Toyotomi Hideyoshi's stronghold from Japan's unification era
Osaka Castle was built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the warlord who completed Japan's unification after a century of civil war. Hideyoshi intended it as a display of his power to rival Kyoto's imperial court, and at the time of its construction it was the largest castle in Japan.
The castle changed hands and was rebuilt more than once in the centuries that followed. It was destroyed in 1615 during the siege that ended the Toyotomi clan's rule, rebuilt by the Tokugawa shogunate, struck by lightning in the 1600s, and damaged again during the Meiji Restoration. The main tower visitors see today is a 1931 reconstruction in reinforced concrete, built to the original's outward appearance but now also housing a museum on the castle's history and Hideyoshi's life.
Surrounding the tower is Osaka Castle Park, a large green space enclosed by the castle's original stone walls and moat — among the most massive stone fortifications built in Japan. The park is especially popular in spring, when its cherry trees bloom against the backdrop of the castle's white and gold tower.
See Osaka Castle and more landmarks across Japan, one 60-second video at a time.