HIMEJI! Most foreigners have not heard of this place. So, how did I end up visiting? Hm... must be my fascination with castles! I love visiting castles, palaces & gardens. Europe, Japan, China; all has enchanting architecture. Once, I'd hope to be an architect; now, the only thing I build is web pages & travelogues! That's still some form of building, isn't it? ;-)
Let us take a tour of HIMEJI-JO CASTLE, the unanimously acclaimed splendid castle of Japan, built in 1580 by Toyotomi Hideyohi & later enlarged by Ikeda Terumasa. What's so unique about this castle? Firstly, its stately white form thereby giving it the name SHIRASAGI (the white egret!). Secondly, it is the most magnificent castle that still survives in its original (ie. non-concrete) form. Guess, in this age of development, most buildings just can't escape from demolitions. And, to survive that is in itself a feat! Enjoy, my friends!
Web Resources
Country Code: 81
Yellow Pages: Itp.ne.jp
Newspaper: Japan Times 
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