【Itinerary】JR Himeji Station → Himeji Castle → Kokoen Garden → JR Himeji Station

(1) Himeji Castle

During the Edo period, there were 300 clans in Japan. However, after the Meiji Restoration, most of the castles in Japan were lost due to fires, civil wars, and World War II.

Himeji-jo, completed in 1609, is a miracle castle that has survived in almost perfect condition for over 400 years. Along with Horyu-ji Temple, it was the first castle in Japan to be recognized as a World Heritage site. It is a precious castle that conveys the appearance of a samurai castle to the present day, and the top floor of the castle tower offers a wonderful view of the city. It is also well known as a cherry blossom viewing spot in spring.

(2) Kokoen

This Japanese garden was created using the ruins of an old samurai residence. It is consistently ranked in the top 25 among more than 800 Japanese gardens in Japan by the American magazine "Journal of Japanese Garden".

The tour also includes options such as enjoying matcha in a Japanese garden and visiting the temple where the movie "The Last Samurai" was filmed.