Osaka Castle

This is a great castle to visit. Unfortunately, some people go straight to the main keep, see the museum and go away disappointed with the elevator and concrete. For most trips I haven't even gone in the museum. The basic layout of the castle is nearly in tact. There are several original gates and y

History

Toyotomi Hideyoshi built Osaka-jo in 1583. Hideyoshi, being the great battle expert he was, designed the most formidable castle ever built in Japan. One large moat surrounded the whole castle with only two ways across it. One of those was a small bridge that could be easily defended or even destroyed if necessary. The inner grounds which contained the large main keep were actually built 3 levels above the water level of the moat. Any attacker would have to scale three high stone walls and climb over 3 sets of turrets to get to the inner grounds. No castle is invincible and in 1615 it fell to the Tokugawa forces. Hideyoshi's heir, Hideyori, committed suiced before being captured. In 1620 Tokugawa completely renovated the entire castle and built a new main keep making the whole castle even bigger and grander than Hideyoshi's original. In 1665 the main keep was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. It was never rebuilt.

Field Notes

This is a great castle to visit. Unfortunately, some people go straight to the main keep, see the museum and go away disappointed with the elevator and concrete. For most trips I haven't even gone in the museum. The basic layout of the castle is nearly in tact. There are several original gates and yagura and the stone walls are simply amazing. Take your time to enjoy everything Osaka Castle has to offer.

Videos

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Gallery

Main Keep
Main keep and Masugata gate
Main keep seen from the Hime Gate.
Gokuraku Bridge
Inui Yagura
Otemon Gate
Sangan Yagura and Otemon Gate
Otemon Gate
Otemon Gate Watariyagura
Otemon Watariyagura Gate
Loops holes in the Otemon Gate
Large stones at the Otemon gate
Sengan Yagura
Sengan Yagura
Sengan Yagura and moat
Sengan Yagura
Sakuramon Gate
Rokuban Yagura
Rokuban Yagura
Aoyaguchi Gate
Ensho Storehouse
Gokinzo
Back side of the Inui Yagura.
Main keep seen from the Nishinomaru Bailey
North Shikirimon Gate
Dry moat around the Honmaru bailey
Honmaru Bailey dry moat
stone with wedge holes
Huge stone at the Sakura Gate
Sakura Gate
Kakushi Kuruwa Bailey
Inner moat
Inner moat
Main Keep and garden
Main keep
West Outer Moat
Main keep and inner moat
Outer Moat
Inner moat
Inner moat
Uchibori moat
Inner moat
Inner moat
Stone walls and inner moat
Osaka Castle seen from the Hotel New Otani
Kyobashiguchi Gate, "Higo Stone", the 2nd largest stone
Honmaru Empty Moat
Main keep seen from the Nhinomaru
Inner moat and stone walls
Exhibit of stone with kokuin
Exhibit of stone with kokuin
Main Keep seen from the New Otani Hotel
Stone from Osaka Castle that were originally buried
Stones from Hideyoshi's original walls
Map
Sanada Escape tunnel at the Sanko Shrine

More Galleries and Feature Pages

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Castle Profile
English Name	Osaka Castle
Japanese Name	大阪城
Alternate Names	Kin-jo
Founder	Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Year Founded	1583
Castle Type	Flatland
Castle Condition	Reconstructed main keep
Designations	Top 100 Castles, has Important Cultural Properties, National Historic Site, Special Historic Site
Historical Period	Edo Period
Main Keep Structure	5 levels, 8 stories
Year Reconstructed	1931 (concrete)
Artifacts	Sengan Yagura, Inui Yagura, Kinmeisui Ido Yakata, Rokuban Yagura, Ichiban yagura, Enshogura, Gokinzo, Tamon Yagura, Otemon, Sakura mon, castle walls
Features	main keep, gates, turrets, bridges, water moats, stone walls, walls
Visitor Information
Access	JR Osakajo Koen Station
Hours	Main Keep museum open 9am-5pm; 600 yen; Closed Dec 28-Jan 1
Time Required	3 hours
URL	Castle Website
Location	Osaka, Osaka
Coordinates	34.68739, 135.52575
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Admin
Added to Jcastle	1999
Contributor	Eric
Admin Year Visited	1997, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2024
Admin Visits	December 1997; March 18, 2012; March 8, 2013; July 28, 2017; December 23, 2018; May 3, 2024

3.91

(66 votes)

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