The Ancient Castle of Osaka, Japan - Witness to Osaka's History and WWII Bombing
In Japan, besides Tokyo, Osaka is also a city many Chinese people are familiar with. Osaka is Japan's second-largest city, following Tokyo, and it is also a historic city. To learn about Osaka's history, come to Osaka Castle Park in the city center.
Osaka Castle Park is a well-known tourist attraction in Osaka and witnesses the history of this city. Japan has three famous castles, namely Osaka Castle, Nagoya Castle, and Kumamoto Castle. These castles were built during the early Edo period (over 400 years ago), and they are the most famous. The Osaka Castle of 400 years ago is located within Osaka Castle Park.
Before the Edo period, Toyotomi Hideyoshi held the most power, and the original Osaka Castle was built by him. However, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was defeated and seized power by his subordinate Tokugawa Ieyasu, and this city was destroyed due to war. The Osaka Castle you see now was built between 1620 and 1629 by the Tokugawa family, and it has a history of 400 years.
In many Japanese castles, there is a castle tower (), which is a characteristic of that period. The castle tower is the highest point of the castle, used for observation and military command. Osaka Castle is no exception.
The earliest Osaka Castle tower was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but the one you see now is relatively young, as it was rebuilt in 1931. Osaka Castle Tower has 8 floors, and the top floor is an observation deck, offering a view of Osaka's cityscape.
Osaka Castle's status was already evident during the Edo period. Osaka Castle was directly governed by the Tokugawa Shogunate, and each shogun served as the castle's lord. Before World War II, Osaka Castle became a military base, which was bombed by the U.S. military during World War II, destroying many of the castle's buildings.
Osaka Castle Park is also a cherry blossom viewing spot. Although cherry blossoms can be seen in many places in Japan, the combination of cherry blossoms and ancient buildings has its own charm. Every year during the cherry blossom season, the park is crowded with visitors.
Besides the ancient Osaka Castle, Osaka's cuisine is also worth trying. Osaka is known as Japan's food capital, and Dotonbori is a must-visit food street in Osaka, with dazzling signs that will overwhelm your eyes, and all kinds of delicious food will satisfy you.
