It's 3 pm after we backed to Osaka. Since the closing time of Osaka Castle was almost ended, we quickly walked to there in spite of the rain.
After getting the entrance ticket, I climbed up the stairs to the highest level of Tenshukaku (Main keep of Japanese castle). There were too many tourists waiting for the lift.
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| North view of Osaka Castle |
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| South view of Osaka Castle, the brown rectangular building is the Command Headquarter of 4th Division of Imperial Japanese Army during WWII. |
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| Flock of crows outside Tenshukaku |
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| East view of Osaka Castle |
Tenshukaku has been changed to museum in present day. Stories of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's biblography and the Summer Campaign of Osaka are exhibited. Peasant-born Hashiba Hideyoshi (renamed later as Toyotomi Hideyoshi) became Tenka-jin (the leader who ruled the country) in 1583. He then built the Osaka Castle, the largest castle of that times. The castle was inherited by his son, Toyotomi Hideyori.
The conflict between Tokugawa clan, which has established a new shogunate, and Toyotomi clan was intensified in 1614. Tokugawa Ieyasu laid siege to the Osaka Castle, which is well known as the Winter Campaign of Osaka. The war was ended with Toyotomi Hideyori pledging to not rise in rebellion. The walls of the outer layer defenses were torn down and the outer moat of Osaka Castle was allowed to be filled in.
However, Toyotomi clan broke their promise after that. Tokugawa Ieyasu launched the Summer Campaign of Osaka with an army of 200,000 men. The war was ended with the eradication of Toyotomi clan and the destruction of Osaka Castle. The Siege of Osaka was finally ended in 1615, while this year is its 400th anniversary.
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| Signal cannon at the entrance of Tenshukaku. It was used for communication. |
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| The front side of Tenshukaku |
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| This year is 400th annivesary of the Siege of Osaka |
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| The Summer Campaign of Osaka (folding screen painting) |
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| Osaka Castle during Tokugawa Period |
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| Osaka Castle during Toyotomi Period |
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| Tokugawa Shogunate filled up the land on the ruin of Toyotomi's Osaka Castle and built the current Osaka Castle. The foundation of Toyotomi's Osaka Castle is now below the surface. |
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| Moat outside Honmaru (the central part of Japanese castle) |
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| The east side of South External Moat |
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| South External Moat |
We went back to Nanba and enjoyed teppanyaki at there.
That's our trip today. Tomorrow, we will go to Kyoto Gosho, the ancient imperial palace.
Next：
Witness of Chrysanthemum Dynasty, Kyoto Gosho (1)
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