Spring is the most rewarding time to visit Himeji Castle in Hyogo prefecture ... most mesmerised by the approximately 1,000 sakura trees on the castle grounds – they look particularly striking ...

HIMEJI, Hyogo Prefecture--Out-of-towners and overseas visitors to Himeji Castle will be charged more than double what residents here pay to visit the World Heritage site from next year.

Some visitors to one of west Japan's most-loved tourist attractions will soon have to dig a little deeper for their tickets when Himeji Castle raises its entrance charge. Himeji City officials say ...

“We want visitors to buy them before taking the Shinkansen train,” he said. Himeji is famed for its hilltop castle, which is designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site.