Himeji

City in Hyogo prefecture, Japan, 60 km/37 mi west of Kobe; population (1995 est) 471,000. The city's main industries are oil-refining and the manufacture of steel, textiles, and leather goods. Himeji castle is an outstanding example of Japanese medieval architecture. It is extremely large and has been likened to both a heron (Hakuro-jo)and an egret (Shirasagi); the latter is the preferred Japanese version.

Himeji castle, originally built in the 14th century, was reconstructed in 1964 but, unlike most Japanese reconstructions, original materials were mostly used rather than ferro-concrete.