After the somewhat sobering experience with the accommodation, I wanted to celebrate my 50th birthday even more beautifully and spontaneously decided to visit the castle complex in Himeji.
Birthday in Himeji
No sooner said than done! With the Osaka Loop Line and the Shinkansen, I could easily reach the castle in about an hour, thanks to the power of the the JR Pass. The magnificent castle is an absolute must-see:
Day 12: Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle is the largest remaining castle in Japan. The majestic white complex, which completely dominates the city of Himeji, survived both the turmoil of the Sengoku period and the Second World War almost unscathed. It is the prime example and pinnacle of Japanese castle building in the 16th and 17th centuries. The castle is unique in its combination of architectural beauty and sophisticated fortifications, making it virtually impregnable. Indeed it was never conquered. Because of its gleaming white outer walls and the shape of the main castle, it is also known in Japanese as Shirasagijō (白鷺城), or „White Heron…
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Himeji Castle Garden
Since the weather was so great and because I simply love Japanese gardens, I decided to spend another hour in the castle garden:
Day 12: Himeji Castle Garden
Right next to Himeji Castle is the Kōko-en, the castle garden. For the „horrendous investment“ of 50 ¥, you can buy an additional ticket for the garden at the castle’s ticket counter. Which you should do if you have the time because the garden is stunningly beautiful. A relaxing hour in the castle garden in Himeji The garden was built in 1992 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Himeji’s elevation to city status. Like most Japanese gardens, it is divided into different areas. As a small special feature, each of these nine parts is based on a specific style of…
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Umeda Sky Building
After all the historical overload and a small lunch, it was time to move to the hotel. But first, I went up high again, namely to the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka:
Day 12: Umeda Sky Building
After a small lunch at Dondontei in the Piole mall in Himeji (I’d forgotten what I had), I took the Shinkansen back to Osaka. Before moving to the hotel, I wanted to buy some decent headphones and a travel adapter in one of the electronics stores (which ended up being BIC Camera). I bought the Technics EAH-AZ60. And of course, I wanted to do a bit of sightseeing. Since I always love to go up high, I went to the Umeda Sky Building. I bought the ticket spontaneously, there wasn’t a long line that evening. The entrance fee is a…
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Cozy nightcap in Doyamacho
After that, we finally went to the hotel, which offered a fully automated check-in. The room was tiny but cozy. I unpacked my things, ate the dinner I had brought, and thought about what I could do with the rest of the evening. Finally, I decided to see what was going on in Doyamacho, one of the LGBT districts in Osaka.
Here, too, most of the bars were either closed, no longer there, or aimed at a different clientele. More by chance, I ended up in Frenz Frenzy. There was no program that evening (a constant on my trip), but it was really nice – the barkeeper was friendly, a lesbian couple (Australian and Japanese) chewed my ear off and the whisky was good too. Sadly, the (apparently) amazing curry was already gone.
Unfortunately, the bar closed at midnight. Maybe that was a good thing so that I could get enough sleep for the long day ahead. It was a nice way to end my fiftieth birthday!
