This is the story of Himeji Castle, which almost didn’t survive the test of time. During the Meiji Period, plans were made to tear it down, but a local resident saved it. It later survived both World War II and the Great Hanshin Earthquake by chance. The story of Himeji Castle shows how easily historic sites can be lost.
Himeji Castle’s Remarkable Survival Through History and Disasters
Himeji Castle’s history dates back to 1333, when Akamatsu Norimura, the ruler of Harima Province, built a fort on Himeyama Hill. In 1346, Norimura’s son, Sadanori, replaced the fort with Himeyama Castle.
In 1545, the Kuroda clan began remodeling the castle into what would become Himeji Castle. They completed the work in 1561. In 1580, the castle was given to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who added a three-story keep in 1581.
Rebuilding the Castle
In 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu gave the castle to Ikeda Terumasa. Between 1601 and 1609, Ikeda demolished Hideyoshi’s keep and rebuilt the castle, transforming it into the structure we see today.
Threats to Himeji Castle
During the Meiji Period (1868–1912), many castles were destroyed. Himeji Castle was abandoned in 1871. Some parts were demolished to make way for military barracks. The castle was then auctioned off for 23 yen (about 200,000 yen today) and bought by a local resident. He had initially planned to tear it down, but the cost of demolition was so high that he decided to renovate it instead.
Surviving World War II and the Great Hanshin Earthquake
In 1945, Himeji Castle survived heavy bombing during World War II. While the surrounding area was destroyed, the castle remained mostly unharmed. One firebomb landed on the top floor but failed to explode.
In 1956, repair work began to restore the castle. Despite the damage caused by the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, Himeji Castle remained largely unaffected.
