Museum & venue · Osaka
Osaka Castle
大坂城
Toyotomi Hideyoshi began Osaka Castle in 1583 as the seat of his rule over Japan. It was destroyed in the sieges of 1614–15, rebuilt by the Tokugawa, and lost again to lightning. The main tower you see today was rebuilt in 1931 with money donated by Osaka citizens, gold-trimmed and topped with golden shachi fish.
Inside, the tower is a museum of Hideyoshi and the castle's history, with an open-air viewing floor at the top. Just as impressive are the huge stone walls and wide moats of the surrounding park.
What to see and do
Floors of armour, screens and displays on Hideyoshi and the Osaka sieges.
The observation floor looks over the park and the city skyline.
Walk the moats to see enormous granite blocks, some weighing over 100 tonnes.
A newer facility showing the buried stone walls of Hideyoshi's original castle.
What’s on
Good to know
- Buy a web ticket in advance to skip the ticket queue, and go early to avoid lines to the lift.
- It's a long walk from any station to the tower. Wear comfortable shoes.