Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle, which dates back to the 16th century, is one of the most interesting places to visit in Osaka where there are very few historical monuments. It is a fortress built for military purposes. The current main keep which constitutes the heart of the castle is the 20th century version, but the ramparts, moat and turrets still have remains of yesteryear. Where is Osaka Castle? It stands proudly in the center of a large park which is an oasis for the city’s residents. By taking a pleasant stroll to reach the heart of the castle, you will see the modern buildings in the background of the historic buildings. I think this stark contrast makes visiting this castle interesting.
Japan in the 16th century was marked by almost constant military conflicts. Of thesamuraifought night and day for the unification of the country. Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu are the three emblematic figures of the era. Each character of these three figures is expressed in short poems whose subject is the little cuckoo who does not sing.
Oda: “If this little cuckoo doesn’t sing for me, I’m going to kill him. ”This poem shows Oda’s difficult and irritable character.
Toyotomi: “If this little cuckoo doesn’t sing for me, I’ll try to make him sing. ”This poem shows Toyotomi’s active character.
Tokugawa: “If this little cuckoo doesn’t sing for me, I’ll wait for him to sing. ”This poem shows Tokugawa’s patient and careful character. I advise you to remember their names (Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa), if possible, because the Kansai region, especially Kyoto, is home to many tourist sites that have close relationships with them.
The original Osaka Castle was erected in 1585 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to demonstrate his authority and wealth. It is popular in Osaka as a symbol of social success. Although he did not come from the class ofsamurai, he managed to take power with his tactics. But upon his death, power passed to Tokugawa, who established theshogunatein Edo (present-day Tokyo). The original castle was destroyed. Tokugawa built a new castle in the 17th century to dispel the memory of the Toyotomi era. This is what we now call Osaka Castle.
What’s a must-see at Osaka Castle? His dungeon,tenshuis featured as the main building in tourist guides. But I often hear negative impressions about visiting the dungeon, such as: “The exterior is worth the trip, but visiting the interior renovated into a museum is less interesting. ”Osaka Castle is a fortress. So observe the defenses it presents, such as the stone walls, turrets, moats, etc.
It is estimated that 500,000 stones (granites) were used for the walls. They were extracted mainly from the islands of the Seto Inland Sea, for example Shodoshima Island. Some of them are impressive in their size. This is the largest stone found within the grounds of Osaka Castle. Because of the brown spot shaped like an octopus head, it is nicknamed the octopus stone. You will notice other gigantic stones, but truth be told, they are not thick. This is because it was difficult to technically cut and transport these gigantic stones. They were used to cover the stone walls built inside.
The work of rebuilding Osaka Castle was divided among the Tokugawa vassals. The vassals of the eastern region were responsible for the construction of moats, while those of the western region were responsible for the construction of granite walls. This is because quality granites were mined mainly in the western region. The markings on the stones were made by each work manager. When the Tokugawa era ended in the late 19th century, Osaka Castle was converted into Western-style armories. It was therefore damaged by American air raids during the Second World War. There are traces of bombing left on the stone walls.
Can you find this place where stones of various sizes are placed in each quarry zone? Japanese architecture benefits from trees, but stones are featured prominently within the grounds of Osaka Castle.
The current main keep was rebuilt with donations from the citizens of Osaka in 1931. In this reinforced concrete keep the history of Osaka Castle or numerous historical objects are presented on several floors. If you have an interest in Japanese history (from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 17th century), these exhibitions will be interesting. But the point of interest of this dungeon is located on the top floor. There you can admire the beautiful view of Osaka. Its urban spaces and buildings stretch as far as the eye can see.
- The walk within the castle grounds is free. The dungeon entrance ticket price is 1,200 yen.
- The castle is equipped with modern comfort. To get to the top floor (7th floor), take the elevator to the 4th floor and climb the stairs to the 7th floor. Going down the floors, you discover exhibitions on the history of the castle from different periods. It is not allowed to take photos on the 2nd and 3rd floor.
- Map