The White Heron Castle – Himeji
Himeji Castle was the first historical property to be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you exit Himeji Station you can see the breathtaking white five-story castle. It commands a predominate view at the center of Himeji. You can have your picture taken with a beautiful Japanese woman dressed up as a princess and a Japanese samurai lord.
The castle has a Seppuku-wing. This is very interesting. For those who do not know, seppuku is the samurai’s traditional suicide. It fascinates me not that it seppuku happens, but that it happens so frequently it requires a wing of the castle!
After you finish viewing the breathtaking five-story castle, you may wish to take a walk in the ‘Koko-en’ gardens. They are ponds filled with koi fish, and stunning views. The garden has spectacular stone-arched bridges and traditional tea ceremony.
The castle has a famous ghost story: Okiku and the 9 plates. While there are several versions of the story, the ending is essentially the same. In one version, Okiku is the servant of a samurai called Aoyama. In a trick to win her love, Aoyama tell Okiku that she had lost one of the family’s ten precious plates. She counts and recounts the nine plates, and insists that it wasn’t her fault. Aoyama said he would overlook this is she married him, but she refused and he threw her down a well. In a second version, Okiku overhears her master (Aoyama) plotting to overthrow his lord. Okiku warns her lover, a loyal warrior, and the plot was averted. Afterwards, Aoyama learned that it was Okiku who foiled his plans, and decides to kill her. He had someone steal one of the lord’s ten precious plates steal a plate and then he blamed Okiku. She was tortured and then thrown down a well. At night, you can hear her counting to nine and shrieking for the tenth plate. Apparently, the ‘Okiku well’ at Himeji castle was that very well. At night, you can still here her counting. “ichimai, nimai, sanmai, yonmai, gomai, rokumai, nanamai, hachimai, kyumai, AHH!”
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