It was defended by three moats, making it nearly impossible to conquer:
"By the time the enemy had gotten past the third moat, their strength and reserves were considerably lessened...The wandering passages of the castle are intended to confuse an enemy unfamiliar with the layout."
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/ealac/V3613/himeji/military.htm
It has survived earthquakes, wars and typhoons. It was named a National Treasure in 1931. It was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It has 85 buildings and is the largest castle in Japan.
The castle was featured in such movies as James Bond's You Only Live Twice, The Last Samurai, several Akira Kurosawa movies, and in the U.S. television miniseries Shogun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/himeji_castle.html
http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/japan/himeji/himejicastle.php
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