Photo/Illutration Himeji Castle in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

HIMEJI, Hyogo Prefecture—Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto said he is considering charging foreign tourists a fee to enter Himeji Castle that is six times higher than the price for Japanese visitors.

Currently, the entrance fee to the castle, a World Cultural Heritage site, is 1,000 yen ($6.35) for all people aged 18 or older.

“Himeji Castle is the only World Cultural Heritage site where tourists can enter for only $7. So, we’d like to set the fee at $30 for foreigners and at around $5 for local residents,” Kiyomoto said on June 16 at an event related to the Understanding Risk Global Forum held by the World Bank in Himeji.

The remark caused a stir, and the mayor gave a further explanation at a news conference on the evening of June 17.

“It costs a lot to maintain the condition of the castle, so we are considering implementing different pricing for foreign tourists and local residents,” he said. “The exact amount, whether it will be $30 or not, has not been decided yet.”

Himeji city reviews the entrance fee to the castle every 10 years or so.

According to the mayor, the city government had just started discussing the fee, and possible revisions will be implemented in fiscal 2025 at the earliest.

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