castle, Osaka

I don’t know all of castles in Japan but I think Osaka castle is the biggest, the most beautiful one of them which I’ve ever seen. It was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi around in 1585. He is still a hero of Osakan because he was based at Osaka and brought the whole country under his rule. He was the first man who did it in Japanese history. However it burned away during a battle Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and 1st shogun of the government of Edo. Ieyasu won against Hideyoshi and Osaka castle was rebuilt by Ieyasu after the war. However it was destroyed by fire 40 years later. It was rebuilt again but burned away again at Meiji Restoration. Present castle was rebuilt through the donation of Osakans in 1931. It was made of concrete and is a construction of earthquake-proof structures.

Built in 1583 and expanded until 1598 Osaka Castle is nowadays a major tourist attraction in Osaka. The architecture is just great and the walk up the tower (a museum actually) gives an impression about the history of the castle.

Opening Hours
9am - 5pm (extended in Spring & Summer)

Admission
600 yen

Surprisingly this castle is the most visited tourist attraction in Japan. It certainly looks quite impressive from the outside but visitors may be surprised to learn that it's actually a 1931 reconstruction built from concrete! Inside is largely disappointing to be honest.
Much more impressive is the surrounding walls, gates and moats which I believe are original. An amazing feat of engineering.

Visiting the castle just before the sun goes down gives you the chance to see the Osaka skyline change before your eyes. The castle is also floodlit which highlights the architectural beauty of the building.

Chrysanthemums were the added attraction at the castle last week. As if the autumn colours from the surrounding park lands weren't enough, we were treated to some great displays in front of the castle as well. The Japanese take great pride in their gardens and the care and attention is very evident for all to see and appreciate.

Osaka Jo (Osaka Castle) is a stunning re-construction dating from 1959. Set in an extensive park (populated by some of Osaka's homeless), it is well worth a visit.

The park is most popular on the weekend and during cherry bossom season in March, when countless hanami (cherry blosssom viewing) parties take place.

The castle is illuminated at night and is particularly photogenic at this time although I don't recommend walking alone through the park at night (it's probably quite safe but it is one of the more dodgy areas of the city so I advise a bit of caution).

The castle contains a museum, but is disappointing for those expecting an authentic interior, and it is apparent that a lot more effort went in to the exterior. Despite this there are some interesting displays and the view from the top floor is good.

Admission to the park is free. Entering the castle costs 700 yen.

It is a rather imposing structure with gold and black decorations. The gold reflecting in the sun is capable of blinding you.

However, the original castle has actually been destroyed and what stands now is a reconstruction.

2 more images

Osaka-jo (Osaka castle) is located fairly centrally in the city, surrounded by parkland. On Sundays the place gets pretty crowded. The entrance ticket is JPY700 and that entitles you to walk around the Nishinomaru Garden. A cheaper ticket can be purchased if you just want to go inside the castle.
The castle dates back to 1959.
I visited here again in 2007, without going inside the castle this time. It was a much brighter day than when I visited in 2004. I took a lot of photos outside the castle and in the surrounding parklands and gardens. One interesting sight that I didn't remember looking at last time was the giant "Takoisi" stone set into the castle's bailey wall just inside the Sakuramon Gate. This single piece of rock is huge and is hard to believe how it could have been moved into position. It has a surface area of 60 square metres and weighs 130 tonnes! It is quite an amazing sight, so keep an eye out for it.