Japan Travel Osaka - Osaka Castle 大阪城

Japan Travel Osaka - Osaka Castle 大阪城 (2019 0515)

Address: 1-1 Ōsakajō, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002, Japan

Getting There:

The closest JR station to Osaka Castle is Osakajokoen Station on the JR Loop Line exit to the northeast side of the park, Osaka Loop Line to Morinomiya Station, which will bring you to the southeast side of the park, Tanimachiyonchome Station 谷町四丁目駅 on Tanimachi Line exit and walk along Hommachi-dori to South West of the Park

The construction of Osaka Castle (大阪城, Ōsakajō) started in 1583 on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, which had been destroyed by Oda Nobunaga thirteen years earlier.

Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightning in 1665 and burnt down. It was not until 1931 that the present ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle tower was built.

Osakajo Otemae Shibafu-hiroba 大阪城公園芝生

Otemon Gate (Osaka Castle) 大阪城大手門

Tamon-yagura Turret 多闻橹

“Tamon” is an architectural style named after the Tamon-jo, the castle residence of Hisahide Matsunaga.It is comprised of a connecting gallery (watariya-gura) with a steel-plated large gate (omon), as well as a connected tower that curves south (tsuzuki-yagura), and is over 710 square meters and 14.7 meters tall. First built around 1628, it then burned down due to lightning and was rebuilt in 1848.

Nishinomaru Garden 西之丸庭园 (Osaka Castle) 大坂城西ノ丸仕切門

Encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle tower from below. Unlike most of the rest of the castle grounds, the garden requires an admission fee.

The park is one of Osaka's most popular hanami spots during the cherry blossom season, which usually takes place in early April.