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East Asia · Japan

Himeji Castle

Historic Full day difficulty: Moderate with kids: yes
Himeji Castle

The most beautiful and best-preserved castle in Japan, white as a heron about to take flight, with curved roofs stacked toward the sky. It's a World Heritage Site and inside it keeps its steep wooden staircases and its defensive traps.

The pop wink

Himeji Castle appears in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice (1967), where it serves as a ninja school. Your daughter walks the very same stairs and passageways that were on screen more than half a century ago.

With kids

  • Climb the steep stairs to the very top of the tower
  • Look for the openings in the walls used to shoot at attackers
  • Imagine the ninjas from the film training in the courtyard
  • Count how many curved roofs are stacked on the white façade
Accessibility: All ages; climbing the tower means many steep wooden stairs

With family

  • Walk the maze of walls and gates that protected the tower
  • Visit in spring, when the cherry trees ring the castle in pink
  • Stroll the Koko-en garden, right next door
  • Talk about how every corner was designed for defense

Full listing, routes and recommendations at Mi País — Himeji Castle. ← All destinations