Himeji Castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture. It comprises a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. Dating back to 1333 when Akamatsu Norimura built a fort on top of Himeyama hill, it was rebuilt as Himeyama Castle in 1346, and then remodelled into Himeji Castle two centuries later. Over the following centuries the castle complex has been significantly expanded and is the largest and most visited castle in Japan. For film buffs, Himeji Castle was also the site of James Bond’s 1960’s adventures in You Only Live Twice.
