Himeji Castle's Dual-Pricing Gamble Pays Off, For Now

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At Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Hyogo Prefecture, visitors fell by just under 20% in the first month after admission fees were raised, compared with the same month a year earlier.

Even so, ticket revenue is expected to double.

Since March, Himeji Castle has adopted a dual pricing system. Admission for city residents aged 18 and over has been kept at ¥1,000 (about $6), while the fee for non-residents was raised to ¥2,500 (about $16).

Visitors under 18, meanwhile, are admitted free regardless of where they live, in a bid to give more young people a chance to connect with the castle.

Mixed Reactions at the Gate

One month after the change took effect, visitors were split on the new policy. A woman in her 30s visiting from Kakogawa in Hyogo Prefecture said she "had not known about the price hike and felt ¥2,500 was too expensive."

A group of Indian tourists also voiced dissatisfaction, saying they would have preferred a lower price.

Others were more understanding. A German woman in her 60s said she understood that preserving cultural heritage costs money. She noted that "her hometown also has a World Heritage site, and that a dual pricing system there might make sense as well."

Himeji City officials say the drop in admissions was "within expectations." They also revealed that other municipalities grappling with overtourism have been making a steady stream of inquiries and study visits to their city.

Himeji's new pricing system is likely to draw wider attention as an early test case for so-called "dual pricing," which both public and private sectors in Japan are now exploring as a response to overtourism and the weak yen.

Lower Turnout, Higher Take

So how did the first month actually go? According to Himeji City, the preliminary number of paid visitors in March stood at around 140,000, down about 17% from the same month in 2025.

Asked for his assessment, Mayor Hideyasu Kiyomoto stressed that the "decline was expected and that there had been no major confusion."

He further explained that the number of Chinese tourists has been falling across Japan as a whole, saying that "it is difficult to determine whether the price increase and dual pricing were directly responsible [for the decline]."

What stands out most, though, is the impact on revenue. In March, total ticket income reached about ¥270 million ($1.7 million), double the roughly ¥130 million ($820,000) recorded in the same month a year earlier.

The city estimated in fiscal year 2025 that Himeji Castle would require ¥28 billion ($176 million) over the next decade for upkeep, maintenance, and preservation repairs. The additional ticket revenue is set to help cover those costs.

A Blueprint for Others?

So far, Himeji Castle's dual pricing system appears to be off to a strong start. "Dual pricing is a major issue for municipalities managing similar historic assets," Mayor Kiyomoto said, adding that "Himeji has received a large number of inquiries and study visits from other cities."

Chieko Ikeda, an associate professor at the Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School and an expert on tourism issues, viewed the initiative positively but stressed the importance of explaining the dual pricing more clearly.

"It's necessary to communicate overseas that the new fees are meant to ensure the castle's long-term sustainability," she said.

The central government is also moving in a similar direction. In its 5th Tourism Nation Promotion Basic Plan, approved by the Cabinet in March, the government included a proposal to draft guidelines to make it easier for public facilities to adopt dual pricing.

The aim is not only to address tourism-related problems such as overcrowding and poor manners, but also to secure the funds needed to maintain tourist assets through the extra revenue such pricing can generate.

"The government needs to take the lead in crafting a broader vision from the standpoint of sustainable tourism management," Ikeda added.

Author: Hiroyuki Kobayashi and Kento Nishiura, The Sankei Shimbun

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