Housed in a red-brick former army warehouse from 1905, the Himeji City Museum of Art is one of those small Japanese museums that turn out to be more interesting than they sound. The collection focuses on Belgian and French modern painting — a quirk that goes back to the city's twinning with Charleroi — alongside Japanese artists from the prefecture.
The garden between the castle and the museum is a quietly enjoyable space in its own right, and the brick architecture makes a striking foreground to the white castle keep across the lawn. A short stop, but a pleasant break from the castle crowds.