This is a picture of the Osaka castle showing the river/moat in front and parts of the rock wall around it.. https://thetruejapan.com/osaka-castle-worth-visiting/
Background Information on the Osaka Castle:
The Osaka Castle is a historical Japanese Castle. The castle is a popular tourist site for many people visiting Japan and for people who live in Japan. Cherry blossom trees surround the castle that have beautiful pink flowers that blossom in the beginning of April. Also, near the Osaka castle there is the Tenjin Matsuri festival in later July. The Osaka castle was built in the same location as a temple called the Honganji Temple. The Honganji temple was destroyed by Oda Nobunaga many years before the Osaka castle was built. If you visit the Osaka castle today, it is very modern on the inside and also has an elevator for easier access. Also, inside the Osaka Castle on floors 1-7, there are displays of many weapons, armour, and different items of the days when the Castle was used. The Osaka castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi who was a warlord who ruled the whole country in the 16th century. Also, the Osaka Castle was burned down many times during battles, but it was later reconstructed. To find more specific information on certain aspects of the Osaka castle, keep reading (Osaka Castle Area).
Osaka Castle Location/Defense Mechanisms:
The Osaka Castle was first built on the Uemachi Plateau, which is a very high point in Japan. Also, the Uemachi plateau is surrounded by many rivers which makes it hard to attack the castle. If the Osaka castle was to be attacked, people would have to cross multiple rivers just to get near the castle and be able to climb up the plateau. The Uemachi plateau was a strategically beneficial place to build the Osaka castle since it has natural protection with the rivers and is in a good military location because of its height. Although historians are not sure whether Hideyoshi meant to start building the castle on the location that he had chosen, the location was still militarily advantageous.
The Osaka Castle also used its high walls and great location to help the military of Japan. The rocks that surround the Osaka castle also helped to defend the castle if an enemy was approaching. Since the Osaka castle is located on a plateau, it is harder for the enemy to get to, meaning that whichever side of the battle is able to use the castle is already at an advantage. The rivers that surround the castle were used as moats that could block enemies from coming closer to the castle. The strategic placement of the Osaka castle prove its importance and helpfulness in Japanese battles (A Brief History of Osaka Castle).
History of the Osaka Castle:
The Osaka castle that you can go visit and see today is the 3rd version of it. The main tower in the Toyotomi period was burned down (then it was rebuilt again), and the second version of the main tower in the Tokugawa period was struck by lightning and also burned down (and it was also rebuilt). The Osaka castle was also burned down by people hiding from the enemy in it at a later time. The Osaka castle “repeatedly featured as the battleground of the major wars in Japanese history” (Osaka Castle History). Because the Osaka castle has been so important in shaping Japanese history, it is a popular tourist site for people visiting Japan and people who live in Japan.
A Golden Touch to the Castle:
Hideyoshi, who was the builder of the Osaka castle was obsessed with gold and put it on everything from furniture to weapons. Being the builder of the castle, he was determined to put gold on everything. Because Hideyoshi loved gold so much, he even put gold on the exterior of the Osaka castle. If you look inside the Osaka castle, there is a golden tea room where “not only the walls, the pillars and the ceiling, but also the tea utensils were finished with gold” (Osaka Castle History). The Osaka castle was known as a symbol of power of Hideyoshi. By having gold inside and outside of the castle, the castle proves the wealth and power of Hideyoshi.
The Osaka castle that you can go visit and see today is the 3rd version of it. The main tower in the Toyotomi period was burned down (then it was rebuilt again), and the second version of the main tower in the Tokugawa period was struck by lightning and also burned down (and it was also rebuilt). The Osaka castle was also burned down by people hiding from the enemy in it at a later time. The Osaka castle “repeatedly featured as the battleground of the major wars in Japanese history” (Osaka Castle History). Because the Osaka castle has been so important in shaping Japanese history, it is a popular tourist site for people visiting Japan and people who live in Japan.
A Golden Touch to the Castle:
Hideyoshi, who was the builder of the Osaka castle was obsessed with gold and put it on everything from furniture to weapons. Being the builder of the castle, he was determined to put gold on everything. Because Hideyoshi loved gold so much, he even put gold on the exterior of the Osaka castle. If you look inside the Osaka castle, there is a golden tea room where “not only the walls, the pillars and the ceiling, but also the tea utensils were finished with gold” (Osaka Castle History). The Osaka castle was known as a symbol of power of Hideyoshi. By having gold inside and outside of the castle, the castle proves the wealth and power of Hideyoshi.
Osaka Castle Park Features:
Around the Osaka Castle, there are “secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls, and moats” (Osaka Castle: Castle in Osaka). Also, around the Osaka castle there are many parks which you can visit. Many people who visit the Osaka castle visit the cherry blossom trees and take pictures of them. If you visit the Osaka castle in late July, you might also be able to see the Tenjin Matsuri festival that happens in a river near the Osaka castle.
Around the Osaka Castle, there are “secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls, and moats” (Osaka Castle: Castle in Osaka). Also, around the Osaka castle there are many parks which you can visit. Many people who visit the Osaka castle visit the cherry blossom trees and take pictures of them. If you visit the Osaka castle in late July, you might also be able to see the Tenjin Matsuri festival that happens in a river near the Osaka castle.
Cherry Blossom Trees:
A main reason why the Osaka castle attracts visitors is because of the astonishing cherry blossom trees. In fact, there is a garden called the Nishinomaru garden that has many cherry trees that brings cherry blossom tree viewers in early April . The most popular site at the Osaka castle is the hanami spot during cherry blossom season. Cherry blossom season usually happens around early april when the flowers are blooming and turn a pinkish-whitish color. Also, to the north of the Osaka Castle, there is a Sakura-no-miya-koen Park on the east Bank of the Okawa river. This park is also known for having beautiful cherry blossoms even since ancient times (Japan National Tourism Organization). A major reason why the Osaka Castle has so many visitors is because of the cherry blossom trees (Osaka Castle: Castle in Osaka).
A main reason why the Osaka castle attracts visitors is because of the astonishing cherry blossom trees. In fact, there is a garden called the Nishinomaru garden that has many cherry trees that brings cherry blossom tree viewers in early April . The most popular site at the Osaka castle is the hanami spot during cherry blossom season. Cherry blossom season usually happens around early april when the flowers are blooming and turn a pinkish-whitish color. Also, to the north of the Osaka Castle, there is a Sakura-no-miya-koen Park on the east Bank of the Okawa river. This park is also known for having beautiful cherry blossoms even since ancient times (Japan National Tourism Organization). A major reason why the Osaka Castle has so many visitors is because of the cherry blossom trees (Osaka Castle: Castle in Osaka).
More Sites to See Around the Osaka Castle:
In addition to the beautiful cherry blossom trees (as seen in the picture above), there is also a waterway going around the castle. You can go on a bus service that will take you on a cruise in the river to see many different historical sites near the Osaka castle. The waterway will lead you around the castle while going under bridges and learning historical information about the Osaka castle. In fact, the waterways that go around the Osaka castle used to be moats that were used in battles (Osaka Castle Area).
In addition to the beautiful cherry blossom trees (as seen in the picture above), there is also a waterway going around the castle. You can go on a bus service that will take you on a cruise in the river to see many different historical sites near the Osaka castle. The waterway will lead you around the castle while going under bridges and learning historical information about the Osaka castle. In fact, the waterways that go around the Osaka castle used to be moats that were used in battles (Osaka Castle Area).
Tenjin Matsuri Festival:
There is also a Tenjin matsuri festival which is one of the largest festivals in Japan. The Tenjin matsuri festival is also the greatest boat festival in the world. In the Tenjin matsuri festival, around 100 ships go down a river near the Osaka castle and fireworks are fired too. The Tenjin matsuri festival occurs in late July (Osaka Castle Area).
There is also a Tenjin matsuri festival which is one of the largest festivals in Japan. The Tenjin matsuri festival is also the greatest boat festival in the world. In the Tenjin matsuri festival, around 100 ships go down a river near the Osaka castle and fireworks are fired too. The Tenjin matsuri festival occurs in late July (Osaka Castle Area).
Osaka Castle Rebuilt 3x:
Parts of the Osaka castle (as mentioned before) had to be rebuilt multiple times due to fires. After the castle burned down the first time, Tokugawa Ieyasu (who was the shogun at the time) decided to throw away all of the parts that could have caused the castle to burn down in the first place. But, unluckily, years later there was an explosion that had to do with lightning striking very close to the gun powder room. The lightning strike caused an explosion that ruined the castle. This explosion burned and flung pieces of the castle everywhere, leaving the castle's tower in ruins yet again. After the second fire incident, the main tower of the castle was not rebuilt again for many years. Many years later, the Osaka castle was in use as a camp to armed soldiers. The location of the Osaka castle was key at the time since it was close to Kyoto, which was an important city. Troops who were staying near the Osaka castle retreated back to the castle after they had lost the battle and stayed in the castle. But, as the troops who had won against them came closer to the Osaka castle, the troops hiding in the Osaka castle had no choice at running away now, so they set the castle on fire in fear of being killed. This last fire destroyed many parts of the Osaka castle (A Brief History of Osaka Castle).
Parts of the Osaka castle (as mentioned before) had to be rebuilt multiple times due to fires. After the castle burned down the first time, Tokugawa Ieyasu (who was the shogun at the time) decided to throw away all of the parts that could have caused the castle to burn down in the first place. But, unluckily, years later there was an explosion that had to do with lightning striking very close to the gun powder room. The lightning strike caused an explosion that ruined the castle. This explosion burned and flung pieces of the castle everywhere, leaving the castle's tower in ruins yet again. After the second fire incident, the main tower of the castle was not rebuilt again for many years. Many years later, the Osaka castle was in use as a camp to armed soldiers. The location of the Osaka castle was key at the time since it was close to Kyoto, which was an important city. Troops who were staying near the Osaka castle retreated back to the castle after they had lost the battle and stayed in the castle. But, as the troops who had won against them came closer to the Osaka castle, the troops hiding in the Osaka castle had no choice at running away now, so they set the castle on fire in fear of being killed. This last fire destroyed many parts of the Osaka castle (A Brief History of Osaka Castle).
The map above shows the location of the Osaka Castle.
Click on the pictures below and the arrows to see more aspects of the Osaka castle.
Importance of the Osaka Castle:
The Osaka castle is not only visually appealing, but it had a significant part in Japan's unification many years ago. Although it was burned down many times, the castle was still able to help parts of Japan in many battles. The Osaka castle is not only a beautiful place to visit including the cherry blossom trees, the beautiful scenery and many parks and walkways that it is right near, but it is a historical artifact. It was used in many battles long ago and should definitely be visited if someone is traveling to or lives in Japan.
The Osaka castle is not only visually appealing, but it had a significant part in Japan's unification many years ago. Although it was burned down many times, the castle was still able to help parts of Japan in many battles. The Osaka castle is not only a beautiful place to visit including the cherry blossom trees, the beautiful scenery and many parks and walkways that it is right near, but it is a historical artifact. It was used in many battles long ago and should definitely be visited if someone is traveling to or lives in Japan.