Shogun Day 12: Osaka Rest

Even though this was the second test day in just a few short days, it was welcomed!
Osaka is such a contrasting environment to our last few days of riding and is a huge amount of fun. Osaka proper has a population in excess of 2.7 million and the Osaka Prefecture is 8.8.million.

If Kyoto was the city of the courtly nobility and Tokyo the city of the samurai, then Osaka (大阪) was the city of the merchant class. Osakans take pride in shedding the conservatism found elsewhere in Japan, and this spirited city – Japan’s third-largest – is a place where people are a bit brasher, and interactions are peppered with playful jabs.

After last night’s heavy rain, this morning turned out be mostly sunny and warm, and of course the cherry blossoms Wes on their regal splendour!
Four us set out after breakfast to find the Himeji Castle. It was worth the visit and good that we got there early before the crowds started to build…

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himejijō), also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance, is widely considered Japan’s most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is both a national treasure and a world heritage site.

Unlike many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one of the country’s twelve original castles.

Himeji Castle lies at a strategic point along the western approach to the former capital city of Kyoto. The first fortifications built on the site were completed in the 1400s, and were gradually enlarged over the centuries by the various clans who ruled over the region. The castle complex as it survives today was completed in 1609. It is made up of over eighty buildings spread across multiple baileys, which are connected by a series of gates and winding paths. Most of the castle was destroyed during the Summer Wars in 1600, and rebuilt in 1604. The main emblem of the rulers of the castle is this mythical ocean fish with a dragon’s face and sharp scales…it adorns the outside in many places.

The castle is genuinely magnificent and you can walk all the way to the top floor, about 10 stories. From the top a 360 degree view of the grounds of the castle and the city of Osaka.