Himeji Otemae-dori & Castle Illumination 2026-27

Dates & time: November 20, 2026 (Fri) - January 11, 2027 (Mon) 5:00–10:00 p.m. (planned)
cost: Free to view
Venue & access: Himeji Station area, Otemae-dori, Himeyama Park and Himeji Castle Sannomaru Square The route starts right outside the north exit of JR / Sanyo Himeji Station. Walk north along Otemae-dori; Sannomaru Square at the castle is about 20 minutes on foot. By car, use paid parking around the castle such as Otemon Parking. Crowds are expected during the illumination, so public transport is recommended.

There are 3 car parks within a 12-minute walk of Himeji Station area, Otemae-dori, Himeyama Park and Himeji Castle Sannomaru Square, and 8 public restrooms within 8 minutes. The map shows each with its walking time.

Facility data comes from OpenStreetMap. It does not include opening hours, fees or availability.

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Why You Should Visit

A winter illumination that links Himeji Station to Himeji Castle's Sannomaru Square along a 2.5 km route lit by around 510,000 LEDs. The theme, 'Atarayo', is a Man'yoshu word for a night too beautiful to let end, and the lighting is directed by designer Motoko Ishii. Look for the white-heron photo spot outside the station, the sea-of-clouds lighting on Sakuramon Bridge, a lighting show in Himeyama Park and the 'Atarayo Dream Mirror' of water reflections and mirror balls in Sannomaru Square. Walk from the station and follow the light all the way to the World Heritage castle.

NOTE

Highlights by area

Himeji Station: white-heron photo spot and station-plaza illumination
Otemae-dori: a 2.5 km corridor of light from station to castle
Sakuramon Bridge: sea-of-clouds lighting
Himeyama Park: lighting show and Japanese-garden staging
Sannomaru Square: 'Atarayo Dream Mirror' (water reflections and mirror balls) and a large ginkgo lit in white LEDs shaped like heron wings

Related events (planned)

Nov 20 (Fri): lighting ceremony (station area)
Nov 20 (Fri)–Dec 28 (Mon): illumination at the Himeji Station North Plaza
Nov 22 (Sun): 'Good Couples Day' event (planned for Himeyama Park)
Dec 18 (Fri)–Dec 25 (Fri): Christmas market, closed Dec 21 (Otemae Park, station north transit plaza and others)
Dec 19 (Sat)–20 (Sun): Otemae-dori pedestrian zone

Scale

About 510,000 LEDs (up from about 250,000 last season)
Lighting design supervised by Motoko Ishii

* Hours and related-event dates are provisional; changes are announced on the Himeji City website.

Illumination Winter Night View Photo Spots History Heritage Date Free Cheap

出典: 姫路市公式HP

Kobe · Gluten-free

All illuminations in Kobe & Kansai →

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FAQ

When is the illumination on?

From Friday, November 20, 2026 to Monday, January 11, 2027, lit daily from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. (planned). Hours may change.

Is there a charge?

The illumination at the station, along Otemae-dori, in Himeyama Park and in Sannomaru Square is free to view. No reservation or ticket is needed.

How far is the walk from the station to the castle?

It is about 2.5 km, roughly 20 minutes on foot, from the station's north exit up Otemae-dori to Sannomaru Square. Sakuramon Bridge and Himeyama Park are on the way, so allow about an hour for the round trip.