Osaka Attractions｜One of the Three Great Castles in Japan, Osaka Castle Must-visit the Castle Tower

#OsakaTravel Attractions: Osaka Castle Tower 📍Address: 1-1 Osaka Castle, Chuo-ku, Osaka City 🕰️Opening hours: 09:00–17:00 💰Average cost per person: Ticket price ¥600, to be raised to ¥1200 in spring 2025 💞Recommended reasons: In 1583, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had unified the country, began to build Osaka Castle. A year and a half later, the first castle tower was completed. After the establishment of the Edo Shogunate, the Tokugawa family fought against the Toyotomi family in two battles, the Winter Campaign of Osaka and the Summer Campaign of Osaka. In the end, the Tokugawa family won, and the earliest Osaka Castle also disappeared in the flames of war. The Tokugawa shogunate rebuilt Osaka Castle and the second-generation castle tower in 1626, but a few years later the castle tower was struck by lightning and burned down, and it had not been rebuilt for hundreds of years. It was not until 1928 that the mayor of Osaka proposed a reconstruction plan, and it was finally rebuilt using reinforced concrete and other materials according to the Toyotomi Osaka Castle tower painted on the Osaka Natsume screen. Transportation Guide: Osaka Castle is located in Osaka Castle Park, and all major subway stations are surrounded by Osaka Castle Park. Take the JR Loop Line and get off at Mori-nomiya Station or Osaka-jo-koen Station. Take the Osaka City Metro Tanimachi Line and get off at Tanimachi 4-chome Station, Exit 1-B or Temmabashi Station, Exit 3. Take the Chuo Line to Tanimachi 4-chome Station, Exit 9, or Morinomiya Station, Exit 1 or Exit 3-B. Take the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line to Mori-nomiya Station, Exit 3-B, or Osaka Business Park Station, Exit 1. Take the Keihan Railway to Temmabashi Station. It is recommended to purchase the "Osaka Amazing Pass" which not only provides free transportation but also free entry to about 40 facilities, including Osaka Castle. Arriving from Tanimachi 4-chome Station or Temmabashi Station, you will enter from the Daimon Gate, which is the main gate of Osaka Castle. I took the JR train and got off at Osaka Castle Park and walked in from the Gokuraku Bridge side. From here, you can also take the Osaka Castle Gozabune to enjoy the view of Osaka Castle from the moat. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to walk from either side to reach the castle tower. The Osaka Castle Tower was selected as a "Tangible Cultural Property" of Japan. It is now used as a museum. The first floor introduces the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and has a souvenir shop. The second floor displays the history of Osaka Castle. It is worth mentioning that visitors can also try on the haori of the Warring States generals. The third floor displays historical documents and The fourth floor exhibits materials from the Warring States period and items related to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The fifth floor introduces the famous battle "Summer Campaign of Osaka" with images and models. The seventh floor introduces Toyotomi Hideyoshi's achievements in building Osaka Castle and unifying the world. The eighth floor is an observation deck, 50 meters above the ground, with a panoramic view of Osaka city scenery, which is well worth a visit. If you are traveling with children or elders who are impatient to walk, you can just look outside.