White Heron Castle Lit Up After 3-Month Hiatus

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:03 JST, March 26, 2023

HIMEJI, Hyogo — The nighttime illumination of Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, has resumed after a three-month break to replace the lighting fixtures with LEDs.

Also known as the White Heron Castle, the structure stood out vividly in the dark night on Saturday as the lights illuminated the white-plastered main keep.

World-renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii arranged and supervised the work based on irisation, a phenomenon that makes clouds look like a rainbow. The upper part of the main keep is illuminated with white light, while the color of the lower part changes monthly to give a seasonal touch.

LEDs were installed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The castle was not illuminated during the replacement work, which began in December.

The castle is lit up from sunset to midnight, with special illumination for 15 minutes at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.