Osaka Castle & Blossoms: A Journey Through History and Beauty

After passing by the impressive Otemon Gate, you will reach one of the oldest remainings of Osaka Castle. Sengan-Yagura Turret is dating from the Edo period and bears a fabulous story. During the Sengoku period, the ancestor of the current Osaka Castle was occupied by Ishiyama Hongan-Ji, which was a fortress-temple created by the Ikkō-Ikki warriors. In 1576, the famous Oda Nobunaga and his army were facing the fortress. The turret was so well prepared they couldn't pass its defense! Angered, Oda Nobunaga promised a lot of money ("sen-gan-mon" in Japanese) to the one who will conquer the turret. This story named the turret, which became in 1620 an Important Cultural Asset of Japan.

Located inside Osaka Castle Park, Hokoku Shrine is known for holding wedding ceremonies. It is also a beautiful shrine full of cherry trees, with an impressive torii gate. The place is photogenic during May-April as the cherry trees are in full bloom. But Hokoku Shrine is also a place to pray for luck and life advancement. Indeed, the Shrine has been built in honor of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a famous samurai, general and politician who raised from commoner to ruler. Here, you can purchase omamori protection charms with the Toyotomi family crest. Take the time to enjoy this praying spot as well as looking at the majestic statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi!

Here is a unique museum to discover. The Illusion Museum in Miraiza Osaka building is close to Osaka Castle and yet thousands of years from it! You will enter a world of illusions and tricks, learning much more about the history of illusion. You will look at old illusion artifacts used by magicians from all around the world. Also, you can have the opportunity to take part in magic shows yourself, enjoying trick art projection mapping or 3D visuals! At last, you can witness a magic show performed by one of the magicians of the museum.

The next step of this tour is one of the most beautiful parts surrounding Osaka Castle. After passing by the stunning Sakura-mon Gate, you will face Nishinomaru Garden. If you love traditional Japanese culture, you will be amazed by this place. This scenic Japanese garden features 300 cherry trees and 1,270 Japanese plum trees which make Nishinomaru Garden an enjoyable place during spring. There is a pond with a great view of the Osaka Castle in the background. Next to it is a traditional tea house where you can purchase local snacks and drinks. It is like going back to the Edo period.

You will now walk by one of the biggest parks in the city. Osaka Castle Park bears a long history. In the 15th century, it was a militant temple called Ishiyama Hongan-Ji. But Toyotomi Hideyoshi destroyed the building and built Osaka Castle in the center of the present park. The park is spacious and contains many different areas like an athletic field, baseball field, open-air music theatre, etc. Nature is omnipresent as well as the presence of cherry and plum trees. It made Osaka Castle Park a wonderful place during spring as the trees are in full bloom. From March to April, thousands of flowers from red to pink are dancing in the air while locals do Hanami (Japanese picnic) under the trees. Why not sit down yourself to enjoy a glass of plum sake?

Osaka Castle is one of the most famous places in Osaka. It is a typical Japanese castle with a stunning outlook and deep history. It played a major role in the unification of Japan during the 16th century. Here you can take beautiful pictures, especially during the Spring season with the cherry blossoms. It is a unique experience you should definitely enjoy! During this tour, you will have the chance to visit the indoor of the castle which has become a museum telling the whole history of Osaka Castle. In the end, you will go to the top of the Castle and have an amazing panorama of the city and the surrounding mountains.

After a pleasant visit of Osaka Castle, it’s time to walk on one of its most famous bridges: the Gokuraku Bridge, or Gokurakubashi in Japanese. This 54-meters-long bridge was originally made of wood. But the original bridge burnt during the Japanese Civil War also called the Boshin War. The current bridge is dating from 1965. Since then, it is a popular spot in the area. Why? Thanks to its location, this beautiful and curved bridge is giving a very nice view of Osaka Castle. Many photographers come here to take stunning pictures of the castle.

After an interesting visit to the land, you will now enjoy a peaceful and relaxing boat promenade. The boat goes around the inner canal of Osaka Castle. It will give you a splendid view of the complex and the impressive rocks used to build the stone walls. This pleasure boat is quite unique as it is a reproduction of Hideyoshi’s Ho-Oh-Maru, a boat with a golden roof. It is a fun opportunity and unique sightseeing of the castle! You will feel overwhelmed by the presence of Osaka Castle.