yen Children
Shinkansen – Direct Train (Fastest Option): 2 hours
Take the Shinkansen Mizuho train on the Sanyon Shinkansen line to travel directly between Hakata and Himeji Station.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 14,610 yen Adults / 7,300 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 13,540 yen Adults / 6,770 yen Children
From Nagasaki to Himeji
Nagasaki is located on Kyushu Island is far west of Himeji. This city is known as the second bombing site that the U.S. dropped on August 9, 1945.
We stayed in Nagasaki for one full day and had a side trip to the European-style Huis Ten Bosch theme park.
We do not recommend traveling from Nagasaki to Himeji since it’ll take at least 3.5 to 4 hours by high speed bullet train. We think the train ride is too long. Plus, we think there are incredible cities to stop at between Nagasaki and Himeji, so you can rest and break up the travel.
But if you want to do this ride, you’ll depart from Nagasaki Station 長崎駅. Taking the high speed bullet train is the only way to travel from Nagasaki to Himeji in 4 hours.
Shinkansen + 2 Transfers (Slower Option): 4 hours 2 minutes
Take the Shinkansen Kamome on the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line from Nagasaki to Takeo Onsen Station 武雄温泉駅 for 23 minutes.
Then, take the Limited Express Relay-Kamome from Takeo Onsen to Hakata Station for 54 minutes.
The final leg is from Hakata to Himeji Station on the Shinkansen Mizuho train for the Sanyo Shinkansen line for 2 hours. This last leg on the super fast bullet train increases the price of the ticket slightly.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 20,220 yen Adults / 10,100 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 18,620 yen Adults / 9,310 yen Children
Shinkansen + 2 transfers (Fastest Option): 3 hour 44 minutes
Take the Shinkansen Kamome train on the Nishi Kyushu Shinkansen line from Nagasaki to Takeo-onsen Station for 31 minutes.
Then, take the Limited Express Relay-Kamome from Takeo-onsen to Shin-Tosu Station 新鳥栖駅 for 35 minutes.
The last leg is from Shin-Tosu to Himeji Station on the Shinkansen Sakura train for the Kyushu Shinkansen line for 2 hours 22 minutes.
Total cost:
- Base fare + Reserved seats: 20,170 yen Adults / 10,070 yen Children
- Base fare + Non-reserved seats: 19,310 yen Adults / 9,650 yen Children
Final Thoughts
We hope you feel more comfortable with taking the train from your original destination to Himeji. With the tips that we shared and some research on the JR West Timetable and Schedule website, you will arrive in Himeji with ease and worry-free.
We recommend reading our post on what to do in Himeji so you can maximize your time here.
If you have any questions, please ask in the Comment section below.
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