Koko-en

Himeji-jo Nishikiyashiki-ato Teien Koko-en (Garden of former Nishiki mansion at Himeji Castle) is a Japanese garden that was constructed in 1992 to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the city. Within this giant Japanese garden of about 3.5 hectares, there are nine different gardens of varying sizes and themes that can be explored. The park features tea houses where you can enjoy authentic green tea as well as restaurants, so it is a convenient spot to sight see together with Himeji Castle. The beautiful and fantastic scenery made through the harmony between the unique atmosphere of this Japanese garden and the rich nature of World Heritage Site Himeji Castle is a must-see sight.

(Source: パンダさん / PIXTA)

Nine Gardens that Have Been Used as TV Shooting Locations

The nine different Japanese gardens have all been reconstructed around the former mansion built in 1618. The different gardens include "mansion's garden," "tea garden" and "bamboo garden" and each one changes depending on the season. All are worth seeing. They are often used as shooting locations for historic TV series.

(Source: 姫路城西御屋敷跡庭園好古園)

Enjoy Authentic Green Tea in the Tea House

In the park there is a tea house, Sojuan, where you can casually enjoy authentic green tea. In the tearoom designed to face Himeji Castle, you can enjoy the world of green tea as part of the ancient Japanese tradition while having green tea and Japanese sweets.

(Source: 姫路城西御屋敷跡庭園好古園)

Recover from Your Travels at this Restaurant

Inside the Japanese garden, there is a restaurant serving as a rest spot called Restaurant Kassuiken. This restaurant has a wide choice in its menu from soba (buckwheat noodles), Japanese food and drinks and here you can dine while looking at the "mansion's garden," the biggest garden in the park. It's a perfect spot to recover from your travels.

(Source: 食べログ)

Himeji Castle

This castle was built in 1346 and is representative of Japan. It is one of Japan's most beautiful castles, registered as a World Heritage Site in 1993 and is of a wooden structure which is registered as a national treasure of Japan. It is also selected as one of Japan's top 100 castles and contains many buildings within its property that are registered as national treasures or important cultural heritages.