Osaka Castle

When Osaka Castle was built in the late 1500s by daimyo Toyotomi Hideyoshi it was the largest and most impressive castle Japan had ever seen. Since this time the castle has been razed and burnt down on a number of occasions and is now a magnificent reconstruction from the 1930s which, most fortuitously, survived the World War II bombings of the city. With five tiers on the outside, eight stories on the inside and surrounded by a moat and towering ramparts, the castle is still formidable and has become the symbol of the city. Inside you will find a museum displaying artefacts that includes art and armour.