#kokoen

The Girls in the White Castle.

Well, not quite. Himeji Castle is still undergoing some serious restoration work. The main tower is still covered in scaffolding, and will be until late March next year, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an enjoyable place to visit.

Our day in Himeji was amazing. We had a fantastic tour guide for a great 1 and a half hour long English speaking tour. We got to see inside some of he buildings, hear some of the history of the place and learn a little about the work that is being done on the main tower.

We also visited the neighbouring Kokoen Gardens next door. They’re very beautiful, Japanese gardens that are wonderful and peaceful, no matter the time of year. Entry to both the castle and the gardens can be combined in one ticket, making it convenient for day trippers.

One word of warning, though. Don’t go to the Himeji City Zoo. It has to be one of the most utterly depressing places I have ever had the misfortune to visit. It’s quite old, run down and features some rather sad looking animals in some pretty small cages and enclosures. I sincerely hope someone gives them a massive funding injection to completely revamp the zoo.