Osaka Castle is a prominent symbol of Osaka City, originally constructed in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the site of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji temple-fortress, which had been the scene of a violent uprising by warrior monks and peasants in the late 16th century. Modeled on Oda Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle, the original Osaka Castle tenshu (tower keep) featured five visible floors, six interior floors, and two underground basements. The exterior was lacquered black and adorned with gold decorations, including large peony flowers, tigers, birds, and various crests.
The lavish use of gold on Osaka Castle’s exterior surpassed even the grandeur of Azuchi Castle. The shachihoko-gawara (roof decorations with a tiger’s head and a scaly fish’s body), other roofing tiles, and rounded eave edge tiles were all finished in gold leaf. Inside, pillars were lacquered red or black, and walls were beautifully decorated with gold leaf and paintings by leading artists of the time. Hideyoshi often conducted tours of the luxurious keep to enhance his power and authority.
After Hideyoshi’s death in 1598, construction of the castle continued until the entire structure, including the San-no-Maru and all the defensive elements like earthen walls, water moats, and dry moats, was completed. During the Winter Siege of Osaka in 1614, Sanada Yukimura built the Sanada-Maru, a vast defensive structure that greatly strengthened the southern end of Osaka.
Following Hideyoshi’s death, his five-year-old son, Hideyori, inherited the castle. However, the peace achieved by Hideyoshi was disrupted when Tokugawa Ieyasu, the leader of the Council of Regents established to assist Hideyori, made moves to seize power. This led to the nation being divided between the Tokugawa-led East and the Toyotomi-loyal West, culminating in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. Although the Tokugawa won, many daimyo remained loyal to the Toyotomi, prompting Ieyasu to launch the Winter Siege of Osaka in 1614. Despite being outnumbered, the Toyotomi forces held off the attack. However, in 1615, Ieyasu raised 150,000 samurai and laid siege to Osaka Castle again, eventually destroying it with artillery and fire, killing thousands of Toyotomi loyalists and ending the Toyotomi clan.
In 1620, the Tokugawa clan rebuilt Osaka Castle to erase any trace of the Toyotomi fortress. The moats were widened and deepened, and the stone walls were reconfigured to reach 30 meters in height. The tenshu was rebuilt about 45 meters west of the original keep, and a three-story watchtower was added. This new castle was partially destroyed in 1660 by an explosion and fire caused by lightning striking a gunpowder warehouse. The main donjon was destroyed by another lightning strike in 1665. Finally, the castle was attacked and burned during the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
The current ferro-concrete tower, reconstructed in 1931, blends old and new elements from different clans and periods. It was based on the shape of the Toyotomi castle but built in the white-walled, green-roofed style preferred by the Tokugawa clan, atop the remaining stone base from the 1620s. Thirteen original Tokugawa period structures remain and are designated as Important Cultural Assets. Notably, the stone walls of Osaka Castle have survived demolition, war, and earthquakes since their construction in the 1620s.
See also
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
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Yamato Koriyama Castle
The impressive ruins of Koriyama Castle sit atop a small hill, surrounded by two rivers. The strategic positioning and strong layout of the castle served it well through the final years of the Sengoku period and the peaceful days of the Edo period.
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Yamanaka Castle
Yamanaka Castle, established by Hojo Ujiyasu in the 1560s, is located in what is now eastern Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. This castle served as the first line of western defense for the main Hojo Castle at Odawara. Carved into the side of a 586-meter-high mountain, Yamanaka Castle was strategically positioned along the Tokaido Highway, offering superb views of nearby Mt. Fuji, the ocean, and the road leading to Odawara.
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Uwajima Castle
Uwajima Castle, located in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of the 12 remaining Japanese castles with an original keep. Known for its small size, Uwajima Castle is relatively difficult to access, which means it is less frequented by tourists.
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Ueda Castle
Ueda Castle in Nagano Prefecture once stood prominently on a cliff overlooking the Saigawa River. Also known as Amagafuchi-Jo, Isesaki-Jo, Matsuo-Jo, and Sanada-Jo, it was built around 1583 by its first master, Sanada Masayuki. This sturdy yet small fortress cleverly utilized the surrounding natural defenses, including the river, steep rocky cliffs, the layout of the town below, and the strategically designed waterways to hinder attackers. Ueda Castle was fortified with seven defensive yagura (watchtowers) atop robust stone walls and had two large gates with watchtowers above them.
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Tsuyama Castle
Tsuyama Castle, located in Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture, is celebrated as one of Japan's top three major hilltop (Hirayama) castles, alongside Himeji and Matsuyama Castles. Originally, Tsuyama Castle comprised 77 structures, including the main keep, various yagura (watchtowers), gates, palaces, and living quarters. For comparison, Hiroshima Castle had 76 structures, and Himeji had 61. The first castle on this site was built in 1441 but was soon abandoned. The large-scale construction that we recognize today began in 1603 under the orders of Mori Tadamasa. The castle served as the administrative base for the Tsuyama Han daimyo, the Mori clan from 1603 to 1697, and the Matsudaira clan from 1698 to 1871.
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Tsu Castle
Tsu Castle, located in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, was originally built by Hosono Fujiatsu in 1558 and was known as Anotsu Castle, named after the old region. The site was strategically chosen at the confluence of the Ano and Iwata Rivers, which naturally formed a moat around the castle, while the nearby port served as a vital trade route.
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Sasayama Castle
Tamba Sasayama Castle, also known as Sasayama or Kirigajo (Mist Castle), is a flatland castle (hira-jiro) situated on a gentle rise in the Tamba region of Hyogo Prefecture. It was constructed in 1608 as part of Tokugawa Ieyasu's strategy to prepare for an attack on Osaka, aiming to bring an end to the Toyotomi clan. Ieyasu ordered the castle's construction using the Tenka Bushin system, engaging 20 former enemy daimyo and their forces to complete the complex within six months. This system kept the former enemies close and preoccupied, financially straining them and limiting their capacity for further conflict. The stones used in Sasayama Castle feature engravings called kokumon, indicating who made each part of the walls and preventing theft by other lords' men.
