Osaka Castle(Ōsaka-jō)
Osaka Castle was originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583 and became the residence of the Toyotomi clan.
In 1615, after the Toyotomi clan was destroyed in the Summer Siege of Osaka, Hidetada, the second shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate, rebuilt the castle.
The Honmaru Palace, several turrets, gates, and other structures within Osaka Castle were destroyed by fire during the turmoil of the ‘Battle of Toba-Fushimi’ at the end of the Edo period.
Also in modern times, at the end of World War II, the eighth Osaka air raid in 1945 caused devastating damage to various facilities within Osaka Castle.
The current Osaka Castle tower was rebuilt in 1931 using steel-framed reinforced concrete, and is also called the museum “Osaka Castle Tower”.
Osaka Castle Park Station.
The nearest station to the Osaka Castle tower is,
Osaka Castle Park Station
Morinomiya Station
are adjacent to Osaka Castle Park, and in terms of distance,
Osaka Business Park Station
Tanimachi yonchome Station
Temmabashi Station
These stations are also located near the main tower of Osaka Castle.
A diorama of Osaka Castle at Osaka Castle Park Station.
It is quite elaborately made, and Miraiza Osaka Castle, Osaka Castle Toyokuni Shrine, Osaka Municipal Shudokan, etc. have been reproduced as they are today.
Some people visit Osaka Castle Park Station just to see this diorama.
Scenery in front of Osaka Castle Park Station.
As you walk along the connecting corridor on your left, you will find several restaurants, and Osaka Castle Baseball Stadium is on the left,
and beyond that is Osaka-jo Hall.
If you walk to the right from Osaka Castle Park Station, you will find Osaka Castle Port in about 3 minutes on foot, and you can also enjoy a cruise on the Aqua Liner.
Cafe and shops are lined up along the connecting corridor in front of Osaka Castle Park Station.
TULLY’S Cafe in front of Osaka Castle Park Station.
For the moment, We had some breakfast at TULLY’S cafe before going to Osaka Castle tower.
As I went through the connecting corridor in front of Osaka Castle Park Station, the Osaka Castle tower suddenly appeared over the Osaka Castle Baseball Stadium.
From within the Osaka Castle Park, you can see the Osaka Castle tower from almost anywhere.
Go through the Aoya Gate of Osaka Castle…
Go south along the long road along the inner moat of Osaka Castle and climb Gangizaka.
Osaka Castle park guide map.
Walk through the Sakura Gate of Osaka Castle…
The Osaka Castle tower is right in front of you.
Miraiza Osaka-jo on the right.
Originally built in 1931 as the headquarters of the 4th Army Division, it was used as the Osaka Municipal Museum for a long time, but from the autumn of 2017 it became a complex facility with restaurants, bars, shops, etc.
Looking at the Osaka castle tower up close, it looks like this.
Admission to the castle tower is 600 yen for adults, free for junior high school students and younger.
Osaka castle tower floor map.
Isn’t it unusual to have a toilet inside a castle tower?
Inside the castle tower of Osaka Castle.
Enter the castle tower, take the elevator up to the 5th floor, and when you get off the elevator, you will see a diorama of “Summer Siege of Osaka/Osaka Natsu no Jin” in front of you.
Don’t you think this atmosphere is so real, isn’t it?
The view from the observatory on the 8th floor of Osaka Castle tower.
There are various exhibits such as kabuto helmets in the castle tower, but unfortunately I can’t introduce them here because there are many things that photography is prohibited.
Of course, there is also a souvenir shop corner.
Osaka Castle is one of Japan’s representative castles, and the contents were quite fulfilling.
Autumn foliage in Osaka Castle Park.
Autumn foliage don’t exist in Okinawa where We live.
It’s December, so I think it’s a little past the season, but I was able to see autumn foliage here and there in Osaka Castle Park.