The heron flies over the Himeji sky while the Daimio, from the top of the castle, watches his servants move. Gardeners tend the pond where the koi carp live, warriors stand guard on the walls, and courtiers crowd the gates, pining for an audience that brings them closer to the innermost circles of the court. When night falls, the lanterns are lit and the workers return to their clan.

In The White Castle, players control one of these clans and want to score more points than the rest. To do so, they must amass influence in the court, manage resources boldly, and place their workers in the right place at the right time. All of the action takes place in the most imposing fortress in modern Japan: Himeji Castle, where the banner of the Sakai clan flies under the orders of Daimio Sakai Tadakiyo.

The White Castle is a Eurogame in which players use resource management, worker placement, and dice placement to carry out actions. During the game, over three rounds players send members of their clan to tend the gardens, defend the castle, or progress up the social ladder of the nobility. At the end of the match, these activities award players points in a variety of ways.