Osaka Castle

After quite a long walk through the scenic castle grounds, we finally arrived at Osaka Castle. It was an incredibly hot day, and to our surprise, there was a massive line stretching out in front of the entrance, it ended up being around a 50 minute wait. Thankfully, once inside, it was much cooler and more comfortable to explore. Each floor of the castle features well-presented exhibits detailing the rich history of the castle and Osaka itself. From ancient samurai armour and weapons to historical timelines and models, there’s a lot to absorb. The elevator makes it easier to reach the top floors if you want to avoid the many steps. At the top, we were rewarded with a panoramic 360-degree view over Osaka from the observation deck. It wasn’t too crowded up there either, likely because many people were avoiding the heat. The view alone made the climb worthwhile. If you're planning to visit during summer or warmer days, definitely bring some water and maybe an umbrella or hat. There’s minimal shade in the queue area, so come prepared. Osaka Castle is absolutely worth visiting, not just for its impressive structure, but also for the cultural insights and beautiful surroundings. Thursday 9 am–5 pm Friday 9 am–5 pm Saturday 9 am–5 pm Sunday 9 am–5 pm Monday 9 am–5 pm Tuesday 9 am–5 pm Wednesday 9 am–5 pm

We were truly impressed by how stunning the view was in the evening. If you have the time, we highly recommend visiting after sunset—it's absolutely beautiful and even more atmospheric at night. Although many people visit during the day, we couldn’t fit it into our schedule. Instead, we chose to take an evening walk around the castle—and it turned out to be the perfect decision. The illuminated castle within the peaceful surroundings felt almost magical. For us, the evening view was even more enjoyable than a daytime visit.

The exterior of the castle is wonderful and well worth the visit. Unlike other castles we have visited in Japan the interior of this castle has been turned into a modern air conditioned building housing a museum. Bit of a disappointment as we were hoping for a historic interior as well. Lots of people and the traffic up and down the stairs flowed well. Not so much for the long lines at the elevator. We went middle of the day, try to go early.

Beautiful historical 🏰. Walked 7 floors up to the top. Great views. We all loved it. There is a elevator for those but only can access up to floor 5 I believe. Lots of information on each floor. Please be respectful and do not take pictures on certain floors.

Magnificent!! 👏👏 My review is just for the outside area of the castle. As you may see from the pictures, I arrived late in the afternoon and stayed until night to have different pictures and totally worth it. Even though we haven't entered there's a great experience and a must have spot to visit on your trip to Osaka 👌 The surrounding are beautiful and is one of the reasons why is good to have some daylight and see the entire park .. is a big area tough so enjoy as much as you can and then go to the castle and take lots and lots and lots of pictures 📸 📷 By reading the comments of people who went inside, looks like the renovation didn't worked quite well as it didn't match the outside but anyway I would suggest go and check for yourself and then let me know.

Osaka Castle is lots of fun to visit. It’s a little cramped inside, but the layout is well organized to keep people moving. The lift is welcome but one can also choose the stairs. Various exhibits on different floors introduce the history of the castle and related figures, as well as the history of Osaka. A separate area outside the castle focuses on the castle walls. The gift shops inside the castle are mercifully small, which is impressive. A fun way to spend a couple of hours. Good for families.

Amazing place to visit! The castle is about 6 floors filled with history. Around the castle enjoy a nice walk in the park. Worth buying the ticket, no big queues and fast service. There’s a souvenir shop and a sweet shop. You can spend the whole day there between the castle, the park, the views… simply lovely place for a day in Osaka

Osaka castle is a must visit for those who visit Osaka city. One of the large castle located in a big park. Atleast 15-20 mins walk inside the park till the castle from nearby JR stations. There is a ticket counter at the entrance of the castle, costs 1200 JPY for adult. It took about 15 minutes in the queue to reach the ticket counter on a weekday. I guess weekend will have more crowd and more time better to buy online ticket. There was no queue for the entry for online tickets. Castle is large, there are eight levels need to climb. The steps lift facility is available for the needy, which flower covers lot of information about history. It is air condition inside so was comfortable. The view from the top floor is beautiful. There is a 360° balcony from which you can have a view of Osaka city. There are some convenient stores inside the park if you want to have some quick bites or beverages.

Yelp Review 2025 #6: Osaka Castle is one of the most important castles in Japan. Whether you're a history buff, Japanese culture enthusiast, samurai fan, you watched or read "Shogun" or just someone who appreciates cool buildings - you need to visit this castle. The castle is surrounded by moats. It has multiple gates and turrets. This 5-storey castle was built by the order of feudal lord, Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1583. It is said that Hideyoshi wanted to have a bigger and better castle than Oda Nobunaga's Azuchi Castle. He had ordered gold to be used as much as possible throughout the castle. Wars broke out and destroyed the castle multiple times and there was also a fire so, it had to be rebuilt/ restored multiple times. You can walk the castle grounds. You can enter the castle which operates as a museum for a few hundred yen. You'll see a statue of Hideyoshi, a garden, restaurants, and souvenir shops outside the castle.

A must-see in Osaka! If you want to get your steps in or get in a morning jog with cool views, then the Castle is the place! Yeah, it can be crazy busy due to the tourist groups but it's worth the visit. The views are amayzazing and the architecture and the landscaping are very picturesque. My friend and I came here around 9am and it was pretty busy and warm (back in October). Bring an umbrella to block the sun and protect your skin from the uv rays! It is a small journey to get to the castle but if your feet can't handle the long walk, you can have a person drive you up in a golf cart for a small fee. We walked the grounds around the castle instead of paying to go inside the castle; it was a long line. My goal was to look for the small garden with the pond and the castle in the background (which was somewhat hidden). We went clockwise around the castle and passed the bridge (which has great photo ops btw). Then we looped back around. As we were walking you can see locals jogging and power walking. We were confused on where this special pond was so we went back out and tried the Nishinomaru park outside the entrance that required a small fee. We received a map of the area to help figure out where the pond was. The park was pretty deserted and some areas were unkempt for the fall so we left and went back towards the castle. My friend finally figured out the pond is off to the far left side of the castle grounds. From there we got some cool photos of the castle with the pond and garden. Not too many people knew about this special spot aside from a few tourist groups that came by. So glad it wasn't too busy or crowded in that area. There's steps over on the side were you get sit and relax. We spend about 1.5 hours here and we were able to get in at least 5-6k steps. On the way out we stopped by the small Lawson's to get some Pocari sweat and water to hydrate before heading to our next destination. Overall, the castle is a sight to see, if you have time, like walking and don't mind the crowds!

4 stars I wasn't going to come here, but then woke up early in the morning and thought, "why not??". So, there I was walking around the gigantic park surrounding the castle before purchasing a ticket to go inside. The interior has become a museum detailing a very interesting and colorful history. Floors 5-7 are all for cameras, but floors 3-4 are not....however, not a lot of tourists respect that...-_- The very top floor has a great panoramic sky/city view, but just be careful of your surroundings since the walkway is narrow and you're always one elbow knock away from losing your phone. It gets crowded! Price-wise, it's ¥600 per adult. There is a discount if you combine both the castle & Osaka Museum tour, but I didn't see that option when purchasing my ticket at the kiosk, so I'm not sure if it's a seasonal thing. Additionally, I think they do nighttime light display show and the cost of that is like ¥2000 per adult, I think? Don't quote me on that...it's just a couple signs I saw at the park that said it started 11/15 and runs til December-ish. Mini gift shops on 2nd & 7th floor. Anyways, the grounds are very well-kept &, if you choose to come here, you'll definitely get your steps in. I recommend tennis shoes or sneakers because the stairs and grounds can be rocky and uneven. There is a childrens' playground that is pretty big. Starbucks & Lawson convenience store are also located there. Worth the visit, especially if you're into Japanese feudal history.

If you're in Osaka, visiting this castle really is a must. If you're not in Osaka, I would not make a detour solely to see it. Basically: it's a very beautiful architectural structure situated on a hill in the middle of a small "moat." It is quite striking, and a ticket to go inside and go up is fairly cheap (I went a few years ago, but it was 600 yen at the time which is like $4 USD). At the top of the castle you get a lovely view over the neighborhood in Osaka! And as you can see from people's pics, it makes for a great photo op. :)

It was raining all day when we went and surprisingly it was super busy with tourist groups. If you go on a nice day, the walk from the train station will be very pleasant. The castle itself was impressive with 8 floors. Pro tip: buy your ticket from the official website or Klook. 600 yen for skip the line. They do have a couple floors that you can't take pictures on. Of course, you always have stupid tourists that secretly take pictures. Don't be one of those tourists. Each floor is different, there are paintings, readings, ancient antiques, etc. 8th floor has a small souvenir shop and the observation deck. Plan to spend a couple hours here. There is an elevator but it's small. It's faster to take the stairs.

Definitely a must see in Osaka. We didn't plan on going inside the castle, mainly due to the long line to get in, but we found out that the line was for groups and we were able to purchase tickets right there and go in. Get ready for some stairs. There's 8 floors and each floor is its own museum but the highlight for me was the top floor with panoramic views of the city. Don't forget to check out the gardens and just the whole area was beautiful to spend a few hours.

We enjoyed all of the site seeing while on our trip. The castle was definitely something we wanted to check out. The line to go inside was extremely to long so we didn't waste 3 hours we decided to just walk around and check out the scenery. It was quite hot out during our visit. The architecture is amazing here in Japan and lots of markers along the way to read up on the castle as well as statues around the grounds. If your in the area I would definitely put it on ur list and if u can go in that would be a plus!

I'm beginning to see why the defenses of Osaka Castle were so formidable back in the day. The long hike up the hill, traversing double ring of moats with winding walls and defensive turrets (no doubt laden with hidden traps, boiling oil and archers raining down flaming arrows) would stop the most determined enemy army. But then at the final gate, make them buy entry tickets for ¥600 each would fend off any invader! Luckily for us, we were determined to enter, despite the rain and armed with an overwhelming exchange rate, tickets were just US$3.85 each. Trodding up the initial stone steps, we avoided the elevator line to the 5th floor and took the stairs to stop at each floor. The main keep of the castle has been modernized and converted to a museum with many Japanese panel art pieces and long detailed landscapes. No photography allowed on these floors. Towards the top, there is an interesting animated holographic exhibit centered on the rule of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the 16th century. There is also a very good model of a battle during the Summer War of Osaka in 1615. At the top, you can go outside and walk around the parapet for a 360° view of the city. Despite the bad weather, this was a very nice hike and interesting stop in our tour of Osaka. Not too often you get to experience 16th century architecture.

The inside of the castle is a large museum with gift shop and a top floor overlooking the city. You'll learn about the castle but more about Hideyoshi Toyotomi. It's cool, but the grounds might be cooler. The grounds are free to visit and excellent during fall colors. Bring a camera. Buy a ticket to the inside of the castle online to save twenty minutes or more in line. The tickets are valid any day a couple of months out from when you buy it.

One of the most popular landmarks to visit in Osaka! We didn't go inside Osaka castle, there's a museum inside so if you're interested to see I would suggest getting tickets in advance because lines for tickets are long and take more time than necessary. We would've had to wait under the sun and weren't very interested in the museum. You can get a tour on their trolly carts around the castle and you could also get tickets for a boat ride on the water around it as well (we found out about this too late otherwise we would have gotten tickets when we first got there). If you don't want to do any of those things, Osaka is still a beautiful place to visit and see, walk around, see the grounds, and explore the beauty!

Worth the time and money! Be sure to purchase tickets in advance--our wait was about 30 minutes because we didn't plan ahead. The castle has 8 floors, and while they aren't very large, it takes time to fully appreciate the exhibits. I'd recommend spending around 3 hours here. On the second floor, you can try on a samurai helmet or kimono and even get your portrait taken. Don't miss the moat ride (last call is at 4:30 PM). The castle itself is magnificent, and the trek up is well worth it!

Do you believe in fairytales? "I will search for you through 1,000 worlds and 10,000 lifetimes until I find you." - 47 Rōnin It's a large castle, a white castle that represents Osaka. Osaka Castle (大坂城 or Ōsaka-jō) is Japanese architecture at it's highest level. Located in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan, this breathtaking castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the 16th-century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Feudal Japan was a time of Shōgun laws, warring clans, and the refinement of a culture that is like no other. Osaka Castle is all that! My Japanese Sensei was kind enough to give me a private tour of this masterpiece after eating our way through Dōtonbori. We arrived in the late afternoon and mutually agreed to appreciate the world around us. Strolling the Osaka Castle gardens makes one contemplate the meaning of life. Sitting on a park bench and admiring the castle gives the answers on why it's so important to cherish every moment of our borrowed time. A Castle that dates back to 1583, she witnessed the Siege of Osaka, the fall of the Toyotomi Hideyori clan, and after the Boshin War, fell in a state of disrepair, finally renovated in 1931, miraculously survived the bombings of WWII. A beautiful reminder that tomorrow is never guaranteed. I pray for peace. After a magical weekend in Kyōtō and Osaka... we find ourselves living every moment at Osaka Castle. Laughing about silly things, interpreting my eccentric Haiku, listening to each others dreams. Some things best left unsaid. Two worlds so far apart, yet here we dance as one. Japan is in my soul. I'm alive again. 愛 Fight for the fairytale, it does exist. Please follow my journey on IG: @ eric_travel_guru

Book in advance. You won't be disappointed. If you love history and learning things please come by here. Gift shop on top floor and bottom floor entry. Great for history buffs.

It's Okay to visit here. It's famous and a major tourist stop--our Japan Tour tour took us here. You walk up to the top and have a great view of the city and surrounding area. There is a brand new state of the art police headquarters across the street. I rather have a tour of the police station. I would go if you have the chance--but don't go out of your way to come here. It's just too touristy (and crowded) for my taste. The surrounding park is nice.

Impressive castle! Lots of history and nice views as well as photo ops. Definitely worth the trek up and touring the history inside.

Pro: big area to walk, museum inside castle, gift shops. Con: 600 yen entrance fee Osaka castle is an interesting place for tourist to visit, explore the area, and see inside the castle. After walking around you have the garden and the main temple. Entrance fee is 600 yen to enter and it was very busy on the weekday that we visited. Inside you get to see a lot of historical display and video for about 7 floors and on the very top floor you have an observation deck. They do have a gift shop in the very top and on the first floor. All in all, I say that Osaka castle is a nice place to visit for tourist but in my opinion unless you like historical knowledge I wouldn't pay the 600 yen entrance fee for the castle. I would also say that if you are in the area it nice to visit but I wouldn't force myself to come here.

Built in 1597, it was the largest castle at the time of construction, and intended to unify Japan under one rule. It was eventually burnt down due to war, and rebuilt by the new rulers in 1615. Part of the castle had burned down again several decades later, and was never fully restored until 1931, and entirely retrofitted with modern technology in 1997. The very impressive castle is surrounded by several moats, walls, citadels and turrets. At the western end, you'll find Nishinomaru Garden with 600 cherry trees. It is a popular and beautiful spot to admire the cherry blossoms when the season is right (typically early April). On the north side of Osaka Castle, you can find the golden ferry ships that you can board for a quick tour of one part of the moats. Tickets cost ¥1,500 / adult, and the trip is limited to a very small section of the northern moats where the boats are docked at. The novelty of riding the boat wears off quickly after you realize how little there is to see from the small section that the boat can access. Ironically, Osaka Castle itself can be accessed for cheaper than the boat ride. Admission costs ¥600/adult, and children below the age of 15 can enter for free. The castle itself is very modern, with both elevators, AC and Wi-Fi. It consists of multiple floors, and you can actually go all the way to the top to get a nice view of Osaka. There are over 10,000 historical artifacts housed within the castle, which provides a deeper insight into the prominent role Osaka played in Japan's history. All displays have English plaques so foreign tourists can also follow along. If you have an Osaka Amazing Pass, you can skip the long ticket line for Osaka Castle and get free admission. The pass also gives free admission to Nishinomaru Garden as well.

Osaka Castle was put on our radar by a chance meeting with an ex-pat while we were visiting Dontonburi street. Osaka Castle stands on about 15 acres and is surrounded by a moat. The construction began in 1583 (16th Century), which is impressive. The castle has 5 stories above ground and 3 levels below ground. It has been restored over the years and while the castle retains most of the architecture, it's not exactly the original structure as it was damaged over the years due to various wars and uprisings. Admission is about $4 USD. I was surprised how inexpensive it was compared to Nijo Castle in Kyoto. My husband and I visited on a very hot day and we were also relieved to feel the A/C coming from inside the castle. There were food trucks and vending machines outside of the castle so we were happy to grab some ice cream and beer to cool ourselves down before heading inside. We went straight to the top and made our way down instead of going up level by level. This worked really well for us. My husband was very excited to check out the castle after learning about some of its history. I was glad we took the little touristy train from the JR station to the castle itself. It was about 400 yen per person and well worth not having to walk back and forth. The castle is beautiful and is iconic. If you're in Osaka, visit the castle and the lovely park surrounding it.

We came here as the last stop on our trip in Japan, and it was quite impressive. There was a walk through a park and through a few gates to get to the castle. The line for admission into the castle was about 20-25 minutes without a JR pass (I don't think there was much shade during the wait). The ticket machine accepted cash or credit card, but we had trouble using credit card. For some reason we thought the inside of the castle would be more preserved like ancient times, but it's like a completely modern museum inside. We chose to go up on the elevator to the top first, the view was very nice (though there are fences everywhere). Then we made our way down floor by floor, the exhibits were very expansive with lots of artifacts. I thought it was odd they didn't allow any pictures in any of the exhibits, even without flash. The artifacts were very interesting, and the descriptions were very detailed but I found them hard to follow if you're not familiar with the history already. There were lots of different names, lineages and settings to keep track of, and the descriptions did not always explain who each person was. It was a fairly crowded, but we still had a good and informative experience. The moat and walls were also very impressive, and it was pleasant walking around the castle park.

Huge swarms of people, not much to see except drawings and cartoon reenactments on TV screens. We were hoping to see furnishings and samurai armor, but nothing like that was there.. the enormous stones building the walls were impressive.

Osaka Castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks. If you love history like me and/or happened to watch Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan -- you'll know what a big deal Osaka Castle is and the pivotal role it played in 16th century feudal Japan and the eventual unification of the country. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's astronomical rise from a peasant background to one of the most powerful leaders of Japan, he began construction of the castle in 1582. The castle has since been destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions and the building that now stands is a recreation of the original with the latest restoration being completed in the late 1990s. That was slightly disappointing for me (since it's not the original), but it doesn't take away from the history and amazing craftsmanship that is apparent throughout the castle grounds. The castle was built atop a tall stone foundation as a protective measure and is surrounded by an impressive series of moats and defensive fortifications. Inside you'll find a walk-through museum with artwork and artifacts that provide a peek into the past. We decided to take the elevator to the top first and make our way down each floor. The top floor boasts an outdoor 360-degree viewpoint of the castle grounds and the surrounding city. Back inside, the artwork, and artifacts were a bit of a letdown for me to be honest, though it was still cool to read about Toyotomi Hideyoshi and seeing some of the samurai armor. If you've been to castles in Europe, this castle may be a bit underwhelming in comparison. It's much smaller and way less opulent and plain, so just need to set expectations accordingly. Overall, I'm glad we visited. It's quite a bit of a walk from the nearest metro stations to get to the main building, but there is a taxi/uber drop off point that'll get you a bit closer to where you need to be. The ticket line was also incredibly long and had me wishing we had gotten the Osaka pass (vs. the pass that I bought only allowed us entry to the boats tour that goes around the castle) to skip the line. You need to queue to buy your ticket at electronic ticket dispensers. Definitely plan to go early if you need to buy a ticket. All in all, we enjoyed our visit.

Definitely an amazing place to stop by, witness in all its glory , enjoy what it has to offer before you head out to other places in Osaka for a visit. You start the walk off from the entrance , walk pass a couple of gates ( there is an entrance to the gardens on the left which we decided to skip on the way to castle ) and then pass the cafeteria ( food building) you get to the line where you would be able to buy tickets and eventually enter the castle. Once done buying tickets through the kiosk or the counter ( if you had a JR pass you are expedited to the counter line from the kiosk line ) you sand the QR code in your tickets and head into the castle stairs. Going up you get to choose between stairs or elevators and from there onwards there are 4 floors of history and rich heritage followed by some great experiences that are shown along display units on the higher floors. Eventually you get to the observation deck and get an amazing view of surrounding Osaka city , the moat around the castle , the lovely garden and so on. Definitely a gem from history that needs a visit when you happen to be in Osaka!! Pro tip: Having a JR pass helps as you can bypass the waiting line to the castle entrance and tickets.

What a perfect time to step back in history and visit Osaka Castle while the mini series "Shogun" is playing! Ticket sales starts at 9am at the base of the castle and is automated. The cost is ¥600 ($3.30usd) for adults. I highly recommend you get there early (I was there by 8:30). By 9:30, there were many tour groups and the line to enter was long. There are many displays and videos. Unfortunately photo taking is not allowed on the 3rd and 4th floors. The 7th floor offers a panoramic view overlooking the castle. The best photo opportunity is right in front in the park.

This place is amazing. I had no idea you could actually go to the top! A castle from long ago is now a museum and it's beautiful. Makes me want to play Sekiro again. Highly suggest checking this place out.

A must see experience if you are in the Osaka area. The park is free to enter and so much to explore but of course the main attraction is the castle. The ticket admission is relatively cheap but you may want to book in advance. The area near the castle has food spots and drinks at your convenience so you won't have to leave the park. Overall, I strongly encourage to visit this beautiful monument.

Love Due to its popularity, Osaka Castle can get quite crowded, especially during peak tourist seasons. However, the spacious grounds generally allow visitors to explore at their own pace. The castle is easily accessible via public transportation, and there are informative signs and maps available to assist visitors in navigating the area. Osaka Castle is a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts and those seeking to immerse themselves in Japan's rich cultural heritage. Its architectural grandeur, historical significance, and stunning surroundings make it a captivating attraction. While the crowds can be overwhelming at times, the castle's beauty and the chance to learn about its storied past make it well worth a visit. Don't forget to bring your camera and take in the panoramic views for a truly memorable experience.

OSAKA CASTLE (AND PARK) This is a cool spot to see, and probably one of the more popular "symbols" of the city. There is a large park surrounding it, but you should be able to follow signs to get to the castle. The wait to get into the castle was a little long, but not too bad. Inside, you can wind up the floors and learn about the history of the castle. This was more interesting that I expected, because it was also a pretty good history of the city as a whole/Japan in those times. They had these videos that were part miniature set pieces and part video integrated together, which I thought were really cool and creative for telling different pieces of the story. At the top, you can walk around for a decent view. I was lucky to be there during cherry blossom season, and also hit the top of the castle around sunset, so it was cool. I walked around in the park a little after to admire the pretty sakura. Around here they were mostly white in color/ the light pink, but I found some of the brighter pink too. I will say, once the sun went down, it started to get a little too cold for me! It was probably similar to fall weather, but I just wasn't used to those temperatures anymore, at that time, so to me it felt pretty cold!!! Maybe bring a light/medium jacket to be sure if you plan to stay after the sun sets.

Good nice place took a tour there was a protest took the subway. Nice donut in subway

While you're in town, why not visit this gorgeous castle? You'll be awed by the large garden and walkways surrounding the castle. If you want to learn the history and see it first hand, it's 600 yen per adult. There's a ticket machine that accepts either cash or credit card. It's 8 stories high with a view top of the city on the top floor. Gift shop is on the bottom entrance. If you want to see the castle from the outside, it's completely free. Overall, this place is a must visit. However. I don't really think you need to spend the money to go inside unless you enjoy history. There's also an audio tour option if that's your preference.

Beautiful castle that's rich in history and lots of walking, bring an umbrella & if you want you can reap the benefits without having to pay by just walking into the castle park area

Osaka Castle is located in a beautiful park. The approach to the castle is beautiful and inside is even better. Tickets are really cheap, like around 6USD I think (December 2023). Be prepared for a bit of stair climbing. There's an elevator that will take you to the 5th level, but there are attractions on all levels 2-8. So if you have any hesitancy about walking up 8 flights, take the elevator to 5, see the exhibits on the upper floors, including the observation deck, which gives you a beautiful 360 degree view of Osaka, then walk down to each level, looking at the exhibits along the way to the ground floor.

Osaka Castle is Osaka's top tourist attraction, a major landmark, and very photogenic as well as historic. Its origin dates back to 1583, but the current reconstructed and beautiful castle is vintage 1995. The surrounding grounds are also beautiful. Most people, ourselves included, will take a walking tour to the top of the castle where you can get some beautiful panoramic views of Osaka. Inside are 6 floors of modern museum-like displays and short videos about the castle's history. The castle is a must see for any first time visitor to Osaka.

Whenever we travel we make a list of things we want to see and do in each city. Osaka was our final destination on our trip and of course this castle was one of the few things on our list. We tried to walk from our hotel but it was a extra hot and humid day so we grabbed a cab. When we arrived we saw a vending machine selling water so we got a couple and make the long trek up to the castle. As we were walking along I noticed this women walking past us and saw she was wearing a red dress and the more I looked I realized it was the same because it had pockets on the backside exactly like the pockets in the front. The gal said something to me and we ended up chatting with this couple from New York for a good 1/2 hour, so fun. We realized that we bought the dress from the same shop on the same street in Kyoto. As we chatted they told us not to bother with the ticket line at the castle. We had read online that you could buy tickets in advance but we don't like to do that because we'd be committed, and we only had one day in Osaka. After we parted with them we took the long walk up to the castle. It was incredibly beautiful what we could see from the outside but decided the walk was good enough and some of the reviews has said it wasn't worth the price of admission. First there is the line to get the tickets, then the long line to get in, and finally dealing with all the other tourists. The line for the tickets was a good hour wait, I'm too old for a wait like that. We wanted to shop over to Dontonbori street area. We had read that it had amazing shopping over there. The main street that our hotel was located on had all the really high end shops and my favorite Dolce and Gabbana being steps away. My husband kept saying, "Go to Tiffany and buy something " so finally I let him get a shock of reality and took him there. His face turned white when he saw the prices, it was super funny. I mean in 40 years he has never said one thing about my spending. Well first I have my own cash but he's a classy guy. I don't think I'll ever hear those words come out of his mouth again, it was hilarious!! I think Tiffany is super over priced so I wouldn't buy anything there because you're just paying for the name "Tiffany" Anyway we ended up walking around and shopping until we just found the best Mom & Pop restaurant in the middle of the crowded shopping madness. At first it seemed like it was closed but this Japanese man beckoned us to come in. We were able to just tell them "meat" and they cooked a bunch of pork and vegetables right in the middle of the table. Sorry Yelp but I wasn't going to who- out the camera and ruin this experience. I know Joe gets annoyed with the picture taking, checking in, ect. He actually now says; " Honey don't you need to check in"...

The park itself was lovely but beware of the time itf you want to visit the castle itself. We arrived pretty late around 4:30PM and they stopped selling tickets. There is a gift shop building right adjacent to it with a room that allows you to read about the history that's pretty cool.

There is a lovely park where Osaka Castle is situated. The inside of the castle is much more amazing than the exterior. The price of the tickets is fairly low, I believe about $6 USD. There will be some stairs to climb. All levels 2 through 8 include attractions, however the elevator goes to the fifth level. Therefore, if you are hesitant to travel eight flights of stairs, take the elevator to the fifth floor and examine the exhibitions there. You may also visit the observation deck, which offers a stunning 360-degree view of Osaka, then stroll down each level to see the exhibits before reaching the ground floor.

Osaka Castle Illuminage event is one of my favorite things to do in Osaka! One important tip you should be aware is it does get really chilly at night especially during December I highly recommend purchasing some hand warmers from a local shop.

Visiting the castle is a must for the historical meaning/importance and the beautiful scenery/aesthetics. I've been here twice and both times left in awe. On this most recent trip, we also did the train ride around the castle. Nothing special and definitely something that is unnecessary and a waste of money.

Bring good shoes because you will be walking all the way up. The garden area is really pretty around Osaka Castle and there's restaurants and shops close by with view points. The castle itself is a quick museum which spans about 5 or 6 floors. The top floor feels kinda like the Eiffel Tower in the way it was built as a lookout point to the city. It's not that high up, but it is pretty centralized. The castle itself is pretty neat, I wish they had more rooms that you could view instead of just artwork and old armor to look at (though it was cool). I wanted to get a better feel for the castle I think. If you have the Osaka Amazing Pass admission is included to both the castle and the surrounding gardens, so make sure get one before visiting. Overall, a cool experience. I'm sure the garden is much nicer once all the flowers bloom or even in the fall. It was pretty dead when we came though another area downhill was filled with cherry blossoms. I also was interested in riding on the boats nearby on the moat.

We weren't sure what Osaka had to offer in regards to sightseeing but found Osaka Castle to be one of the most popular options. We took a long brisk walk to Osaka Castle and while I thought we would get bored just exploring the castle and taking pictures, there were also touristy opportunities to shop... and DRINK MATCHA BEER! We stopped inside a gift shop to use the restroom (and maybe find some souvenirs) and found a matcha shop, which sold all things matcha and Hojicha. They had matcha beer on draft and ... need I say more? The ladies at the counter were so sweet and offered us some free samples. It actually got to the point that they even offered us the leftovers of their lunch LOL and we felt too embarrassed to turn them down, since we weren't aware what they had given us until it was too late. We probably should have explored more of the castle itself but we walked as much as our sore and tired feet would allow. We chose not to go inside the castle/museum - maybe next time!

Osaka castle tower is a famous tourist spot in Osaka prefecture. There are many historic materials and exhibits in the castle. And there is Kinmeisui well in front of the entrance of the building. It's the important cultural property. We can see fabulous city view of Osaka from the rooftop observation platform. In addition, the entrance fee is 600 yen. By the way, sometimes a long queue is made from the entrance of the building. It's a line to the elevator which is going to 6th floor as the top of the castle. However we can pass through the line from the right side by the line in case of going up to 6th floor via the staircase. But be careful. It's hard because the staircase is long and steep. We can get "Goshuin" (handwritten sign and stamp of shrines and temples) at here although this is a castle. They offer it at the office on 2nd floor. It's located at the corner on the floor. If you want Goshuin, then you should push the call button beside the door of the office. After that, you have to tell to want Goshuin to the staff. Then they prepare Goshuin. And we have to stamp Goshuin into own Goshuin collection book by ownself. It's a self service and free. In addition, we have to pay the entrance fee and get inside if you want Goshuin. Details about Goshuin is below. http://60ee3107.starfree.jp/goshuin.html 大阪城天守閣は大阪の有名な観光スポットです。 城内にはたくさんの文化財や昔の資料などが展示されています。 また、お城の入口そばには重要文化財に指定されている金明水井戸もあります。 天守閣の頂上からは素晴らしい大阪の市街が見渡せます。 なお、入館料は600円です。 ちなみに、お城への入口の前にはたまに待ち行列が出来る事があります。 その待ち行列は6階の展望室に直行するエレベーターに乗る為の待ち行列です。 階段で6階まで登って行く場合にはこの行列の右側から進んで行く事が出来ますので、エレベーターを使わない方はこの行列は無視して奥に進みましょう。 ただ、階段で登るのはかなり大変ですので体力に自身のない方にはオススメ出来ません。 また、ここ大阪城では、お城にもかかわらず御朱印を頂戴する事が出来ます。 御朱印は2階の事務室で頂けます。 事務室は2階の角にありますので探してみて下さい。 御用の方は呼び出しボタンを押して下さい、と書いてありますので、躊躇せず呼び出しボタンを押しましょう。 そして、御朱印が欲しい旨を伝えると準備して下さいます。 なお、御朱印はセルフサービスになりますので、ご自身で御朱印帳に朱印を押します。 また、御朱印代は無料、との事です。 ちなみに、入館料を払わずには御朱印を頂けませんのでご了承下さい。 御朱印については下記のリンク先にまとめてあります。 http://60ee3107.starfree.jp/goshuin.html

02/09/20 - (900th Review) Osaka Castle has quite a long and storied history. The original castle was built, destroyed and rebuilt on several different occasions. The castle is in the middle of Osaka. It's a beautiful monument that stands as a historic piece of Japanese history. The construction of the original Osaka Castle was started in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi & completed in 1597 the year before he died. 1615 the castle fell to the Tokugawa Clan & the castle was burned to the ground 1620 the new heir Tokugawa Hidetada began to reconstruct Osaka Castle on an elevated base made of interlocked granite 1628 construction on the 5 story was started & completed 2 years later 1660 lightning ignited a gunpowder warehouse resulting in an explosion that set the castle on fire. 1665 lightning struck again burning down the Tenshu 1868 Osaka Castle fell and was surrendered w/much of the castle burning. 1931 a concrete tenshu was built 1945 during World War II the castle was used for a military armory subjecting it bombing raids on August 14, 1945 1995 Osaka's government approved another restoration project w/5$4 intent of restoring the original tower to the Edo-era splendor. This is the current state of Osaka castle today. The castle grounds its stand in the middle of Osaka on approximately 15 acres w/the castle located in the middle. Osaka castle sits surrounded by a moat on a granite stone base that elevates the castle. The castle is now a museum, landmark & part of Japanese history. Inside the castle is an elevator that takes you to the 5th level. From level 5 you can walk up 3 levels to an open air observatory where you get a nice view of Osaka. As we walked towards Osaka Castle from our hotel you began to get glimpses of Osaka Castle from different angles. The castle is beautiful. It's very majestic Once we got inside it took us about 2hrs to go through the museum. We took an elevator from the ground floor to the 5th floor. We worked our way through the our way down through the different levels perusing the museum artifacts and gleaning some historical facts relative to the time period. They had a bunch of displays showing 3D holograms of events that occurred during the period. It was kind of cool to see. From the 5th floor you can walk up 3 more levels (sorry the elevator only takes you to level 5). There is a rooftop observatory where you can get a great view of the city. For me being a 3rd generationJapanese/American I found the architecture & history very interesting about the feudal battles that took place between the different armies that shaped Japan, unfortunately for Toyotomi Hideyoshi he lost the war to The Togugawa clan that ended up ruling Japan from roughly 1603 to around 1850 until the Meiji era. The Meiji Period ended the era of the samurai & ushered in the beginning of modernization & urbanization of the country.

An iconic castle with so much beauty to take in. Magnificent castle structures surrounded by moats, lush greenery and impressive stone walls. Unfortunately, during our visit, we were unable to enter the castle's main attraction as we visited during a holiday hours. However, we still had a great day simply sightseeing and exploring the castle ground. In addition to that, we came on a clear winter day, so the cool breeze made the trip even more pleasant. Don't forget to check out the panoramic view of Tokyo city from the observation deck. So gorgeous! Some souvenir shops are available inside the Miraiza Osaka-Jo, got myself a 3D Osaka castle puzzle :P. You can also find food/snacks stalls around the area to satisfy the tummies. I especially enjoyed their matcha ice cream and takoyaki. As the castle ground was absolutely huge we ended up spending over 3 hours exploring all the areas but we enjoyed every single moment. Can't wait to be back next time during cherry blossom season. An obligatory landmark to visit!

Osaka Castle is a *must* when you're in the city, because it's one of the famous landmarks to visit. I recommend coming here early to get nice photos because the tourist buses start arriving by 9am, so expect crowds. The area itself is pretty huge and there's plenty of opportunities to explore besides visiting the castle. You can pay an additional fee to go inside, but we actually just roamed the grounds instead. For pictures, my tip is to get a shot right in front of the castle next to the sign, and another great photo location is near the Japanese garden. There's plenty of restrooms available on site as well.

Osaka Castle looks amazing from the outside but is disappointing from the inside. That's how I felt when I walked here. From the outside, you see this amazing castle and inside, you see a modern building. You'd expect the inside to be full of old architecture but sadly that was not the case. I was going to give this place a 3 star review based on the inside but that was before I knew the whole story. The building has been through a lot! Including fire from being struck by lighting and even damage from World War 2, it has needed many renovations. It's understandable why the inside of Osaka Castle is different and still worth checking out. The walk to Osaka Castle is an enjoyable one. You see so many cool things and you pass by the garden which gives you some great pictures!

Go early or late at night. Bring comfy walking shoes. Osaka castle, in my opinion, is not as cool as Matsumoto, Himeji or Hiroshima Castle, but it's got a certain charm and is especially historically significant. That means that no visit to Osaka is complete without stopping by. I have seen a lot of people complain about the number of tourists and had to giggle a bit as I went last week and experienced absolutely zero. How? Went around 7:45 and there were all locals setting up to watch the fireworks at night. Beware, there is a pretty big hike up from the base of the park entrance to the castle, few benches and exposed to the Japanese summer humidity. So make sure you have water and comfy walking shoes. I personally prefer the night time view as the castle is lit up, there's less people and it's cooler outside. You can also enter the castle for a fee, but ehh, I'm gonna advise against that as it's not really anything remarkable. Save your money for some nice street food.

I was unpleasantly surprised when walking inside the Osaka Castle - the entire interior was renovated and a lot of the historic elements were gone. This is probably because a lot of castle was destroyed throughout history. The highest 7/8th floor has a great view of the castle area and the city. You will need to take the steps from the 5th floor to get there. 3rd and 4th floor has a lot of old artifacts and samurai items that are unavailable for photos unfortunately. Most of the 5/6th floor were descriptions about different Japanese leaders and samurais from that time. Overall it is still worth the ~$6 USD admission fee for the views and historical elements. On the outside, the castle is gorgeous. I can imagine the location to be really pretty during cherry blossom season. The whole area is very well kept and clean. There are a lot of other old buildings and areas to go to around the castle. I came a little late, so I was unable to see the garden.

Beautiful re-done structure from 1931 of 16th century castle. Moat, thick castle walls and gates, cherry trees on the outer park areas, 8 stories with 3rd and 4th floors dedicated to historical artifacts, thus no pictures, lots to read.... Two lines for visitors: Long left line for elevator to the fifth and walk the rest til the eighth floor observation deck, Short right line for the stairs where you can walk to any floor or all the way to the eighth floor. There is a second set of stairs if you do not want to walk in the crowded middle section stairs. Lots of tourists but worth of a visit. Three hours to allow for immersing in the history, one hour if you have other places to visit.

Popular destination by foreign tourists, I don't think you'll see very many Japanese here. That's how popular that is among foreign tourists. This sounds that this could be tourist trap, but I think otherwise. If you just think that all these stonewalls were built in 1600's(time before heavy machineries were invented), you can imagine how much of manpower required to build these things. To realize that even better, I'd recommend to take boat tour in the moats to look up these stone walls towering over you. Also, there is a little trolley you can take in the compound. Again this is quite vast area, it requires quite lot of time if you were on foot. Like Phil C mentioned, you can skip going inside of the main tower if the queue is too long. To me, looking from outside is more enjoyable than going in inside.

Osaka Castle is a good place to visit if you enjoy Japanese history. I liked 15th century samurai era, although Hideyoshi Toyotomi may not be my favorite samurai warrior but there are a lot to learn from his war strategies. Entrance to the castle is free for children up to the age of 15. Adult price was less than $10. They have an elevator up to 5th floor, from there to get to the top, you have to climb endless stairs. View from the top is great as you get to see modern Osaka city, and Yodo river. On the way down, stop by each floor to enjoy their exhibits. Plenty of explanation in English, good way to learn some history. Castle itself is not original anymore but still be able to appreciate magnificence of Toyotomi castle. Stayed about 2 hours and I thought it was sufficient time.