Himeji Photo Gallery

Himeji is an interesting day trip out of Osaka. While most people opt for a detailed tour of the castle, I actually came for the mountain temples instead, having been to so many castles across Japan already.
Shoshazan's many temples are located on a top of a hill that is accessible by ropeway. After a 25-minute bus ride from the train station, I found few tourists and not many people heading uphill. This would be a hidden gem.
The ropeway ascends 211m in less than 4 minutes. Each cabin can take about 70 passengers.
Tickets are required to enter the temple area. 500 yen later, I headed uphill on a well-marked path for the long journey through the forest.
The various temples are spread out over a wide area. It took quite some time to reach the wooden Maniden, a large temple set along a steep slope whose origins date back to the 10th century. This structure was rebuilt in 1933 after a fire.
Most of the forest paths heading uphill are well-shaded thanks to some very tall trees that are densely-packed together.
Daikodo was used for education and work for monks. It was restored in 1959.
At the far end of the mountain is Kaizando Hall, with origins going back to the 11th century. I had this place all to myself.
Gohodo was built in the 16th century for the mountain's guardians.
The Kansai Thru Pass does not work on city buses. I head back to the castle area to see the town's star attraction.
Himeji Castle consists of 83 buildings dating from the early 17th century. Most of the original castle remains, although it went through a long restoration process that ended in 2015.
Himeji is served by JR and Sanyo trains. From either station, it is a 15 minute walk to the castle grounds. Since I had purchased the Kansai Thru Pass, I could only ride the slower Sanyo option.
City buses leave from between the Sanyo and JR train stations. In Japan, board at the back and exit at the front. Pay upon exit.
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