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

HIMEJI, Hyogo Prefecture—The Himeji municipal government has devised a plan to charge nonresidents of the city double or triple the usual cost to enter Himeji Castle starting in spring 2026.

According to city officials, the entrance fee for city residents (aged 18 or older) will remain 1,000 yen ($6.96). But for visitors to Himeji, the price will two or three times that price.

The city decided to renew the entry fee system to the castle to secure funds for preserving the stone walls and other features of the World Cultural Heritage site.

A city official noted that maintenance and administrative costs for the castle come from the city’s general accounting budget.

“We will charge Himeji residents less because they are the ones who usually pay taxes to the city,” the official said.

In the early stages of discussions in June, Himeji Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto caused a stir by suggesting that higher entry fees would apply only to foreign tourists.

“Himeji Castle is the only World Cultural Heritage site where tourists can enter for only $7,” Kiyomoto said at an international conference held in the city. “So, we’d like to set the fee at $30 for foreigners and at around $5 for local residents.”

After his words were criticized as discriminatory on social media, the mayor was asked for a further explanation.

He told reporters the exact amount for the fees had not been decided yet.

The city is now considering optional plans for foreign tourists, such as including luggage storage at the castle, for an additional fee.

The fee changes will be included in the city’s “Plan for preserving and utilizing Himeji Castle,” a 10-year program that starts in fiscal 2025.

Himeji will start discussing the plan with the Agency for Cultural Affairs in autumn.

If the agency accepts the plan, the city assembly will hold a vote on amending the ordinance concerning Himeji Castle viewing and other fees.

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