Hi<BR>We were wondering if we could somehow "hop off" on one of our travel days to see the infamous Himeji Castle and jump back on the train. Our travel days include the following legs<BR>Hakone to Hiroshima (JR pass)<BR>Hiroshima to Kyoto (JR pass)<BR>Kyoto to Tokyo (JR pass)<BR>Thank you

I've done this a couple of times. Himeji-jo is visible from the shinkansen tracks as you enter town, and only a ten -minute walk from the station.<BR><BR>If you are using a JR pass, all you have to do is book yourselves tickets to Himeji, and departure on a later train. If you're in a hurry then two hours is enough, but I'd recommend a little longer if you have time. This is the most spectacular of Japan's remaining original donjons--as with most others, the modern city occupies much of the land once within the castle's wall.<BR><BR>There are excellent volunteer English-speaking guides available, by the way, and plenty of restaurant choices on the street leading from the station to the castle if you need to refuel while there (better and cheaper than eating on the trains).<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

Thank you Peter.<BR>I will try and get us to Hemiji from Hiroshima, then another train from Hemiji<BR>to Kyoto, allowing 3 or 4 hours at the castle? By the way, via JR rail, how long is the trip from Hiroshima to Himeji, and from Himeji to Kyoto? Your help is much appreciated<BR>Sam

I'm sure one of the Japan experts will be able to do this better than me, but if memory serves, it's under four hours from Kyoto to Hiroshima by shinkansen, and Himeji is about 45 mins before Hiroshima.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html

Bonjour Sam and Peter,<BR><BR>By Shinkansen Hikari train, count 1 hour from either Hiroshima or Kyoto.<BR><BR>Kyoto to Hiroshima is around 2 hours. <BR><BR>For details, see http://www.jnto.go.jp/db/traffic/