Himeji Castle and Princess Sen 姫路城とセン姫

A majestic castle for a legendary princess

Thanks to its imposing structure and its white color which gives it an elegance and an unforgettable identity, Himeji Castle has become one of the most renowned castle to visit in the land. If its feminine energy and its silhouette, which is said to resemble that of a heron taking flight is the legend of Prince Sen...

Princesse Sen

depiction of Princess Sen

Public domain

Part of the castle, built to accommodate the residences of Princess Sen and Tadatoki, is still standing today. You can walk in the footsteps of the princess and stroll through the rooms steeped in history where she lived. The western enclosure of the castle, Nishi no maru, is made up of a set of towers and corridors. This place, surrounded by a cliff at the back and steep walls with loopholes, was extremely well protected. About twenty rooms are connected by a long corridor of about 240 meters, where Princess Sen's servants lived. From this corridor, called Hyakken Roka, you will have a magnificent view of the main keep of the castle as well as the garden created in the western enclosure.

At the end of this long corridor is the Kesho Yagura, or Cosmetic Tower. The Kesho tower was the place where the princess rested and got ready, hence the name Kesho which means make-up. It is also said that this room was a place of meditation where she prayed morning and evening. This open space, covered with tatami mats and very well lit, is representative of Japanese residences. At the time of the princess, one can imagine walls covered with richly colored planks, with patterns of magnificent birds. Today, the walls are white and the furniture has disappeared, but the charm of this century-old tower has endured despite the past centuries.

Château Himeji

Himeji Castle in Autumn

OF

représentation de la princesse Hime au château de Himeji

depiction of Princess Hime at Himeji Castle

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To follow Princess Sen, the rest of our journey takes us to Kyoto where we find her tomb in the cemetery of the Chion temple. There, at the end of the path of adoration, you can meditate and admire a view of the city below. But beware of the prankster monkeys that inhabit the surrounding mountain forest!

Tombe de la princesse Sen

Tomb of Princess Sen in Chion-in, Tokyo

663highland


Address, timetable & access

  • Address

  • Phone

    +81-79-285-1146
  • Timetable

    By train: JR lines (Bantan, Kishin, San-yo, Super Hakuto and Tokaido-Sanyo) and Shinkansen Tokaido-Sanyo
  • Price

    Ticket for the Castle: Adult (18 years and over) at 1,000 yen ($8:50/8€) and students (elementary, middle, and high school) at 300 yen ($2.50/2€).Combined ticket for Himeji Castle and the garden of Kokoen: Adult (18 and over) at 1,040 yen ($9.25/8.75€) and students (elementary, middle, and high school) at 300 yen ($2.50/2.25€). No admission fee for preschoolers.
  • Access

    9 am -5 pm (last entry at 4 pm) *9 am to 6 pm in summer (April 27 to August 31) (last entry at 5 pm)
  • Website

    http://www.himejicastle.jp/fr/

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