Historical Peace Center

A district with a large park with a small WWII museum, aquarium, amusement park, botanic garden, and a monorail museum..

This magnificent collection of 9 Edo-period-style walled gardens was laid out in 1992 on a site where samurai houses once stood. The street plan and gated partitions preserve the appearance of the old residential quarter, except that within the various enclosures visitors find beautifully landscaped gardens and water features instead of noble residences. There is a tea arbour and a restaurant within the grounds, but eating and drinking outside of these places is prohibited.

This zoo has a pretty comprehensive array of animals, but usually only one of each and all in very small cages or enclosures.

This is the only shrine in Japan associated with a castle. While the shrine is rather small and not very interesting, travelling up the stairs to the next lookout reveals a spectacular view of Himeji Castle.

Dating to 1609 and also graced with the name "White Egret Castle" (白鷺城 Shirasagi-jō), this striking white edifice is generally considered the most beautiful of Japan's castles and is one of the few that has escaped the ravages of civil war, World War II, earthquakes, and firebombings. The castle was designated as a national treasure in 1931 and was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. It is virtually the last castle in Japan that still manages to tower over the surrounding skyscrapers and office buildings. Although renovated, much of the castle looks as it did when it was first built, and in contrast to European castles, is very empty, consistent with the Japanese minimalist style of the time. On extremely busy days, you may have to wait to enter since the number of visitors at any one time is limited. Check the website for a "congestion forecast" and status.

Features artwork from local artists and European art, along with special exhibitions.