One of the most beautiful and well constructed castles in the world, its hard to imagine that Osaka Castle was used as a building of war. It remains a popular tourist destination for those visiting Japan.
Osaka Castle started construction in 1583, on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, after its destruction by Oda Nobunga. It was the largest castle at the time, and was intended to be used as a centre of a new unified Japan under the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
A few years after Hideyoshi’s death, Tokugawa troops attacked and destroyed the castle and terminated the Toyotomi lineage. Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightening in 1665 and burnt down.
The castle tower was rebuilt, and is now entirely modern on the inside and even features an elevator for easier accessibility. It houses an informative museum about the castle’s history and Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Posted: December 28, 2015 |In:Destinations