Himeji Castle, or the Castle of the White Heron, many could be seen in famous films - for example, in the film of the James Bond series, "You Only Live Twice", in the masterpieces of Akira Kurosawa's "Shadow Warrior" and "Run" and the movie "The Last samurai". Attention filmmakers to this castle is quite clear - his crisp white main building with seven storied tower is very nice and served as a model for the construction of other castles in Japan. The building is also considered a classic example of Japanese architecture. The castle, which seems elegant, is actually a well-fortified defensive structure with gloomy interiors.

Currently, it is one of the oldest Japanese castles, which since 1993 is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The name of the castle gave Mount Hime, at the foot of which it was built in the middle of the XIV century. Year reason to believe 1333rd when Akamatsu Norimura built a fort on the hilltop. The fort was demolished and built anew in the form of a castle. Over time, the walls of the castle rose the whole city, also called Himeji. The castle complex has 83 buildings and a garden, which was created for defensive purposes in the form of a maze to confuse the enemy. However, when the garden maze was completed in Japan have come relatively quiet times, and armed conflict between feudal lords ceased.

The castle as a trophy passed from one clan to another, and at the end of the XVI century its owner was the commander Toyotomi Hideyoshi appointed emperor in this castle. Castle went to the governor in a shabby and unsightly, so Hideyoshi ordered an overhaul. The next owner of Ikeda Terumasa, to whom the castle was given for military valor, also had an impact on the appearance of a castle. So, it was built 45-meter-high main tower in seven storeys, additional towers and other buildings, and a garden maze. The reconstruction was completed in 1618, and since then the appearance of the castle has not changed.

Surprisingly, the castle was hurt during the bombings of World War II, his state is not affected by natural disasters, even the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, so strong was his design.