The Prettiest Castle in Japan… That I Never Saw

Posted on 12. Jul, 2011 by in Asia, Destinations, Philosophy

Japan is full of stunning castles, and Himeji-jo is supposed to be the most beautiful of them all. A beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site, it has survived the earthquakes and bombings that decimated much of it’s competition. It is nicknamed the “White Heron Castle” because it’s gleaming white towers resemble a bird taking flight. It’s absolutely stunning.

Himeji-jo

photo credit: robertpaulyoung

Or so I’ve heard, I never actually got to see it.

First, a confession: Sometimes I write a blog post in my head while or before an event happens. I imagine how things are going to play out and start narrating. It’s a blogger disease, I can’t turn it off. Unfortunately this is almost always a guarantee things are going to fall apart.

This was the case when I took the train from Kyoto to Hiroshima last September. I was perusing the battered old Lonely Planet a friend had given me right before I left, looking up the train stops ahead. One of the upcoming stops, Himeji was known for having the most beautiful castle in all of Japan. In the picture it was an elegant tower of white walls and green roofs- so different from European castles, but still so regal.

How cool would it be if I just jumped off the train and went to check it out? I’m not usually that impulsive, but it WAS the best castle ever after all. Wouldn’t that make a great blog post, something about taking chances, following your whims etc etc? My mind was made up.

At the station I paid a hefty 600 yen to store my backpack in a locker. I didn’t care, in my head I could already picture the gorgeous photo of the cast I would use to headline my post. Hooray impulsiveness!

I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. After a sweaty 20 minute walk to the castle grounds I gazed up expectantly…

On a good day, Himeji looks like this:

Himeji-jo

photo credit: Craig Anderson

What I saw was this:

Closed. For restoration. Until 2015. Nothing to see here. Well, that’s what I get for using an out of date guidebook. Damn.

On my long walk back to the station I silently rewrote my blog post. I don’t know what the message is this time. I guess that in travel sometimes things work out, and sometime they suck. You win some days and you lose others, but it is always worth it to take that chance.

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27 Responses to “The Prettiest Castle in Japan… That I Never Saw”

  1. Adrienne @Shenventure

    12. Jul, 2011

    I wanted to see Himeji-jo too when I went to Japan, but then found out like you did that it’s closed for restoration. Sucks =(

    Reply to this comment

  2. Eurotrip Tips

    12. Jul, 2011

    Very well crafted article, I didn’t that one coming – and neither did you, apparently. That sucks no matter what attraction you are visiting, but it does suck even more when you’ve made a special trip for it.

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      12. Jul, 2011

      Ha yeah, it was just frustrating. It was a really HOT day and ended up being such a waste of time.

      Reply to this comment

  3. Amanda

    12. Jul, 2011

    Oh no!! How disappointing.

    I often do the same thing as you — write a blog post in my head before even having an experience. Or sometimes I frame a photo in my mind before even seeing the spot I want to take a picture of. Then, of course, the experience is nothing like I expected, and my camera battery dies before I get that perfect shot.

    Such is life!

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      12. Jul, 2011

      Yeah, I try not to force my life into the shape of my blog ideas anymore, but sometimes i can’t help it!

      Reply to this comment

  4. Justin Morris

    12. Jul, 2011

    Oh man when this happens it is THE WORST. I remember visiting the Eiffel Tower once only to see it mostly covered in grey curtains due to repainting of the entire tower that year. Was a total downer that day for sure.

    Reply to this comment

  5. Scott - Quirky Travel Guy

    12. Jul, 2011

    Wow, stunning is the word. Too bad it’s off limits for so long! I’m jealous, I wish I had the motivation to write posts in advance :)

    Reply to this comment

    • Steph

      12. Jul, 2011

      It’s good motivation to go back at least! And I only do the post writing in my head- not AS productive as typing actual words.

      Reply to this comment

  6. Andrew - The Unframed World

    12. Jul, 2011

    You should check out Kumamoto Castle in Kyushu. Totally worth it.

    Reply to this comment

  7. Sally

    13. Jul, 2011

    As I was reading along, I was like, “Oh no, I hope she didn’t go because it’s under… oh yeah. Guess she found that out.”
    Sorry you didn’t get to see it. I lived only about an hour away from there & went a few times. It is a lovely castle, but the steps are crazy-hard to walk up (built purposely difficult to climb up so as to prevent samurai invasion). So, if it helps, you probably saved yourself a lot of muscle pain!

    Reply to this comment

  8. Toni

    13. Jul, 2011

    I feel your pain! I want to Japan last year and really wanted to see the main temple of Asakusa but all I got was a big dollop of scaffolding and tarpaulin cover – fail!

    Reply to this comment

  9. yogini

    13. Jul, 2011

    I really want to visit japan and see this place

    your blog is lovely (:

    Reply to this comment

  10. Nomadic Samuel

    13. Jul, 2011

    Oh no! How disappointing. One Buddhist Monastery I visited in Shangrila, China was largely under construction and many areas were off limits. Unfortunately, they had no problem charging me full admission & conveniently forgetting to leave out those details :P I suppose one the project is completed it will look even more spectacular but it’s too bad you didn’t get a chance to go when you wanted.

    Reply to this comment

  11. Katrin

    13. Jul, 2011

    ouch. but at least you followed your impulse and went to see it – otherwise you would probably be thinking you missed *the* chance to see the castle (and it does look absolutely stunning! I would’ve hopped on the bus aswell ;) )

    Reply to this comment

  12. Erin

    13. Jul, 2011

    How disappointing! I am taking that off our list for our trip to Japan next month. I still think it’s very cool that you got off the train on a whim though. That kind of spontaneity often leads to great things. It’s just a shame it didn’t in this case.

    Reply to this comment

  13. carolinam

    13. Jul, 2011

    I went there last year before they covered it. You could have checked Himeji City website, http://www.city.himeji.lg.jp/s60/2851146/_21909/siro-weekly-photo.html , which has an daily update of the restorations…
    In Himeji you could visit the Hygo Prefectural Museum of History that contains the castle’s history. And you get to try the huge and heavy kimono that monarchy used to wear.
    Also, Engyoji Shosha-zan, a very peaceful place.
    Next time, then.

    Reply to this comment

  14. Global Basecamps Ali

    13. Jul, 2011

    Oh no! How disappointing. But like you said you have good travel days and bad ones. Would love to go to Japan someday and see this, but I guess I will have to wait till 2015!

    Reply to this comment

  15. Alouise

    13. Jul, 2011

    Aww that sucks the castle was under restoration. That happened with me in Venice. I guess it just means you have a reason to go back to Japan.

    Reply to this comment

  16. Audrey

    13. Jul, 2011

    Oh no, that’s too bad! I remember walking up to a palace in Germany once, all excited to see the interior, and it turned out it was closed for the day!!!

    Reply to this comment

  17. Marsha

    13. Jul, 2011

    Haha! Ya gotta have an accurate and up-to-date guidebook. Reminds me of a trip to San Francisco when I woke up at the butt-crack of dawn on the day I was supposed to leave so I could find where Janis Joplin used to live in Haight-Ashbury. I found the house alright, but there was no sort of marker denoting that Janis ever lived there. I took a self-portrait in front of the house anyway, just in case. Turns out it was the wrong house! My guidebook had printed the wrong address and Janis’ former residence was really 5 houses away and I missed it. So now I have a picture of myself in front of a totally random person’s home. Still makes me laugh when I think about it!

    Reply to this comment

  18. Claire

    14. Jul, 2011

    First of all, this is hilarious. Second of all, I also write the post in my head before it happens. Or, I wake up in the middle of the night and write it all in my head and then cannot sleep because then I must edit it all……..still in my head!

    Reply to this comment

  19. Vi

    19. Jul, 2011

    It sad you didn’t see the castle. I agree what is most beautiful castle in Japan. At least it was prettiest I saw.

    Reply to this comment

  20. kyushudan

    11. Aug, 2011

    Great stuff. Well, not the fact that you saw scaffolding. That kinda sucked.

    Reply to this comment

  21. Dennis

    11. Nov, 2011

    Sorry that had to happen to you.
    I think it closed sometime last year for restoration.
    I was lucky to see it in 2003. Awesome place to see.

    Reply to this comment

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