Himeji Castle Forms Sister Castle Partnership with Austria’s Schoenbrunn Palace; Both UNESCO World Heritage Sites

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, May 31, 2025

HIMEJI, Hyogo — A sister castle partnership has been established between Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna. Schoenbrunn Palace is now the fourth sister castle of Himeji Castle.

A ceremonial signing for the sister castle partnership was held at Himeji Castle with Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in attendance on May 24. Van der Bellen’s visit to Japan coincided with Austria’s National Day event at the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. Both parties agreed to proactively promote tourism exchanges between the city and Austria.

Schoenbrunn Palace is known for hosting the Congress of Vienna in 1815 after the Napoleonic Wars. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

Last spring, when Austrian government officials visited Himeji Castle, also a World Heritage Site, they proposed the idea of a partnership to Himeji officials. A basic agreement was signed in November.

“I’m confident that the partnership will help promote exchanges in a variety of fields and strengthen the ties between Japan and Austria,” Kiyomoto said.

Austrian President Van der Bellen expressed his hope to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.