The Osaka Castle was a big to do way back in 1583 when it was completed. It surpassed the greatest castle in the land in many ways, taller, fancier and of course newer. However it was burned in an attack by a rival clan in 1615. It was rebuilt in the1620's and the walls got a big upgrade with interlocking granite stones brough in from the Seto Inland Sea area. Many of the stones have the family crest chiseled into them of the family that provided them. It was completed in 1629 regaining its former glory. However it was consequently destroyed in the Summer Battle of Osaka during the civil war a mere 16 years later. But it was once again rebuilt only to burn again after a gunpowder explosion in 1660, a lightning strike in 1665 and so on. A gradual decline was halted in 1853 when it received another round of renovations. This time it lasted until WW2 when air raids took it down again although some of the buildings survived. The entire area was rebuilt in 1995 finishing in 1997. It is certainly an impressive building and the grounds are delightful. Most impressive are the giant granite blocks in the walls.
A peek from the road outside the grounds
These sloping walls lead down to the moat
The oldest of the buildings on site. It survived the various fires and battles
It is a guard house / watch tower due to its location on the edge of the walls
In reflection is the face of the tour guide who was narrating in Japanese. the end of each sentence expresses excitement and got us to giggling
After the Bus Tour we took a taxi back to the castle
The cherry trees are budding but no blooms yet
Eurasian Tree Sparrows
The moat has water in it
Each pine tree seemed to have been carefully sculpted
The exterior gates
The interior gates
Huge monolithic stones fitted together with precision and without mortor
A stone showing how it was worked
Folks for scale
The tori gate leading to the inner sanctum
One final gate to pass through
What massive stones! They must be 10 or 12 feet tall
A newer post war building that houses a fancy restaurant
Here we are at the castle
the line starts here, for those who had not pre-ordered their tickets that is
The sun is heating up the day, soon it will be time to shed the coats
A signal cannon
It was built ion 1863 and was fired at noon until the mid 1920's when the practice was discontinued
In we go
Tiger...Run away! There are eight of these tigers on the castle walls
Gold fish. This is a full scale replica of the male fishjh on the south side of the main tower
A selection of hats to pose with!
Bigger is better
Biggest is best
Background provided by the photographers
Scenes of the Portuguese first contact with Japan
The smartest man in Japan in the 9th and 10th century, Sugawara no Michizane
A scale model of the castle grounds
Various art works depicted battles and processions from the past
During the battle in 1995 these folks were aseen running for their lives
these are close up details of the much larger painting of the battle
Each individual is a known warrier
Lots of battle related displays
Out and hungry
Heading to the station
We find a stall that is making the iconic Takoyaki
Fried dough with octopus bits inside
A Tufted Duck
Oriental Turtle Dove
We passed the Peace Museum
they have threi own dove
In sculpture format
And that is all she wrote
It has been 1 year and 284 days since we began our Migration
