2009-10-30
Your full-day tour starts with a Bullet train ride to Himeji to visit the Himeji Castle, one of Japan's most famous castles and designated a World Cultural Heritage site. The castle's sublime form and white walls have earned it the nickname WhiteHeron Castle. The castle grounds are divided into inner and outer-walled zones, with gates built around maze-like spaces to confuse enemies, and a double moat for extra protection.
After lunch at Kokoen Garden, a short distance from Himeji Castle and designed in various styles from the Edo period, it's off to the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge. With the length of 3,911 meters and completed in 1998, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge also known as the Pearl Bridge is the worlds longest suspension bridge linking the city of Kobe to Awaji Island. Learn about the construction of the bridge and enjoy the views from the observation deck.