How to Spend 1 Incredible Day in Himeji, Japan

*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click on them and make a purchase, we receive a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. Appreciate the support.

---

Map

---

What to Do on Your Himeji Day Trip

Stop by the Himeji Tourist Center. 

If you take the train to Himeji Station, we recommend stopping by the Himeji Tourist Center 姫路市観光案内所 after your arrival. 

It’s a fantastic opportunity to ask the locals about the area, where to go, where to eat, how to get around by bus, and other questions. There is someone who can speak English. Plus, you can grab maps and brochures. 

If you’re a card collector, you can collect the Himeji manhole card here. We’ve been collecting manhole cards around Japan. They’re free to collect and provide a fun souvenir from the city. 

The manhole card depicts one of the city’s manhole cover designs. For Himeji, the card and manhole cover showcase the beautiful Himeji Castle. 

Address: 1st floor, Piole Himeji 2 (Himeji Station)

---

Look for Himeji’s manhole covers.

Walking and looking at the ground may sound strange to you, yet you’ll discover unique manhole covers throughout Japan. For example, we’ve seen adorable Pokémon manhole covers around the country and Sailor Moon covers in Tokyo.

As mentioned above, you can find the Himeji Castle manhole covers on the way to the castle. Here is a map of the location. 

There are other fun and unique designs, such as the white heron cover. You’ll never know what you’ll find!

---

Visit Himeji Castle (Himeji-jo).

We recommend walking 20 minutes to the Himeji Castle (姫路城) from Himeji Station, but you can also take the bus. We’ll have more information on the bus transportation in the next section below. 

We’re starting the day with a visit to the famous Himeji Castle, also called Himeji-jo in Japanese.

As Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Outstanding Universal Value, Himeji Castle is recognized for its 17th-century Japanese architecture and stunning white exterior (made out of plaster). Thus, it’s referred to as “Hakurojo” or White Heron Castle, as it looks like a white heron flying in the sky. 

This castle also has another significance as one of the 12 original castles still standing in Japan. It’s not a replica compared to other castles around the country.  

The castle was built in 1601 and finished in 1609. It survived many battles and political unrest with feudal lords. In modern times, Himeji experienced air raids during World War II, yet the castle survived. The castle was restored from 2009 to 2015 using the original building techniques of the 17th century. 

We recommend spending a few hours exploring the castle grounds and reading the history. This place is HUGE! Luckily, you don’t need to worry about any time limit, so you can explore as fast or as slow as you want.

Here are the recommended castle highlights: 

Take a photo at the Sangoku Bori (moat).

This is a pretty photo spot as the Himeji Castle is in the background. You’ll pass the large Hishi Gate near the entrance to see this moat.

---

Walk through the Main Keep.

This is the main building of the castle that has seven floors (one of the floors is the basement).

The interior is empty as there isn’t any furniture, so it could be a letdown for some visitors. 

Note: Many Japanese castles have an empty interior, so you’re paying admission for the general upkeep and maintenance of the castle. 

However, there is some unique architecture to observe when navigating through the floors, such as the large wooden pillars between the floors and random secret doors and cabinets. 

We think that this would have been an exciting place to play the “Hide and Seek” game with the many hiding spots. 

From the windows, you can see the city view of Himeji and the surrounding area. You’ll notice that the windows are narrow to prevent arrows and bullets from entering. 

---

Take another beautiful photo at Honmaru Bailey area, outside of the Main Keep.

You can also rest on the benches here to enjoy views of the Main Keep. 

---

Explore the Hyakken Roka (Long connecting corridor).

Located to the left of the Main Keep, there is a long hallway that is only one level. 

We liked this part of the castle as it was more interactive than the Main Keep. We saw videos of the restoration process of the Himeji Castle. 

Plus, this area didn’t have the crowds compared to the Main Keep. 

Note: You’ll need to remove your shoes and wear slippers here as well. 

---

Celebrate your visit with a festival.

If the timing is right, you can celebrate one of the festivals held at the castle. The Himeji Castle Festival occurs in May and is 3 days long, filled with parades and dancing. Or, you can visit during the seasonal times, such as the Cherry Blossom Viewing Festival during springtime or the Himeji Yukata Festival in June. 

---

Address: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0012, Japan (〒670-0012 兵庫県姫路市本町68)

Admission Cost: 

• Himeji Castle Only: 1,000 yen Adults (18+ years); 300 yen (Children 6 to 17 years old) 
• Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden Combo Ticket: 1,050 yen Adults (18+ years); 360 yen (Children 6 to 17 years old) (We suggest that you get the combo ticket since it’s cost-effective versus buying individual tickets.)

You can pay in person at the main ticket office. Credit cards are accepted. Or, you can purchase online at the official Himeji Castle’s ticket website. 

How to Get There: You can walk 20 minutes from the JR Himeji Station or take the bus to Himejijo Otemonmae stop from Himeji Station. 

---

Stroll through Koko-en Garden.

Located on the Himeji Castle premises, Koko-en Garden (好古園) is a tranquil Japanese garden that has nine different themes. You can visit before or after Himeji Castle. 

Built in 1992, this 3.5-hectare garden was the former site of the Nishi-Oyashiki, the feudal lord’s West Residence area. 

Visiting the garden is a nice complement to the castle as you get some nature and greenery. There isn’t a specific walking path, so you can leisurely walk around the themed garden at your own pace and soak in the beauty.  

We recommend at least an hour to walk around. 

We visited in January, so the trees and flowers didn’t blossom. But we can see how this garden would be gorgeous during the spring season with the cherry blossoms and fall season with the foliage.

Here are some of the top highlights of our visit: 

• Explore the area that includes the Cho-on-sai guest house.  You’ll see a waterfall and also an overlook of the lake. There is a bridge to cross over the pond, which is a nice photo spot. 

• The garden of the Lord’s residence is a nice place to visit. Hundreds of colorful carp are in the pond. Some of the smaller gardens also had carp in their ponds. 

• Visit the Souju-an tea ceremony house to drink matcha tea and gaze at the gorgeous view of the Himeji Castle. 

• You can also enjoy a refreshing meal at the Kassui-ken restaurant for traditional Japanese meals such as grilled conger eel (anago) over rice, soba noodles, and bento boxes. You must make reservations in advance. 

Admission Cost: 

• Koko-en Garden Only: 310 yen Adults (18+ years); 150 yen (Children 6 to 17 years old)
• Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden Combo Admission: 1,050 yen Adults (18+ years); 360 yen (Children 6 to 17 years old) (We suggest that you get the combo ticket since it’s cost-effective versus buying individual tickets.)

You can pay in person at the main ticket office. Credit cards are accepted. Or, you can purchase online at the official Himeji Castle’s ticket website. 

How to Get There: Unfortunately, the garden isn’t connected with the castle since there is another admission cost. 

If coming from the Castle, exit the castle, cross the bridge, turn right, and walk on the main street for a few minutes to get to the entrance of the garden.

---

Buy some gifts along the shopping streets.

On your way back to Himeji Station, there are several covered shopping streets such as Miyuki Street Shopping District, Omizosuji Shopping Street, and Nishi Nikaimachi. There was a sign for Nishi Nikaimachi’s “Gourmet Street” which offered BBQ, sweets, sushi, and other delicious foods. It looked intriguing, but we didn’t have a chance to explore further. As with any of the shopping streets in Japan, you’ll find plenty of restaurants and local shops. 

---

Himeji Tour Options

We understand that visiting the sights on your own may not be for everyone. 

If you prefer a tour, we recommend tours from Get Your Guide or Viator. We’ve used tours from Get Your Guide and haven’t had any issues with booking or meeting with the guides.

Note: Before booking the tour, please read about the starting and ending locations. 

---

How to Get to Himeji

By Train: The easiest way to get to Himeji is by train or high speed train (shinkansen). We will have a post that highlights the different ways to get to Himeji from major cities such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. If you have a Japan Railway Pass or Regional Pass, you can use one of them to get to Himeji. 

---

By Bus: You can also get here by bus from the Airport. For example, Osaka Itami Airport to Himeji takes 1 hour 20 minutes by bus. While Kansai International Airport to Himeji takes 2 hours 10 minutes. 

---

How to Travel Around Himeji

By Walking: If you’re only going to the Himeji Castle area, travel by foot. From Himeji Station to the Himeji Castle it’s a 20-minute walk (1.5 kilometers /.93 miles). We walked and it was a nice stroll. The sidewalks were wide and flat and we could make side trips when we saw something interesting on the way. 

---

By local bus: There is a Himeji Loop Bus that travels from Himeji Station (platform #6) to the Himeji Castle area. The loop stops by attractions such as the Himeji Castle, Art Museum, History Museum, etc. 

You can either pay per ride. The cost is 210 yen for adults or 110 yen for children. 

Or, buy a 1 day pass with unlimited rides. The cost is 600 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. Depending on how many times you plan to ride the bus, the 1 day pass may be a better deal. You’ll need to ride the bus at least 3 times to breakeven for the pass value. 

Also, as you can get 20% off to attractions such as Himeji Castle. 

Click here to learn more about the Himeji Castle Loop Bus. 

---

By train: You can use the Japan Railways (JR) line throughout Himeji. The main station is Himeji Station. Another local line to consider is the Sanyo Electric Railway. Sanyo-Himeji is the station closest to Himeji Station.

---

Where to Store Your Luggage at Himeji Station

Himeji Station conveniently has coin-operated lockers to store luggage or large day packs during your day trip or stopover. There are lockers in the Shinkansen area or at the station entrances. Click here to see the locker locations. 

The daily rental cost varies depending on the size you need – 400 yen ($3.70) for a small locker, 500 yen ($4.60) for medium, and 700 yen ($6.50) for large. The larger ones will fit one rolling luggage. 

We visited Himeji as a stopover before heading to Okayama later in the evening. We had two large backpacks and didn’t want to carry them all day, so we used the lockers. 

Where to Eat in Himeji

There are many restaurants close to Himeji Castle and Himeji Station to try. We suggest doing a quick search on Google Maps for nearby places to eat. 

We ate at a couple of places, so here are suggestions:

Memme (讃岐うどん めんめ) for Udon

We bookmarked this place to try the udon. Unfortunately, it was closed on our visit. We’ll need to try it next time. 

Address: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0012

---

Spice Suehiro (スパイス スエヒロ) for Curry 

Opened in 2015, Spice Suehiro is a cozy place with has a limited menu. It offers three types of curry a day. You can do a half-half plate for any two flavors. The menu is in Japanese, but the servers are helpful with explaining what each item is. 

During our visit, there was chicken curry, shrimp curry, and tofu with lentils (vegetarian option). While this place doesn’t serve traditional Japanese curry, the flavors are spot on. The chicken curry and vegetarian curry had Indian spices, while the shrimp curry had Thai flavors. 

The second level of the building has gifts that you can purchase. 

Payment is cash only. 

Address: 68-42 Honmachi, Himeji, 兵庫県 Hyogo 670-0012, Japan (〒670-0012 兵庫県姫路市本町68-42)

Note: This place is closed on Thursdays and Fridays. 

More Information: Facebook

---

Bakery Lamp for Fresh Baked Breads

If you want freshly baked bread as a snack, head to Bakery Lamp (ベーカリー ランプ). They have delicious baked goods such as bagels, fruit danishes, donuts, croissants, homemade sourdough loaves, seasonal treats, and more. They also serve cooked foods such as burgers, hot dogs, and chili fries. 

We tried a red bean bun and the sesame bun with mentaiko and potato. We had a mix of sweet and savory flavors – sweet from the red beans and savory from the mentaiko and potato. Yum. 

There was a small dining area to enjoy the bread. 

Cash and credit cards are accepted.

Address: 68 Honmachi, Himeji, Hyogo 670-0012, Japan (〒670-0012 兵庫県姫路市本町68) This place is off the main street, so it can be a bit tricky to find. 

*Closed on Mondays and Thursdays

More Information: Website | Instagram

---

Where to Stay in Himeji City

Himeji City has a variety of accommodations to stay at, depending on your budget, number of people in your party, and the amenities needed. 

We prefer to stay near the main station, such as Himeji Station, so it’ll be easier to head to the next destination by train or bus. 

We always book our hotels on Booking or Agoda websites. We can filter by price, amenities, and cost. So you can find the perfect place to stay.  

Click here to see availability for hotels in Himeji on Booking.com

Click this link to see hotel options in Himeji on Agoda

---

Final Thoughts

Himeji in one day is a decent amount of time to spend to visit the iconic Himeji Castle and Koko-en Garden. We hope you enjoyed your time and had some fantastic memories from this stopover place. 

Now you can return to your home base, whether it’s in Osaka or Kyoto, or continue to your next destination. 

If you’re continuing your Japan trip and heading west, check out Kobe to try some Kobe beef or to see the Nunobiki Falls, or Okayama to see Okayama Castle. We’ve also been to Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto and would recommend these places. Enjoy the rest of your Japan trip!

Like this post? Save this pin to your Japan Pinterest Board.