Osaka Castle Park

Osaka Castle is a spectacular historical site offering amazing city views and a deep dive into Japan's past. The grounds are expansive and beautiful. Crucial tip for hot days: arrive early! The walk through the park is long and exposed, the summer heat can be intense and dangerous without sun protection and water. Beat the heat and crowds by starting your visit first thing in the morning.

A green oasis in the middle of Osaka. Free to visit if one does not enter the centre of the castle. Plenty to do for all the family, from exercise fans to history buffs to those who just like a nice stroll in the park. There are signs reminding people that it’s illegal to abandon cats and dogs, which suggests this may be an issue in the park. In any case, well worth a visit.

The park is very large and full of trees which make you dilight from work. By the way, the place is very large and take so long time to walk around or walk from center of castle to any exit way, so I recommend to take loop car (golf car size) which available in the park around 4 spots. The garden is worth to come to rest and sightseeing especially autumn or spring.

Huge Japanese castle on a hill, with surrounding walls, mote, and park. Lots of Japanese history also within as it has been made into a museum. Well worth the entry wait and fee. Great view from the top.

Really chill place, loved the vibe here. Castle looks amazing, especially with the water and huge walls around. Went in spring—not full cherry blossom season but still super pretty. Park is massive, nice for just walking around or sitting on the grass. Climbed up the castle—views from the top were solid. Some food stalls and random performers too, kinda fun. Felt like a cool mix of old samurai Japan and modern city in the background. Took a bunch of photos, place looks great in every direction. Easy to get to from the station, not too crowded when I went. Definitely worth a visit if you’re in Osaka, super relaxing spot.

Okay, just got back from Osaka Castle and honestly? It blew me away. That green roof with the gold? Seriously gorgeous. Walking around inside, you really get a feel for the history – all the samurai stuff and how people lived back then. The view from the top? Unreal! You can see the whole city. Even just wandering around the park outside was super chill. Beautiful gardens and you can really see how massive the castle is. It was easy to get around, and everyone working there was really nice. Seriously, if you're in Osaka, you HAVE to check out Osaka Castle. It's way more than just an old building – it's like stepping into a different time. Loved it!

We got to Osaka castle at 4:30 and the castle will be closed at 5 so we decide to not buy the ticket to get inside the castle and chill out in front of the castle instead. If you come here by Osaka Metro, when you get to the gate that will be shuttle service from the gate to the castle, which is cost ¥300 per person per way. Actually distance is not too long. You can also walk. From here you can enjoy the nice view as the castle is located uphill. We spend time here around one hour

The scenery surrounding the castle is probably nicer than the castle itself. We thoroughly enjoyed the environment. The mini train to get from the two main entrances to the castle is cute; but a bit pricey for what it is, plus you get charged to enter the castle (which essentially is a museum) so they add up quite a bit. If you have kids, they will enjoy the outdoor playgrounds at one of the two main entrances.

First all, this review is not pertaining to the cultural significance, the beauty of the structures, or the importance of the castle to Japanese culture. This review is about this location as a tourist attraction. If you want to go to a major tourist attraction in the heart of Osaka, this is your place to go. This place is so overrun with tourists, it is really hard to believe. Everywhere you look all you will see is people. Any cultural significance that this place once had, any energy that it once held, is overrun with the vast populous of tourism. It is really sad! As someone who has been traveling to, and at some points living in Japan, for the past fifty years, the vibe of this castle and its surroundings has vastly changed. Now, what you find here is long-long lines to get inside. People everywhere looking to take that perfect selfie or Instagram shot, and just a lot of chaos. Again, it is not that this place is not beautiful and culturally significance. But, the vast influx of tourism that has take place in Japan of the past few years has truly change the experience of visiting Osaka Castle. Here's a secret. Visit the castle at night. Particularly in the very late night. The grounds are open 24 hours a day. Japan is very safe, so you don't have to worry about encountering any problems. The area is all very well lighted and the castle is illuminated. It is really a great and fun experience. Mostly, if you come in the late night, there will be very few people and you can truly appreciate the spender of this historic structure.

Super gorgeous area in Osaka. If you can, please go during cherry blossom season- the beauty is unreal! The castle itself is also beautiful. You can also tour the inside of the castle/ the day I went there was a 45 min wait. My party ended up not waiting in line. Even if you don't go inside the castle the surrounding area is stunning- great for picture taking. It's a really neat spot, go check it out!

Osaka Castle and its surrounding park are absolutely stunning, especially in spring when the plum and cherry blossoms are in full bloom. It's a peaceful spot to walk, take photos, or just enjoy nature. You'll also find snack stands around for a quick bite.

Japan has always been on my bucket list for many years. The main thing was to see the beautiful cherry blossoms! My sisters and I decided to stop by Osaka Castle Park to do our photoshoot with our rented kimonos. Boy, we chose the wrong date. We happened to visit on the first day of blooming of the cherry blossoms! It was also on a Saturday. Super jammed packed. The main areas of the park was so crowded that it was hard to move around. We didn't have time to check out the whole park but we did get some good glimpse of the nice cherry blossoms that day. The line to tour inside the castle was long so we skipped that (there is a fee for the tour). This is one of the main tourists attractions in Osaka.

Osaka park is a great place to explore around the castle itself. It's fun to go around the castle and moat, to the surrounding park areas where there's lots of shade. We did explore the kids playground which has a pretty large above ground tunnel for kids that encircles the whole playground, a giant and long slide (not steep so great for little kids) and other fun playground amenities. Free water fountain and clean washrooms is great too. Close to train stations and shops, the castle park is a great place to visit.

What a beautiful park this was. The castle is amazing and beautiful. The performers were nice the park is beautiful and plenty of things to do

Just a few stops from Osaka Station, transferring from Midusoji to Chuo lines, Osaka Castle is nestled at the center of Osaka Castle Park and is a wonderfully built structure to represent the city's history. Would recommend enjoying the surrounding park and gardens and only to enter the Castle interior area if it is on a personal "bucket list" -- note that lines can be long on weather-friendly days. Located in what appears to be "Old Town" Osaka, the malls, facilities, and amenities look like they have been able to withstand the test of time, while still providing for patrons effectively. Always a good stop when in town!

This place has such an amazing view and atmosphere. Just to be candid, I did not go inside the actual castle. When you watch YouTube videos, it's always super crowded, and as of August 2024, the yen is collapsing, so tourists are out and about in the millions! Depending on where you enter around the moat, there are Lawsons (convenience stores) and souvenir stores around. From what I was told, the moat would take you 2-3 hours to walk around. I would like to rent a bike to go around the castle area if you can. The Castle itself is a good walk to get up, too. I would say it took 10 minutes to walk up all the steps and pathways you need to navigate before you get to the main entrance. There are so many nice areas to take pictures, and if you like Asian history and architecture, this is your mecca! My guide told me the main Shogun in the Hulu series "Shogun" was based on the Samurai who built Osaka Castle. Like I said I didn't go inside the castle because the line was absolutely insane and its too crowded. There are some express passes you can buy, but they weren't worth it for me. Definitely make it out here to snap some photos and get your feet on some legit historic pavement. I used this guide for biking around the city https://www.viator.com/tours/Osaka/Epic-Bike-Tour-in-Osaka/d333-120651P1

A beautiful park with a castle in the middle! Japan is full of wonders and this park is a great place to immerse yourself in Japan. Take your time and enjoy the sights!

Osaka Castle stands out as a must-visit in Osaka. Opt for a leisurely exploration of the castle's exterior and the adjacent park, capturing the essence and tranquility while arriving early to avoid crowds. I have not explored the inside of the Osaka castle. There's always a line and it feels like you're just paying admission for a museum. You can do it if it's your thing.

Apart from Osaka Castle,the playground is amazing. Its free! Kids can run and play for hours. The slide is a winner! This is the hifhlight formy kids.

The Osaka Castle Park is large, with other things to see besides the main tower. Take a boat ride (in the moat), visit the martial arts training hall, or picnic. You can spend at least a few hours wandering the grounds (including visiting the Castle - see my review). Enjoy!

An iconic landmark in Osaka, Osaka Castle is definitely worth at least one visit when in Japan. It does take a hot second to get to the castle itself, though. To make it to the castle, your first must walk around the perimeter of the exterior wall to find one of the entrances - a bridge that goes over a moat. Once you've crossed the moat, you'll find yourself in the castle grounds, but you still need to walk to the castle itself. It's not that long of a walk and it's all flat so it's very enjoyable. Ultimately, you'll make it to the main area in front of the castle which serves as a great photo opportunity. Going inside the castle is another option and does have a small take a charge. One thing to note though, and it's something that surprised us, is that all publicly accessible parts of the castle function like a display museum. There are not any renderings of rooms or anything of that sort. We were a bit bummed because we thought it would be really cool to see what the castle rooms look like in ancient Japan. That being said, the castle consists of multiple floors that showcase different artifacts and excerpts, detailing the history of Osaka and the castle. I'm not someone who is a huge history buff, but I still found everything very fascinating., so if you are someone who appreciates history, you'll definitely enjoy this experience.

Osaka Castle is one of the major sites to see in Japan. During the November fall time that I had visited, the park was just beautiful with fall colors and leaves just beginning to blow away from the trees. The view of the castle from the bridge crossing the water is breathtaking. You can see the top of the castle high above the trees. As you walk the winding path closer to the castle, the architecture draws you in. This is one of the major places to take one of your classic pictures of Japanese history. As you make your way up to the entrance, you wait with anticipation to finally be allowed in and make your journey up to the top. The staff only allows groups of people in at a time, to control the number of people inside the castle. Yes, there can be a lot of people inside, but there is still plenty of room to look around and take lots of memorable pictures. The view from the top is remarkable and well worth the visit. It was one of my favorite places in Osaka to visit.

Second time here and I'm still overwhelmed by its immense size. If you do visit try and stay for the night time. It gets so nice and quiet. There is a building with gift shops and some really nice restaurants. We found one that was about $25 a head and got to be two of only 4 people in the dinning room during the sunset. Beautiful and the food was goooood. A load off our feet that didn't break our wallet. Then we were able to do the Sakura Lumina. Soo cool I highly recommend it. It turned out to be the best day and night of our Osaka vacay. Make sure you have time to see each level and get a guide in your language!

So the tip here is to come early. Osaka Castle opens at 9 am everyday and so you should just arrive right after opening. The reason is if you come after 10am then the place becomes super crowded with lots of tourists. When I say lots of tourists, I mean a lot.... Also there are tour guides with even more tourists. So the place is just jam packed. It would be very hard to get a picture. I am a picture person who loves taking pictures but the pictures would not be the same if you have a thousand people in the background. I came early and I left before 10:30am. So take a look at my photos and you can see that the place is already busy but not crazy busy yet. Luckily I have toured around the entire Osaka Castle already and have seen everything within 1.5 hours. At 10:30, I left the park. Also note inside the park, in certain areas there are free wifi. Overall, I really enjoyed my visit here. This historical site is a must see! I highly recommend coming here.

Came here early october an hour before sunset arou d 430pm. Theres alot of people but it died down after nighttime. Area is nice and big. The osaka castle looked lovely. I didnt go inside but I heard from friends that it wasn't particularly important to go in there. We roamed arou d the park for quite some time. At night, we found a nice little pond around there and we were actually alone there with no other tourists. Well, there were tourists when we first arrived at the pond but after they left, nobody else came after them. We were able to take some nice pictures with a mini tripod with the reflection of osaka castle in the pond. This was probably the best picture I took throughout my trip in japan. Besides this castle, I didnt really go anywhere else in osaka besides the street food and shopping.

Beautiful. I went during the summer and the winter, and will definitely be back for Spring and Autumn one day! There are LOTS of tourists, especially during the afternoon, so be patient if you wanna get a nice picture in front of the castle. The line to get into the castle was ridiculously long (about 60 people I'm guessing). The castle itself, if my memory serves me correctly from the first time I went, was not very spectacular inside. I think the exterior is what's worth seeing. The park surrounding the castle is huge and very beautiful - my grandma's cousin lives near here and says he often takes long walks around the park and has never gotten tired of the view.

This review is for the playground only. Since we have 7 year old twins, a visit to the park and playground was a welcome break from sightseeing and shopping in Osaka. Besides, we had already visited Osaka Castle on a previous trip here, so we didn't feel like we were missing out too much. The playground, although older and rusting in places, was still fantastic and had a lot to keep the twins entertained for quite some time. The giant slide was the winner, by far. After some initial hesitance, the twins repeatedly climbed the tower to slide again and again. The playground also has some smaller slides - a little one in the middle, a spiral one (which was closed off when we were there) and a short but STEEP one. The playground also has lots of climbing areas, a central open playing area, vending machines for drinks and bathrooms nearby. In addition to the playground, the surrounding park is great for exploring and there's a little choochoo train ride you can take nearby too. The train entrance/exit (exit 3A from the Morinomiya station on the Nagahoritsurumiryokuchi Line) is also right there, making access super convenient. Another great find for families with children in Osaka.

Bring water and comfy walking shoes! Alright, so honestly it's pretty funny to see everyone here talking about it being super touristy. I got there last Saturday around 8PM with my mum and we walked from the base to the top of the castle and there were 0 tourists. There were a bunch of locals there to view the fireworks, but that's about it. I imagine in the daytime the garden and park are a lot prettier, but that's the trade off, eh? Bring comfy shoes as it's a decent hike from the bottom of the park to the castle and there's few benches along the way. Bring water as well to combat the Japanese summer. I recommend going really late or really early.

The park surrounding Osaka castle, it's a long walk before arrive the destination, hot and humid in summer time.

Probably one of the biggest park within central Osaka. Just don't use the toilets in the park. Some are really gross. The outer moat of the park is open 24/7 and there always seems to be joggers out there even in the middle of night. Other than the toilet it's a great park for picnics and some other activities with family and friends. Every season is beautiful there.

"Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case they are unique, poetic, products of the heart." --Arthur Erickson In the 434 years that Osaka Castle has stood, it has seen the rise and fall of numerous clans, shogunates, wars, and governments. During WWII, much of the structure of the castle was damaged from bombings, and was completely restored in 1997. Today it serves as a museum, chronicling it's rich history and occupants through the centuries. We were brought here on our first real sightseeing day by our dear friends who lived in the area. The building was stunning and breathtaking. For a small entrance fee of $6 USD, (600 Yen), you can visit the museum inside and learn about the amazing history of this place. Here, warlords set out to increase their land, and waged war on other provinces. It detailed the lives of samurai, soldiers, peasants, and royalty. At the top, you are rewarded with a 360° view of the city of Osaka. We were particularly fascinated with the large rocks the lined the path to the castle. My hubs, who can read and speak Japanese, read the info plaques and explained that rocks of those particular size needed to reinforce the first three floors of the castle were not readily available in the area, and needed to be brought in, or shipped in, at great effort and cost. Wealthy warlords and families would acquire and donate these huge rocks, and etch their family crests onto them, to prove loyalty to the ruling warlord. Many of these family crests have been traced and documented by historians, and many donated are identified. Be prepared for crowds, but the flow of pedestrian traffic is orderly and polite. There are vending machines and souvenir stalls on the ground floor of the castle that are not included in the entrance fee. Wear comfortable shoes as you will be ascending a total of seven stories via stairs to get to the top.

The best part of the Osaka Castle Park when I went was the Osaka Castle itself. If I went during the spring, I think the trees would have been more interesting because they would have been in bloom. As it is, I liked the view from Osaka Castle. It's too bad that the inside of Osaka Castle is quite modern and I didn't get a feel for what Osaka Castle was really like back in the old days. The view from the top of Osaka Castle was good. I liked being able to see in all four directions (N,E,S,W) from the top of the castle. Inside the castle there were dioramas. The dioramas were neat because it had video projection and the video projection was of people who were moving around inside of the diorama. There were many stairs and the Osaka Castle was quite crowded. I think it was interesting that they had vending machines in the Osaka Castle Park that had ice cream for sale. Outside of Osaka Castle, there were also people who had old-fashioned costumes for people to wear for selfies in front of the Osaka Castle. I think I wouldn't go again. There was also a gift shop on the inside of Osaka Castle.

Because of the size of the surrounding area of the park, it's a popular place for exercise. While we were there, there was a triathlon happening so we caught some swimmers in the "moat". The water looked yucky. Don't know if it's because I grew up in Hawaii but I'd never swim in water that looked green and murky like that! There is a road that goes all the way around and that's where the train runs (that takes tourists up to the castle). We didn't take the path of the bridge for whatever reason (darn google maps) so no idea where that leads. There is only a small area that was beautifully maintained (picture worthy) as far as I could see and the path that we took. Other than that, it looked like any ol' park. We did pass a bathroom building, and a small Lawson's. I did have a hard time finding a place to throw my coffee cup away so I held onto it til we reached the castle entrance. Definitely toss your trash before leaving Jo Terrace!

I came here on my last day in japan and was able to see the sakura in about half bloom. It was absolutely beautiful and I was really happy to be able to experience hanami with the other japanese and other tourists. The sakura were in bloom and the other fruit trees in the orchard were also in bloom.

We bought a few bento boxes from a shop nearby and picnicked here while enjoying the beautiful foliage here. There were also vendors with food available for purchase but we didn't know that until after we had already bought bento boxes. There's also a great view of the Osaka Castle from this park.

This is a must see if you're in Osaka. We visited during cherry blossom season and this was one of the best spots to view the flowers. We only visited the outside premises and did not pay to go inside, hence, just a 4 stars for now until I get the full experience. But just from being on the outside we were still able to take in the beautiful and scenic views of this castle. There is a large park right by the castle where people picnic and hang out. My favorite part was just sitting on a bench, relaxing, and people watching. There are a couple of food/drinks vendors close to the castle as well. This is a famous landmark and a must visit when you're in Osaka.

Castle is beautiful, so much history to learn about. When entering there's two lines one for elevator and one for stairs. The line for stairs of course has no line at all. That being said other line out of the Castle. Awesome thing about taking the stairs that people seem not to know is that there is two stairwell cases.the main one when entering the castle and one inside the castle both leading up and down. Great thing to know which I don't y know once I got to the top of the castle is that there is stroller parking. Kids under 15 years (need identification above 6 years of age) of age are free 000¥ and adults are 600¥ not bad. Castle is an 16- 25 minute walk from train station (Osaka business center).

This is where I found out my mother's side is of Samurai lore. Her family name was displayed among the other samurais that were recognized among the members, and it felt like closure after all these years she told me about being of samurai heritage. I just regret taking so long to visit the homeland. As for the Castle, you can check your endurance by racing up the stairs to the top deck, although the crowds of people may slow you up around the 9th floor, as everyone must take the additional floors by foot to the top deck. Once there, it is an open air experience to see the City and destinations you might want to try by foot. Take in the history of samurai, and partially dress like a samurai on the 7th floor. The warlords were of godly history, as they protected the villages, like a sheriff, if you will.

If it's cherry blossom season, this is THE place to have a picnic and admire the cherry blossoms. There were tons of people doing just that when we visiting the last week of March. Also here is the obvious Osaka castle as well as a building where you can purchase overpriced takoyaki, ice cream, and other snacks. And if you have your charger, there's an outlet by the sitting area on the 2nd floor.

Why are there 2 listings of Osaka Castle Park? It should just be one listing, so as to not confuse people! :) The park surrounding the castle is very pretty. Lots of land and people gathering for festivals and such. You can spend so much time here to relax and enjoy the outdoors, and do some people watching. We visited the Castle during our visit and it was amazing. Be sure to walk around the moat, look for turtles in the water!

Beautiful castle but don't bother going in. Pretty outdated and stuffy museum, super crowded and nothing particularly stands out in there in terms of either exhibitions or antiques.

It is a huge public park with historical buildings. But the main building, Osaka Castle, has just 80 years old. There are big music hall and athletic area. Also there are plum area and a lot of cherry blossom area. During the cherry blossom season, you can go the really beautiful Hanami. If you want to go up to the top of the castle, you should visit before 4 o'clock and see the great view from there. Hokoku shrine in the park is the symbol of succeed in the life.

Obviously the Osaka Castle Park houses the Osaka Castle itself. The castle is my favorite attraction in Osaka, but the gardens and grounds surrounding the castle that make up the park is also pretty neat. It's very spacious and clean and is a good place for rest and relaxation, or even running and exercising.

We took a trip to Osaka to see some Cherry Blossoms and also to see the castle. Upon walking up to the park they were selling matcha ice cream and also matcha beer. Everything matcha is usually super good but I honestly did not like the matcha beer especially when they gave so little. I guess I cant be too harsh about the portion of beer since everything in Japan wasn't super sized like in California. You can see the castle from the park so you just gotta follow the trail and walk all the way up. It took maybe thirty minutes. In front of the castle entrance there are food trucks and also vendors selling food so grab some before you go in because you cant walk and eat in Japan. Its considered rude. The castle itself was pretty awesome. Every time I see big building and all that I get really amazed at how people back then were able to build such structures. Take some pictures for memories and walk back down the trail for another round of matcha ice cream!

Despite being the park that holds the centerpiece of Osaka tourism, the Osaka Castle, this park is extremely poorly maintained. Not only is the majority of the lawn heavy with overgrown weed, the signs are not clear and often misleading and the public facilities are few throughout. Once you are done visiting the notable landmarks around or on this park, don't bother lingering around this ugly park.