Half-day Himeji Castle Town Bike TourDiscover history and beauty of Himeji Castle and town around by cycling with a local guide
★★★★★- 5.5 hour tour
- Small group tour
- English speaking guide
What makes this tour unique
- Explore inside Himeji Castle, registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Learn about its history and its people.
- Please enjoy exploring a Japanese garden and seeing the back of Himeji Castle from the hidden lookout!
- Enjoy cycling around Himeji City to fully appreciate the beauty of Himeji Castle town.
- Try a beautiful Japanese lunch at a local restaurant beloved by locals.
Tips and recommendations by our official guides
Himeji Castle is the first castle in Japan to be designated as a World Heritage site.
It is also known as Shirasagi-jo (White Egret Castle). Its striking white exterior and expansive size continue to captivate people from around the world.
However, due to the presence of a beautiful garden called Kokoen near Himeji Castle, visibility can be limited when walking around. If you wish to explore Himeji Castle thoroughly and leisurely, the most effective way is to cycle around the castle with a local guide.
During this tour, the guide will delve into why Himeji Castle is renowned as the "beautiful and iron-clad castle," offering insights from historical, cultural, and architectural perspectives as you walk and cycle around the castle and its surrounding town.
You will also have the opportunity to visit a 300-year-old Japanese sweets shop and sample traditional Japanese sweets that were once presented to feudal lords.
The tour is designed to engage all five senses, allowing you to immerse yourself in history, including listening to the melodious sounds of wind chimes crafted by artisans who once specialized in creating samurai armor.
Given the gentle terrain around Himeji Castle, cycling is quite easy. If you're looking to efficiently sightsee and appreciate the stunning castle and cityscape, this tour is ideal for you!
Official guide
What's included
Tour Himeji Castle, a World Heritage Site of magnificent scale, wisdom and technology
After meeting at Himeji Station, we will collect our bicycles and proceed to the shopping street in the castle town. There, we will visit a Japanese sweets shop with a history spanning over 300 years and sample "Tamatsubaki," a refined Japanese confection that was once presented to feudal lords within the castle. Subsequently, we will explore the magnificent Himeji Castle, also referred to as Shirasagi-jo, meaning "White Egret Castle." During our visit to Himeji Castle, our local guide will elucidate why the castle is deemed impregnable and renowned for its beauty, providing insights into its architecture, exhibits, and historical significance.
After taking in the spectacular view and cityscape from the top of the castle, enjoy lunch at a traditional Japanese restaurant beloved by the locals!
After ascending to the summit of Himeji Castle and admiring the breathtaking view, we will cycle through the historic castle town. We will savor a Japanese lunch at a restaurant located in the castle town. Following lunch, we will proceed to a shrine that offers a picturesque spot for capturing beautiful photographs of Himeji Castle.
Relax and enjoy a cup of tea in Kokoen, a beautiful Daimyo garden.
After exploring the shrine, we will cycle once more around Himeji Castle, heading to the picturesque Kokoen Garden. Within this garden, you can admire the flora, ponds, and carp while being serenaded by the melodious sound of a cascading waterfall. Following a leisurely cup of tea at a café within the garden, we will make our way back to the station.
Photos from the Recent Tours
Meeting Point
In front of Seven Eleven at North Exit of JR Himeji station
- In front of Seven Eleven at North Exit of JR Himeji Station.
- (There is another Seven Eleven, so please be careful.)
- A guide will be holding an orange sign saying "MagicalTrip tour"
Itinerary
- Meet up at JR Himeji Sta.
- Try some traditional Japanese sweets
- Himeji Castle
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Otokoyama Hachimangu shrine
- Kokoen Garden
- End of the tour around JR Himeji Sta.
- Cycling under the influence of alcohol, and using a smartphone while cycling are strictly prohibited in a low of Japan. Penalties will be imposed on violators, as well as on bicycle providers and fellow passengers. (Smartphone use is allowed when the bicycle is stopped.)
- There are many stairs inside the castle, so please check if you have companions who are concerned about navigating stairs without an elevator beforehand. You must remove your shoes upon entering. Please wear shoes that are easy to walk in and remove.
- Individuals aged 12 and above can join this cycling tour.
- If you're a vegetarian, please note that the lunch options and quantities are limited. (However, we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.) Please contact us before the tour date.
- If you have specific dietary restrictions, especially if you're vegan, we may not be able to provide the lunch option for you.
- Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate gluten-free requests for this tour.
- You are not required to cover the cost of the guide's food and drinks.
- Please bring cash if you wish to purchase additional snacks and beverages.
- The itinerary for this tour includes some locations that are not accessible by a wheelchair or stroller.
- This tour is not recommended for people with mobility issues, if you have walking problems we recommend booking a private tour.
- Please inform us at least one day before the tour if you have any dietary requests or allergies to mention.
- Note: Requests made on the day of the tour cannot be accommodated.
- Please note that we are unable to guarantee allergy-free or cater to dietary restrictions as the food is prepared in kitchens that do not belong to MagicalTrip. Additionally, there may be instances where substitutions are not possible at certain stops; however, we will make every effort to compensate at different stops throughout the tour.
- Japan's climate has become more extreme, with summer highs of 40°C (110°F) and winter lows of -5°C (20°F). Please prepare accordingly for the tour.
- Out of consideration for our other guests and to ensure the best experience for everyone, the tour must start on time.
- Please be aware that if you arrive more than 15 minutes late for the meeting time (10 minutes before the tour start time), you will not be permitted to join the tour, receive a refund, or reschedule.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the tour starting time.
- Free date/time rescheduling up to 24 hours before the tour starting time (depending on availability).
Anyone over 150cm ( 4′11″)tall can join this tour because of the size of bicycles.
The tour would be cancel if there is a 40% or more of rain probability. In case of cancellation because of bad weather we will send you a message one day before the tour; we might propose you to reschedule the tour to the closest available day (depending on availability).
If it is cancelled by bad weather, you get full refund.
