第三十二景
Looking Up at the Blue Sky: A Mountain Range of White Walls
A White Mountain Range / Looking up at the Keep from Bizenmaru
Looking straight up from Bizenmaru, the overlapping white walls and black tiles rising toward the blue sky resemble a snow-capped mountain range. This powerful shot captures the intricate beauty of the Main Keep's five-tiered eaves and the shachihoko at the very top.
The Story
Turning around from the spot in View No. 31, where we looked down at the modern avenue stretching toward Himeji Station from the "Bizenmaru" square, this composition looks straight up at the castle from its very base.
Towering before you with overwhelming scale is the Main Keep, seamlessly connected to the West Small Keep and the Inui Small Keep. By looking up from the foot of the castle, the precise, geometric beauty created by the lines of the Main Keep's five overlapping tiers of eaves is strikingly highlighted.
The contrast of white walls and black tiles stacking from bottom to top feels exactly like looking up at a majestic mountain range. And at the highest point of this beautiful succession of roofs, seemingly absorbed into the blue sky, you can clearly see the proud pair of shachihoko (mythical guardians) adorning the peak. The imposing presence of Himeji Castle from this angle overwhelms all who visit, truly earning its title as a "White Fortress."
Photo Tips
- LocationBizenmaru (The square directly in front of the Main Keep)
- Photo TipsUse a wide-angle lens to capture everything from the stone walls in the foreground to the very top of the keep in a single frame, emphasizing its overwhelming height and immense scale.
- Viewing PerspectiveFrom the towering Main Keep on the right, the structure flows leftward to the West Small Keep and the Inui Small Keep. Looking up at this complex "connected keep" system reveals the sheer intimidation of an impregnable fortress.
