Himeji Castle is one of the most famous castles of Japan along Matsumoto Castle and Kumamoto castle recently damaged by the Kyushu earthquake. It is by far the largest castle and attracts a remarkable amount of tourists every year. The castle has undergone recent and extensive restorative work that necessitated five years to complete.
The Himeji Castle is situated on a small hill. It comprises six floors and is surrounded by an intricate defense system. The many defensive walls are pierced by loopholes of different shapes that could be used to fire rifle shots at the enemy. Those defensive walls were designed in such a way to force the enemy to take many detours before reaching the main keep, giving the defenders more time and chances to locate and shoot the enemy. Nowadays, tourists wander across this complex and confusing walkway to reach Himeji Castle. As most Japanese castles are, it is surrounded by a moat: a water channel that encircles the fortress further deterring attacks.

Area : Kinki area
Prefecture : Hyōgo-ken
City : Himeji-shi
District : Honmachi