The Kobe Shimbun, a local Japanese newspaper, ran a year-long campaign to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Himeji Castle, said to be the most beautiful castle in Japan, as a World Heritage Site. It started with newspaper advertisements appealing for peace, and then decorated the city with tabloids and posters.

Himeji Castle was the first castle in Japan to be registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, and will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2023.

Himeji Castle is a miraculous castle that has remained unbroken and unspoiled for 400 years because it has not been at war for 400 years. It has been loved as a symbol of the region for 400 years.

【BOOK&POSTER】

Himeji Castle Bathed in Moonlight

Like the moon in countless fairy tales,

the beauty of reflected light inspires stories.

What magical tales does this

400-year-old castle floating in white

tell us today?

Himeji Castle’s Tiled Roof Lime Plaster Joints

Himeji Castle, UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It’s easy to assume that even the roof is white,

but this is not actually the case.

The roof tiles only appear white

because of the lime plaster joints.

That’s because the lime plaster is applied using

a technique that gives the tiles a semi-cylindrical shape.

This in turn gives the tile joints and gaps their distinct appearance.

As a whole, the castle appears white

depending on the viewing angle

because of white joints that rise up,

which also have the practical benefit

of withstanding wind and rain.

It’s like trick art adopted

by the lord of the castle.

The roof craftsmen likely imagined

the surprise on people’s faces

when they looked up at the castle

and saw a snow-white structure.

The castle is not only functional

but also elegantly beautiful.

The roof joints are a quiet testament

to the importance of fostering a sense of

playfulness and beauty in our everyday work.

Himeji Castle’s Arrow Embrasures

When you walk around Himeji Castle,

you’ll notice geometric holes

that appear round, triangular, or rectangular.

The castle is covered in them.

They’re called embrasures, or gunholes,

and are used to shoot guns or arrows.

Depending on their shape,

some are for guns and others for arrows.

This innovation enabled the quick allocation

of military staff according to their role.

Specifically, they were called the

Round Hole Unit, Triangular Hole Unit,

and Rectangular Hole Unit,

which was easy to understand.

The vertically long rectangular opening are for arrows

because you stand when shooting an arrow.

This feature is both simple and logical.

When you find one of these openings at Himeji Castle,

look through it and imagine defending the castle.

The openings were designed not only

to be easy for soldiers to use

but to be aesthetically pleasing as well.

A good workplace creates world heritage.

Peeking through one of these holes

may show you how.

Himeji Castle’s Eave-End Round Roof Tiles

and Rain Spout Roof Tiles

With the exception of a few sections,

Himeji Castle has no gutters.

It is said that they were intentionally not added

because when a ninja tried to climb the castle wall

using a rope weighted at both ends,

the rope could get caught on a gutter.

The truth is unclear, but ultimately,

the rain spout eave-end tiles were used instead.

The reverse triangular shape allows rain to drip,

and the Swallowtail Butterfly pattern

is the crest of the Ikeda clan, the castle’s lord family.

These tiles are placed alternating with round tiles,

decorating the entire castle.

It is said that one tile on the

castle keep’s roof shows an

upside-down Swallowtail Butterfly.

It is believed that it originated as a guardian against evil spirits,

or as a symbol that the castle was not complete to counteract

the superstition that a completed building will collapse.

The truth about any single tile remains a mystery,

but an infinite number of stories exist beyond each of them.

With a rich 400-year history, Himeji Castle is a place

where every single stone may have a story of its own.

A photograph of the castle was taken using no lighting but that of a full moon, just as it would have appeared 400 years ago. The exposure time was adjusted many times to express the beauty of a woodblock print.