Himeji ,located between Osaka and Okyama , not just about the Castle

Take the Sanyo Shinkansen (75 min) from Shin Osaka to Himeji , there four to choose from

Mizuho [Shin-Osaka - Shin-Kobe - Himeji - Okayama - Hiroshima - Kokura - Fukuoka]
Nozomi [Shin Osaka - Shin-Kobe - Himeji - Okayama - Fukuyama - Hiroshima - Tokuyama - Shin-Yamaguchi - Kokura - Fukuoka]
Kodama [Shin-Osaka - Shin-Kobe - Nishi-Akashi - Himeji - Aioi - Okayama - Shin-Kurashiki - Fukuyama - Shin-Onomichi - Mihara - Higashi-Hiroshima - Hiroshima - Tokuyama - Shin-Yamaguchi - Asa - Shin-Shimonoseki - Kokura - Fukuoka]
Hikari [Shin-Osaka - Shin-Kobe - Nishi-Akashi - Himeji - Aioi - Okayama]
Or take the Kintetsu Ltd. Express express from Osaka Station (5 hours)

Dormy Inn and Toyoko Inn are all within short walking distance of Hiemji Station
Besso Himeji

Pacific War Air Raid Victims National Memorial
Tegarayama interaction station
On a Saturday morning Hyogo Prefectural Budokan
Try Kushikatsu ,meat and veggie skewers that are breaded with panko and deep-fried to a golden crisp at Kushikatsu Jizou