Himeji Castle lights up for Green Ribbon Day on 16 October

Himeji Castle in Himeji will turn green on 16 October 2026 for Green Ribbon Day, while white lighting returns briefly at 8pm and 9pm.

Himeji Castle will turn green in Himeji, Japan, on 16 October 2026 for Green Ribbon Day, a public awareness programme supporting organ donation. The castle, also called Shirasagi Castle because of its white plastered walls, will provide a distinctly modern message against one of Japan's best-preserved historic settings.

Green Ribbon Day brings a green Himeji Castle on 16 October

The illumination is organised as part of Japan's organ donation awareness month. Himeji City says the programme is intended to encourage people to record and communicate their wishes about organ donation. The green colour is the campaign's identifying colour.

The city programme for 16 October states that the castle will be lit green. It also specifies white lighting for 15 minutes from 8pm and again from 9pm. The castle operator separately lists the same Green Ribbon Day lighting and the two white-light intervals in its October lighting notice.

Why Himeji Castle's white walls matter after sunset

The green display will appear across the keep group, whose white surfaces normally define the castle's night-time outline. That contrast links the temporary programme to the site's architectural identity rather than treating the lighting as a separate city event.

The castle was first established in 1346, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Toyotomi Hideyoshi later built a full-scale castle wall, while major rebuilding at the beginning of the Edo period created the form seen today. The site includes 74 structures recognised as Important Cultural Assets of Japan.

Its defensive design combines three tall watchtowers, winding passages and steep, narrow staircases. The keep rises 32 metres from the summit of Mount Himeyama. The official heritage guide to Himeji Castle records its UNESCO World Heritage status and describes the surviving defensive layout.

Visiting Himeji Castle: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Green Ribbon Day takes place at Himeji Castle on 16 October 2026. The planned green illumination is accompanied by white lighting for 15 minutes at 8pm and 9pm.
• The programme is an exterior night-time illumination. It does not announce a change to the castle's daytime visitor route or to the historic buildings.
• The castle stands in Himeji, Japan. The official tourism guide places it a 20-minute walk from Himeji Station or Sanyo Himeji Station.
• Inside, visitors encounter steep and narrow staircases, winding passages and a keep rising 32 metres on Mount Himeyama. The route requires careful movement and is not an ordinary level museum visit.
• Japan's official language is Japanese and its national currency is the yen.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Himeji Castle

When does Green Ribbon Day take place at Himeji Castle?

The green illumination is scheduled for 16 October 2026. White lighting is planned for 15 minutes at 8pm and 9pm.

Where is Himeji Castle and how do you get there?

It is in Himeji, Japan, about a 20-minute walk from Himeji Station or Sanyo Himeji Station.

What is Himeji Castle?

It is a UNESCO World Heritage castle complex with 74 recognised cultural assets, steep staircases, winding passages and a 32-metre keep.