Osaka, Japan CASTLE - 2 of 3

Then we drove to the 16th century Osaka Castle, a symbol of the city. General Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the castle in 1583 to be the most impenetrable fortress (which replaced a castle that had burned down 13 years earlier), it was destroyed 30 years later, and then lightning stuck the castle and burned the next one down in 1665 and rebuilt again in 1931 (this time in concrete). Ironically it had no damage in the war. There are 13 structures within its perimeter including gates, turrets, moats and storehouses for gun powder.

The Nishinomaru Garden, encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle tower from below.Read more