So today I made the short trip out to Himeji as I'd heard the Himeji castle is one of the most beautiful.
So I did.
And my word, it was worth it.
The Sakura were in full bloom there, so as soon as you were out the station doors you could see the Sakura trees and the straight road meant you just just about see the castle. But it wasn't until you got closer you could really appreciate it.
There's only a few places I've seen Sakura like that. Rows and rows of pinkish white petals. So many that you couldn't even see the sky when you walked underneath. Bright blue sky, that was almost cloudless, gave a great contrast to the brilliant white Himeji Castle.
It looks like something out of a photoshopped tourist photo. Families and friends were having picnics in the field. People say under the sun reading, tourists with fancy cameras taking shots from every angle. Touring groups clogged the line to get into the castle, but it was worth it.
Inside the castle wall, more trees waited, some sakura, some plum, and various others. The walls themselves were remarkable. Massive stones been used to build them. And I mean huge. There's lots of theories on how they were able to use them.
One of the things I liked most about being in the castle -more than others- was that it was fairly untouched. They hadn't filled it with glass compartments, walls of information, TVs, or displays. Just the rooms themselves. Of course there was small parts of information scattered through out, but up in the top floor where the shrine was, there was no bulky information blocks.
I think this really let you get a feel of what the place was like, could see how big it really was. They had also kept the same stairs in place. So very steep. And many of them! Hard work, but seeing the shrine and view at the top was completely worth it. You could see the field full of sakura trees. But every time I've been up in a castle, over looking the fields around it with people in, I always get this voice of 'dance my minions! Dance! Mwhahaha!'.
It's concerning.
But anyway.
When I wound myself back down to ground level, the sun had clouded over and a wind had picked up. Was a little chilly.
I took my time walking back to the station under the blossoms.
Just such an amazing view.
Exactly the reason I came to Japan this time of year.