Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors

The Japanese city that hosts Himeji Castle is considering doubling or tripling admission fees for visitors who do not live in the local area, officials said Wednesday, with the city backing down from a plan to only impose higher ticket prices on foreign tourists.

The local government of Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, is also considering a premium ticket plan targeting foreign tourists that would include a luggage storage service and discounts at restaurants in addition to admission to the UNESCO World Heritage site.

In June, Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto made headlines when he told an international symposium he is contemplating quadrupling entry fees for foreigners, increasing an adult ticket from the current 1,000 yen, to help pay for maintenance costs.

Kiyomoto told reporters at the time that he wants to avoid raising the admission fee for Himeji locals, preserving the site as "a place of rest" for them.

The remarks drew backlash from municipal assembly members, who argued that targeting foreigners with higher prices could hurt the image of the castle, the officials said.

Himeji will introduce the new admission fee system as early as the spring of 2026 after discussing it with the municipal assembly and the Agency for Cultural Affairs. It plans to keep the entry fees the same for Himeji residents, the officials said.

"Himeji Castle has more buildings designated as national treasures or important cultural properties than any other castle in Japan, and admission fees are an important source of funding to preserve and pass the castle on," one of the officials said.

Around 1.48 million people visited the castle in fiscal 2023, and 452,300 were foreigners, topping 400,000 for the first time since data became available in fiscal 1992, according to the city government.

Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors

Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors

Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors

Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors

Himeji Castle entry fees set to be hiked for all non-local visitors