Himeji Castle & Koko-en in 1 Day Tour — Guide Hiro

Title: What Is a Private Cruise Excursion in Himeji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Himeji Castle, Engyoji Temple, and Koko-en Garden

The guests were passengers from a cruise ship. The ship had originally been scheduled to call at another port before Himeji but the itinerary was changed so that it stopped at Himeji Port instead. I was able to confirm that the ship would depart from Himeji Port at 10:00 pm that night. The cruise ship terminal at Himeji Port is still under construction, and when I inquired with the Himeji Port Management Office under the jurisdiction of Hyogo Prefecture, I learned that construction had made almost no progress since February of the fiscal year, and that public transportation access was still limited to taxis or private cars only. As a result, we planned to meet by shuttle bus at the dedicated group bus stop at the south exit of JR Himeji Station. However, early that morning I received a message saying that taking the first shuttle bus would make the tour start too late, so the guests would come to the station by taxi, and we arranged to meet at the taxi drop-off area at the south exit of JR Himeji Station. The roads were apparently congested, and they arrived just before 9:00, so we were able to head to Himeji Castle almost as planned, with me explaining features such as the positions of the triple moats along the way. In September, the Karamete gate side, which is normally closed to the public, was specially opened, so we started from the Nishinomaru. The guests enjoyed taking photos from the spectacular viewpoints here and exploring the maze-like route up to the keep. Inside the keep, they seemed interested in the structure featuring the great central pillars and the defensive features within the building. At Engyoji Temple on Mount Shosha, they were delighted by the beauty of the Maniden hall built on a slope, the three halls, and the Honda family mausoleum, saying it was exciting to see a place they recognized from a film scene. At Koko-en Garden, they seemed very fond of the spots viewed from the bridge in the residence garden — the maple valley side and the pond side — as well as the tranquil pond, the nishikigoi carp, and more. After Himeji Castle, I asked what they would like to do for lunch, but they preferred to prioritize sightseeing over eating first. On the way back from Koko-en to the station, I had been thinking of a recommended place to eat, but since it was now the midday break time, I suggested conveyor-belt sushi, which they found interesting, so I introduced them to a restaurant on the west end of the second building of the station complex facing the station building. As we parted, I suggested that for the next day's sightseeing they could take the Shinkansen from Shin-Kobe to visit the seaside area such as Meriken Park, or go to see the thousand torii gates at Fushimi Inari in Kyoto. When I later asked by email, it seemed they had gone to Kobe.

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Tour Report by Hiro

I am Hiromi Mizoi, call me Hiro. I mainly have Himeji tours because I live in Himeji. I got my National Guide Certificate in 2017. I started to guide tourists as a volunteer guide in 2004. I had been a volunteer guide for a long time. However, I could not have any tours from April in 2020 to November in 2022 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Now, many tourists have come back to Japan. So, I am very excited. I would like to share not only the beauty of Himeji Castle’s Main Tower Complex but also the tricky defense systems of the entire Castle Grounds, which many visitors do not realize, with you. I was born and grew up very close to the west side of the moats of the Castle. So, I love Himeji Castle. I like other tourists’ favorite sightseeing spots such as Kokoen Garden and Engyoji Temple in Mt. Shosya. As one of Himeji locals, I am greatly happy to share the local people’s favorite spots with you. I look forward to your tours.