One of the most famous, iconic castles in Japan is Osaka Castle, in the heart of Osaka. It's a great place to go for hanami (cherry blossom viewing) in the spring, as well as a beautiful spot for weddings, tours, and school trips. The castle sits in the center of a huge park, surrounded by a moat and tall stone walls to keep out intruders. Inside the castle is a museum of the history of the castle and its inhabitants. The beauty and majesty of the park and castle keep me coming back every time I can. It's easily my favorite travel spot in Osaka!

The castle was first built in the 1580s as a home and base for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful daimyo lord. His goal was to outshine the castle build by his rival, Oda Nobunaga, another daimyo. Although he didn't get to live for long in the castle, Hideyoshi's son, Hideyori, inherited it when his father died. The castle proved that it was up to the task of protecting the Toyotomi family during the Seige of Osaka in 1614, but it was such a desirable location--built up on a hilltop, surrounded by defenses, and in a central part of Japan--that it was eventually taken over by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had established his own shogunate government.

The Tokugawa shogunate held the castle for many years, even after it burned in 1665. They were responsible for re-building the destroyed main tower in 1843. Even so, it was burned again during the Meiji Restoration, another hundred or so years later. Full restorations of the castle took place over the next few decades, officially ending in 1997. The modern castle that we can see in Osaka is a complete restoration of the original.

The castle is a beautiful building, with white walls, green roofing, and golden ornamentation around the outside of the building. During Spring, the cherry blossom trees in the park bloom, covering the grounds in pink. There are often wedding parties taking photographs in the park, and the castle is a popular tourist spot. A boat tour of the moat allows visitors to get a good look at the entire castle from the outside. I've seen a lot of school groups visit there, too! The last time I visited was right after the high schools had their graduation ceremonies, and there were a ton of students taking pictures in their caps and gowns.

I highly recommend Osaka Castle as a key point in any visit to Osaka. It has a combination of the beautiful nature of the park and the museum itself, where you can learn about the history of Osaka. There are also a lot of fun things to do and snacks to eat, like ice cream! It's a really fun place to do a morning, afternoon, or even an all-day trip to!