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Beautiful OSAKA Castle
Osaka Castle was built by Hideyoshi who unified the whole country.
He served Nobunaga Oda, and he boasted many achievements with innovative proposal like a flood strategy. After Nobunaga passed away, Hideyoshi accomplished the great undertaking that Nobunaga could not achieve the unification of the country.
Even if I look at Osaka Castle from a distance, the beautiful colors match the sky, and it is a wonderfully beautiful castle that shines brightly even if I look nearby. From the top floor of the castle, magnificent views can be seen.
Before the construction of the Castle
⑴ Long ago, the royal palace existed in ancient Osaka. In 645, the Taika Reforms began, the capital was established in Osaka, and Namba royal palace was built to the south of Osaka Castle Park.
There was a time when it was burnt down by a fire, but Namba Palace existed until the capital was relocated to Nagaokakyo in 784.
⑵ In 1496 during the Sengoku period, Warring States period, a vihara was erected by Rennyo, a monk of Jodo Shinshu Honganji Temple, it was called Ishiyama Honganji Temple.
Since then, a terauchi macho began to take shape and developed into a huge city, and it strength frightened power people of the time.
the construction of Osaka castle
Nobunaga Oda highly valued the location of Ishiyama Honganji Temple and forced them to surrender the Temple. The Honganji sect, which had become a major force, resisted and developed into Ishiyama battle.
After a long battle, the monks left Honganji Temple in 1580, and the Temple was destroyed by fire.
After the Ishiyama War, Nobunaga died in 1582 due to the Honnoji Incident, and in 1583 Hideyoshi Toyotomi built Osaka Castle on the site of Ishiyama Honganji Temple.
The castle tower was completed in 1585, and then it was completed into a large-scale and gorgeous castle.
Osaka Fuyu no Jin, Natsu no Jin
Hideyoshi Toyotomi died in 1598 after unifying the whole country.
After Hideyoshi’s death, Ieyasu Tokugawa came to power. But Ieyasu feared the authority of the Toyotomi clan and Osaka Fuyu no Jin broke out in 1600.
At the end of the two battles between Fuyu no Jin and Natsu no Jin, Hideyori Toyotomi, who succeeded the Toyotomi clan, and his mother Yodo-dono, burned with Osaka Castle, and the battle ended with the victory of Tokugawa.
Osaka Castle as of now
Osaka Castle was the splendid castle decorated with gold and silver built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi whose construction started around 1585. After Hideyoshi passed away, Hideyoshi forces lost to Ieyasu Tokugawa in Osaka Natsu no jin (Summer Siege of Osaka). And the castle built by Hideyoshi was burned down. After that, the castle was rebuilt on the magnificent scale in the era of Hidetada Tokugawa, the second Shogun, but it was burned down by lightning and subsequent war.
The castle was reconstructed with a steel reinforced concrete high-tech castle with an elevator installed in 1931. At the present time only part of the building remains as it was at that time.
Osaka Castle is a popular tourist spot visited by many foreign tourists every year.
Cruising the moat : Gozabune Boat
It is a gold sightseeing boat that goes around the moat of Osaka Castle in about 20 minutes.
Shops and Restaurants : MIRAIZA
In the square in front of Osaka Castle, there is a commercial building with cafes, souvenir shops, and shops where you can experience ninja. The entrance is very luxurious. There is a terrace restaurant overlooking the Osaka Castle on the rooftop.
Sakuramon Gate
From the Sakuramon Gate, you can see Osaka Castle in the frame. There are gigantic stones on both sides of the gate. In the Edo period, it was said that when it rains, a dragon appears on the right side and a tiger appears on the left side.
Houkoku-jinja Shrine
This is the shrine where Hideyoshi Toyotomi is enshrined. The shrine is said that there will be benefits for success.
In Osaka castle Park Grounds
There are shops, Starbucks Coffee, a bakery café and Bornelund PlayVille that combines indoor and outdoor play areas for children in the fountain area near Morinomiya Station.
JO-TERRACE
In front of JR Osaka Castle Park Station, there is a complex facilities with souvenir shops, restaurants, a tourist information center and other facilities that you can enjoy.
Access
1-1, Osakajo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City
