Osaka Castle
During the year 1580, Oda Nobunaga destroyed the Osaka, or Ishiyama Honganji temple. But three years later construction of the Osaka Castle began on this site by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1587, the Osaka Castle was completed, and was unparalleled by any other castle in the country. It was equipped with 13 structures that make up the property. The Main Tower rests of a stone platform, which is typical of traditional Japanese architecture. The stone platform acted as a defense mechanism to keep out attackers. Along the outside of the castle there were multiple turrets, a moat, and the grand gate. Also there was a 30 meters tall stonewall made of blocks of stone that were transported to Osaka from over 100 kilometers away. All these various structures successfully defended the castle. Aside from the being functional the castle is very extravagant and elegant. 8 dolphin statues, decorative roof tiles, and tiger carving all gilded with gold, decorate the outside of the castle. Hideyoshi took a special interest in gold, and ordered that almost everything in the Main Tower of Osaka castle to have gold applied to it, including furniture, weapons, armor, and the exterior of the castle. He worked closely with a tea-ceremony master named Rikyu Sen to come up with the golden tea room, where gold is found almost everywhere in the room, including walls, ceilings, furniture, and decorations. The castle stood tall, as the heart of the country, it was the center of power. But in 1615 the Summer War of the Osaka Castle erupted and Tokugawa Ieyasu destroyed and burned down the precious Main Tower and the whole Osaka Castle. Once the Tokugawa Shogunate was founded, the castle was rebuilt to its former glory. This reconstruction of the Osaka Castle was completed in 1629. Unfortunately in 1665, the Main Tower was struck by lightning and burned. Then when the Tokugawa Shogunate fell, so did the rest of the castle, and it was burned in a battle between the New government of Japan and the shogunate. In 1931 the Osaka Castle was reconstructed and modernized. An elevator was installed, and information houses were built. The modern day construction of the castle is the 3rd construction. The castle functioned as a military base for the government. Finally in 1953 the Osaka castle was recognized as an Important Cultural asset by the Japanese government.
During the year 1580, Oda Nobunaga destroyed the Osaka, or Ishiyama Honganji temple. But three years later construction of the Osaka Castle began on this site by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1587, the Osaka Castle was completed, and was unparalleled by any other castle in the country. It was equipped with 13 structures that make up the property. The Main Tower rests of a stone platform, which is typical of traditional Japanese architecture. The stone platform acted as a defense mechanism to keep out attackers. Along the outside of the castle there were multiple turrets, a moat, and the grand gate. Also there was a 30 meters tall stonewall made of blocks of stone that were transported to Osaka from over 100 kilometers away. All these various structures successfully defended the castle. Aside from the being functional the castle is very extravagant and elegant. 8 dolphin statues, decorative roof tiles, and tiger carving all gilded with gold, decorate the outside of the castle. Hideyoshi took a special interest in gold, and ordered that almost everything in the Main Tower of Osaka castle to have gold applied to it, including furniture, weapons, armor, and the exterior of the castle. He worked closely with a tea-ceremony master named Rikyu Sen to come up with the golden tea room, where gold is found almost everywhere in the room, including walls, ceilings, furniture, and decorations. The castle stood tall, as the heart of the country, it was the center of power. But in 1615 the Summer War of the Osaka Castle erupted and Tokugawa Ieyasu destroyed and burned down the precious Main Tower and the whole Osaka Castle. Once the Tokugawa Shogunate was founded, the castle was rebuilt to its former glory. This reconstruction of the Osaka Castle was completed in 1629. Unfortunately in 1665, the Main Tower was struck by lightning and burned. Then when the Tokugawa Shogunate fell, so did the rest of the castle, and it was burned in a battle between the New government of Japan and the shogunate. In 1931 the Osaka Castle was reconstructed and modernized. An elevator was installed, and information houses were built. The modern day construction of the castle is the 3rd construction. The castle functioned as a military base for the government. Finally in 1953 the Osaka castle was recognized as an Important Cultural asset by the Japanese government.