Sixth Floor
Vanished Windows
The original plan for the sixth floor called for panoramic corner-to-corner windows. The design was changed during construction—possibly to strengthen the structure—and only the windows at the center of each wall were kept.
Osakabe Shrine
Himeji Castle was built on the site of a Shinto shrine that was relocated to make way for the fortress. Believing the shrine’s removal had brought a curse on his family, the lord of Himeji ordered the shrine rebuilt inside the castle grounds in the early seventeenth century. After World War II, the shrine was relocated again, this time to the top floor of the keep.
Take A Closer Look
Wooden Plugs
Knots in a wood beam can weaken the beam’s overall strength and cause it to crack. To prevent this, knots in the keep’s timbers were cut out and filled with wooden plugs of various shapes made from hardwoods such as cherry or zelkova.