Himeji Castle

If you see one castle in Japan, make it this one. The complex as it survives today was completed in 1609, and unlike many Japanese castles it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire, which makes it the country's best preserved feudal castle and the place to see a whole fortress rather than a lone keep. Its white walls give it the nickname White Heron Castle, and it is both a national treasure and one of Japan's first World Heritage Sites, inscribed in 1993. Getting there is simple: the castle stands about a kilometer straight up Otemae-dori from the north exit of Himeji Station, a 15 to 20 minute walk.