Reaching Himeji From Tokyo, Osaka And Kyoto - Routes And Souvenirs!

How to Get to Himeji

Himeji is a city located in the Harima region of Hyogo Prefecture. A popular tourist area, Himeji is well-known for being a great day trip location from Osaka and Kyoto.

Other than the popular sightseeing spots, the World Heritage site Himeji Castle, and Engyoji Temple, Himeji is also known for its traditional handicrafts, such as the popular Myochin-hibashi (special metal tongs for sacred fires and braziers), and Himeji Koma, a type of spinning top. There is also delicious food and fun shopping streets to enjoy in Himeji. This article introduces how to get there from Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto.

Table of Contents:

1. Reaching Himeji from Tokyo
2. Going from Osaka to Himeji
3. Traveling to Himeji from Kyoto
4. About Himeji Station (Lines, Restaurants and Souvenirs)

Reaching Himeji from Tokyo

When traveling from Tokyo to Himeji, it is best to either take the shinkansen, or to fly.

To Himeji By Shinkansen

From Tokyo Station, board the Tokaido/Sanyo Nozomi bullet train bound for Hiroshima; you will arrive at Himeji without having any transfers. It will take about three hours and ten minutes, and cost 15,120 yen.

Use Voyagin to easily book bullet train tickets. Simply enter "Tokyo" and "Himeji" into the search terms to look for the train you want to take.

To Himeji By Plane

If you would prefer to fly, board a flight from Haneda Airport to Kobe Airport. From Kobe Airport, you will have to travel to Himeji by train.

There are about nine flights a day from Haneda to Kobe, run by All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Sky Mark (SKY). The departure times of these flights vary; tickets cost from 10,000-30,000 yen, and the flight itself takes about 70 minutes.

From Kobe Airport, take the Kobe New Transport Port Island Line train bound for Sannomiya and get off at the last stop, Sannomiya. From there, take the JR Kobe Limited Express train bound for Himeji to its last stop of Himeji Station. It will take about an hour, and cost around 1,300 yen.

Going from Osaka to Himeji

Traveling from Osaka to Himeji is best accomplished by either train or car.

By Train

From Osaka Station, take the JR Kobe Limited Express train bound for Himeji. There are eight stations between the two, and it will take about an hour to reach Himeji. This route will cost 1,490 yen.

By Car

With a rental car, you can take the Sanyo Expressway from Osaka and reach Himeji in about an hour and 20 minutes. If you have your own car, sightseeing and traveling around the Himeji area will be very easy and a lot of fun too. There are many places in Himeji that are best accessed by driving.

We suggest using Tabirai Japan to rent a car.

Traveling to Himeji from Kyoto

There are only 11 stations that separate Kyoto Station from Himeji Station on the JR Kyoto Limited Express bound for Himeji. It will cost 2270 yen and take an hour and 30 minutes to reach your destination.

About Himeji Station

When visiting Himeji from Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto, first head to JR Himeji Station.

Himeji Station's Train Lines

As a hub station, Himeji Station has four main train lines as well as the Sanyo shinkansen: the Harimashingu/Sayo bound Kishin Line; the JR Kobe Line (limited express and local) bound for Kakogawa, Sannomiya, Osaka; the Sanyo Main Line (limited express and local) for Aioi, Banshu Ako, Kamigori, Okayama; and the Bantan Line for Teramae and Wadayama.

From Himeji Station, you can easily head to numerous cities in the Kansai and Chubu regions such as Osaka, Kyoto, Sannomiya, and Okayama. You can also travel quite smoothly towards both Tokyo and Kyushu via the Shinkansen.

Shopping and Dining at Himeji Station

One of the attractive points of Himeji Station is Piole Himeji, the station building with many different stores and eateries to choose from.

Piole Himeji is divided by floor and according to the features of the shops themselves; the main building has various goods and fashion stores, the restaurant and cafe 'Gochiso' floor, the Himeji specific souvenir floor, the youth-oriented 'Young' floor where you will find trendy fashions. This is the perfect destination if you would like to see a wide variety of different items all in one place. There is also a Starbucks and other cafes that are convenient when you are in need of a pick-me-up and free WiFi.

Piole Himeji's Souvenir Hall is a Must See

We recommend checking out the souvenir corner.

Here you can find the famous Himeji Han Goyoukashi Tamatsubaki, a camellia flower-based mochi dumpling, and Himeji Karinto, a fried dough cake, as well as branch stores of many of Himeji's most famous restaurants. Himeji oden (various foods stewed in a soy-sauce stock) and Himeji tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelet), as well as other local delicacies are great dishes you must try here.

piole HIMEJI

188-1 Ekimae-cho, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture 670-0927