Himeji-jo Castle

Himeji-jo Castle
A classic example of Japan's beautiful castle architectureThe world of bygone days still lingers

Because its pure white appearance with white plaster coating looks like a dancing Shirasagi (Egret) with wings spread, this famous castle is also called the "Shirasagi-jo" or "Hakuro-jo". It was spared from damage during the war and from many other disasters and is in a remarkably preserved state compared to other castles. Seventy-four structures within the castle site including a tower and gate are designated as important cultural assets of Japan.The year of establishment was 1346. Later, the warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1589), who ruled over most of Japan, built a full-scale castle wall, which became the base for present-day Himeji-jo. At the start of the Edo period, the castle underwent considerable renovation over a 9-year period to create the magnificent appearance we see today.If you are confident in the strength of your legs and back to climb up and down, you should take a look around the inside of the castle. Clearly, beauty was not the only priority of those in power throughout the ages. Its complicated structure, particularly the three tall watchtowers connected by columns and winding maze-like passages, functions well as a war fort and conceals a mechanism to halt the invasion of enemies and throw them into confusion. The design is intended to prevent access to the tallest watchtower and castle keep, situated at the heart of the castle, which functions as a center, so beware if you go there without a map, you may get lost!
Among the many gates are the remains of gate mechanisms for dropping stones on the enemy if they manage to enter, or gates with an extremely narrow passageway so that not many people could pass at once. Numerous holes to shoot from are made in the castle wall and there are windows from which to drop gigantic stones on the enemy, too. It is very interesting that there is a kitchen in the inner court in case the castle falls under siege or an attempt is made to starve out the occupants. By the way, the thick coating of white plaster on the outer surface is not just there for aesthetic purposes but also for defense, because of its excellent resistance to fire and bullets.The castle keep rising from the peak of Mt. Hime-yama is built with a total height of 32 m on a stone wall approx. 15 m high, and the view from the top of the keep is spectacular. On a fine day, you can imagine the emotions of a feudal warlord with his ambitions to dominate the whole country. At night, the entire castle is lit up, so a visit after sunset is highly recommended as well

Himeji City, Hyogo prefecture

Sightseeing of Mt. Fuji

Sightseeing of Mt. Fuji

Mt. Fuji is the most famous mountain in Japan. The area surrounding Mt. Fuji is a most attractive tourist route for there are all kinds of sightseeing spots as well as resorts. To climb Mt. Fuji, you will need to plan an overnight visit. If, however, you wish to go on a day trip, we recommend a bus tour that will take you to the Fifth Station of Mt. Fuji and well-known sightseeing spots in the environs such as the Five Lakes of Fuji known as 'Fuji-go-ko' and Hakone. In fine weather, you will be able to command a magnificent view of Mt. Fuji. Latest Topics

Roppongi, with International Atmosphere
The World's Biggest Electrical Town, Akihabara
Registration at Lodging Facilities Changed
Flash Photo Report of the 2005 EXPO, Aichi
-->
Katsushika Hokusai (C) Hagi Uragami Museum
A sacred mountain captivating people since ancient times
The highest mountain in Japan, Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters above sea level, and is located more or less in the center of Japan, stretching over Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures. Its elegant conical form has frequently been depicted in many paintings and literary works since ancient times. Many Japanese dream of standing on the summit at least once in their lifetime, and Mt. Fuji is visited by some 300,000 climbers every year. The mountain officially opens only in summer; the climbing season runs from the beginning of July to the end of August. If time permits, why not aim for the summit? From the mountain top, you will command an exquisite view of a field of clouds spreading endlessly into the distance under the indigo sky. In particular, the early morning scene of the sun rising from the sea of clouds is of an inexpressible beauty, and this sunrise is regarded as a deity and worshipped by the Japanese who call it 'Goraiko'. The sun rising up on New Year's Day known as 'Hatsu-hinode' or 'the first sunrise of the year' has a symbolic importance, attracting many tourists to Mt. Fuji.
On the mountain top, there is a mail box, so you can send letters with your impressions upon reaching the summit. Every year, there is an increasing number of foreign hikers coming to Mt. Fuji, and the hiking routes are now marked with signboards in English, Korean and Chinese. Other than the joys of mountain climbing, Mt. Fuji offers the delights of appreciating scenic beauty. There are various tourist spots in the vicinity, where you will be able to fully enjoy the pretty landscapes of each of the four seasons.
History & Faith
Fuji senken jinja shainSince ancient times, Mt. Fuji has been the object of awe and admiration as a sacred mountain and a divinity of fire. Some myths depict Mt. Fuji as a deity, most frequently as a goddess.Moreover, there remain countless legends about superhuman beings flying in the air and climbing on horseback to the summit, or walking on the sea waters from an island and climbing up Mt. Fuji on foot every night, and so on. And in fact, there emerged ascetics who went into the mountain to undergo training so as to be inspired with divine power.
Fuji-ko (Mt. Fuji worship) Hatomori-hachiman Jinja ShrineLater, the emergence of Hasegawa Kakugyo (1541 to 1646), who performed all kinds of religious austerities such as climbing up Mt. Fuji more than a hundred times, and going on a fast that lasted 300 days, led to the formation of 'Fuji-ko' which was an association of people worshipping the deity dwelling in Mt. Fuji.Kakugyo was followed by the charismatic ascetic Miroku (1671 to 1733) who stimulated the ordinary people's worship of Mt. Fuji all the more. Miroku fasted in Mt. Fuji, and is believed to have died in the form of a mummy while offering prayers for the happiness of all living people. People became so fanatic in their worship of Mt. Fuji that this faith came under a ban by the Tokugawa Shogunate.The members of Fuji-ko (Mt. Fuji worship) not only climbed up the mountain, but also piled up lava rocks from Mt. Fuji to make miniature-sized Mt. Fuji called 'Fuji-zuka' mounds, and built shrines, where they paid visits of worship. Although miniatures, some were 10 meters high and quite impressive. Moreover, Fuji-ko was not merely an association of a religious nature, but also played the role of an organization of mutual help in the local community centered around Mt. Fuji. Photo(C)Fujiyoshida Museum of Local History
Culture
Ando Hiroshige Tsurunoyu (Sendagaya,Tokyo)Many artists have been captivated by the diverse expressions shown by this mountain depending on the season, or depending on the time of the day, whether in the morning or early evening. It is widely believed that Mt. Fuji is unparalleled worldwide as a mountain that has so frequently been narrated, sung in verse, and drawn. Photo (C) Hagi Uragami MuseumOf the numerous paintings of Mt. Fuji, people were above all moved by the Tokaido goju-san tsugi (Fifty-three stages of the Tokaido) by Ando Hiroshige and Fugaku sanju-rokkei (Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji) by Katsushika Hokusai in the 19th Century. Hokusai's dynamic composition, in particular, influenced Vincent Van Gogh. Composer Claude Debussy was also inspired by Hokusai, in his composition of The Sea, Symphonic Sketches for Orchestra. For the people living back then, these paintings also served as guidebooks. Looking at the landscapes depicted in these works, they could familiarize themselves with Mt. Fuji, and were able to feel as if they had actually traveled there.Representative works of the modern age include Nihon-ga (Japanese-style paintings) by Taikan Yokoyama and oil paintings by Ryuzaburo Umehara.Also, huge pictures of Mt. Fuji were drawn on the walls of many sento public bathhouses of Japan.Moreover, Mt. Fuji has been a popular motif in literary works. The Man'yo-shu (A collection of a myriad leaves) which is the earliest Japanese collection of waka, or Japanese poems, compiled in the 8th Century, is especially well known. Once in the modern age, the novelists Osamu Dazai, and Jiro Nitta who had the experience of working at the local weather station of this mountain, selected Mt. Fuji as the motif in their works.
Science & Nature
Formed approximately 100,000 years ago, Mt. Fuji is a composite volcano (volcanic cone). After repeating volcanic activities, it became the largest mountain in Japan. The eruption in 1707 continued for as long as 16 days, and there remain records that massive amounts of volcanic ash and lapilli traveled as far as present-day Tokyo area 100 kilometers away. And this eruption led to the formation of Mt.Hoei-zan (2,963 m) which is a parasite volcano of Mt. Fuji. Mt.Hoei-zan's huge mouth of the crater can be seen from Shizuoka Prefecture. Other products of this eruption include the numerous caves located in Aoki-ga-hara, also known as the Sea of Trees (Jukai), which is a 3,000-hectare virgin woodland growing over the lava flow. Also formed at the mountain foot were five lakes which are known as Fuji-go-ko, or the Five Lakes of Fuji. These lakes are considered to share the same subterranean water veins, and at times of heavy rainfall, a sixth lake called Aka-ike (Red Pond) sometimes emerges.
Mt. Fuji is also blessed with abundant spring water. The piled-up snow takes many years to be filtered through the layers of earth, producing mellow water with high mineral contents. Especially famous for abounding spring water flowing from Mt. Fuji are the eight ponds known as Oshino Hakkai in the village of Oshino-mura in Yamanashi Prefecture.

Katsushika Hokusai (C) Hagi Uragami Museum