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Osaka castle. Photo by Fixwoon.

Top  10 Interesting Facts about the  Osaka Castle

The Osaka Castle is a Japanese castle that was built in 1597 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a powerful warrior and powerful feudal lord during the Sengoku period.

He built the castle as a center of new unified japan under the Toyotomi rule as a samurai warlord.

Osaka castle was destroyed and rebuilt numerous times before it was finally recognized as a historic site by the Japanese government in 1950.

The castle is a monumental Japanese architecture that played a major role in the unification of japan in the Azuchi-Momoyama period.  these are 10 interesting about Osaka castle.

1. The Numerous Destruction and Restorations of the Castle

Picture of the siege of Osaka Castle. Photo by Anonymous.

The castle underwent major destructions to be rebuilt to its current glorious wonder.

One of the major instances occurred in 1614 when the habitants of the castle which is the Toyotomi clan were battling with the Tokugawa clan in three battles namely Sekigahara, Winter-Osaka, and summer Osaka.

The Toyotomi clan was ultimately defeated. the Tokugawa clan took the castle rebuilt it and took to power over japan. In 1665 the castle was struck by lightning and burned down then rebuilt.

The castle was then burned in 1868 during the civil war of the Meiji restoration. After that, partial reconstructions occurred during the ww2. The final restoration occurred in 1995 when the castle was converted to operate as a museum.

2. The Castle was Built on a Historic Site

Toyotomi built the castle at the former site of an old temple called Ishiyama Honganji.

The temple was a fortress for the leagues of warrior priests and commoners who opposed samurai rule during the .

The castle had been destroyed three years earlier by Oda Nobunaga in 1580 when Toyotomi Hideyoshi began construction. 

The castle was planned to resemble Azuchi castle which was Oda Nobunaga’s headquarters. Hideyoshi wanted to build a castle that mimicked Nobunaga’s built a better one.

3. The Castle was Built Faster Than Any Other at the Time

The original Osaka castle began construction in 1583 and took three years to complete.

This was impressive because the castle was huge. the castle plan featured a five-story main tower, with three extra stories underground and the Inner donjon that was completed in 1585.

This was achieved by an estimated 100,000 workers. Hideyoshi continued to extend and expand the castle, making it more and more formidable to attackers by adding a high wall and moats.

4. It is a Great Tourist Attraction Site

Osaka Castle Park garden. Photo by wongwt.

The now Osaka castle museum attracts tourists as it is one of the most famous Japanese castles.

The castle park is the most popular out of all the Osaka attractions because of the additional structures from the cherry blossoms in the Nishinomaru garden located in the park’s intricately designed inner Donjon.

The pink cherry trees offer amazing scenery with exquisite beauty for photography and picnics etc.

5. It is a Historical Landmark

The Osaka Castle was recognized as a national landmark in 1950 because of its major role in the sixteenth century.

 Osaka city was already recognized as the first capital city of japan because it was a popular port city at the time.

The city was considered the merchant鈥檚 capital and had the most political power bringing new ideas, cultures, and politics into the Japanese world.

The Osaka castle became a museum with exhibits itself and Toyotomi Hideyoshi 鈥� the samurai warlord the creator of the castle. The castle holds Osaka city鈥檚 history and culture. This castle contains history that dates back almost 450 years.

6. The Castle has Two Moats

Osaka Castle bridge. Photo by wongwt.

The Main Castle Tower is surrounded by two moats. The inner and outer moats. The inner castle moat lies within the castle grounds further divided into 2 types, northern-easterly also known as wet, and south-westerly also known as dry.

The inner moat that surrounds Osaka Castle has a wooden bridge called Gokurakubashi that connects the outer area and the inner area of the castle.

The Outer moat created for defensive fortifications surrounds the entire castle showing the castle’s outer limits, and 4 individual water-filled sections representing a cardinal direction.

7. Osaka Castle Park is a Spectacular Addition

Osaka Castle Park is famous for its cherry blossom viewing spot at the Nishinomaru garden in March and April.

During Cherry Blossoms, the park is filled with tourists from all over. food vendors flood the park selling all kinds of yummy street food and drinks, and special taiko drummers keep visitors entertained.

The locals come to the Park for Hanami, pink cherry trees, and local musicians who perform small concerts. Osaka castle park has a baseball field, jogging track, and Castle Hall, which is used for events, concerts, and different ceremonies.

8. The Castle has an Observation Deck

The castle has a great observation deck from which visitors can enjoy an incredible 360-degree panoramic view of Osaka city.

The deck also offers a view of The roof of the Osaka Castle which is decorated with gold leaf ornaments to impress its visitors.

There is the gold-covered 鈥淪hachi鈥� 鈥� a mystical creature with a carp body and a tiger head that is believed to protect the castle against fire.

9. The Castle’s Unique Decorations

Osaka Castle roof image. Photo cc by Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

  During its creation, Toyotomi Hideyoshi planned  Inside the castle to be covered with gold leaf on the sides of the tower to impress visitors.

The eight-floor tall Osaka castle painted bright white is adorned with golden ornaments and a greenish copper roof.

In the evening, the castle is beautifully illuminated and glows beautifully above its surrounding moat, looking even lovelier. The golden Shachi is another unique golden decoration only found on the roof of the castle.

10. The Castle Gate

The castle has two gates. Otemon opens to the castle and Sakuramon’s main gate leads to the inner castle grounds also known as Hommaru.

Sakuramon Gate was first built in 1626 during the early  period. It was destroyed by fire in 1868 and reconstructed in 1887 by the Japanese army.

Sakuramon gate was named after the cherry blossom from trees that were planted near the gate when the Castle was built in the 16th Century.

There are also huge stones on both sides of the Sakuramon Gate, called Ryukoishi meaning dragon and tiger stones. The dragon and tiger images are said to appear on the stones when it rains.