Fell off the back of a truck. Ha. I like it.

It’s really something, imagining these daimyo from all over the archipelago (as far as Kumamoto!) sending such huge stones up to Osaka. If only it had happened a century or so later, we might have some good visual records of it in ukiyo-e prints or woodblock printed books…

Yeah, I thought I’d thrown that in in the end. I’m glad you liked it. Stay tuned, I’ve got a hundred of them.

It would have been quite a sight seeing the castle pieced together. Actually, I wonder if there aren’t a few stones that were intended for Osaka castle that now lay on the bed of the inland sea. I wonder if there is any printed material of the topic. Though, I have seen a woodblock print depicting the construction of the upper levels of Himeji castle’s tenshu. That’s it though.

Nice article. And I agree, when I visited Osaka Castle, I was much more impressed by the stones and the moats than by the castle itself.

Hi David. The walls & moats are indeed as impressive as they are exhausting to walk around. I’ve made the trip a couple of time but still haven’t gone inside the main tower.

Thanks for your comment.

Im going to appreciate Osaka Castle more if I get to visit it again. Great info and the absolutely ROFL on the fell off the back of a truck mention. :D

I was kinda disappointed in the main tower as it was remade in the 20th century and looks very modern inside (but there’s an interesting little museum insode too)

I’m disappointed by the fact that it’s concrete too, but also because that tower looks like neither of the two main towers that stood before. I can stomach a faithful replication on the outside. As for inside, I can just avoid.

Doesn’t look like what came before? Well, isn’t that interesting. It may be totally historically inaccurate, and I am totally with you on being annoyed or turned off by that, but isn’t it interesting how an incorrect version of Osaka Castle has today, for decades since its reconstruction, become the Osaka Castle that we know, the one that stands as a symbol of the city, that’s seen on postcards and calendars and everything.

It’s just interesting how different versions of things can take on powerful and important meanings. If they were to tear it down tomorrow to rebuild it more accurately, that would make it inaccurate to the history of the genuine Osaka Castle that stood in the late 20th century… and there’s a realness, an authenticity to that too, and I find that concept quite interesting to think about. Memories and conceptions, associations of an image with a place, and with history, even if those associations may technically be based upon a major historical inaccuracy…

That is a very interesting point you raise. And, the fact that “different versions of things can take on powerful and important meanings” was exactly what Toyotomi Hideyoshi had in mind when he wiped the Ishiyama Hongan ji from the Earth & replaced it with his Ōsaka Castle. And again, what Tokugawa Ieyasu was hoping for (in addition to sending a message) when he removed every visual trace of Hideyoshi’s castle and replaced it with the Ōsaka castle of today (albeit what remains has been mightily reduced.)

As for the look of the main tower of today, it is said to be a compromise between the Toyotomi & Tokugawa tenshus, but for all most people would know, an exact replica.

I really enjoyed your comment Travis, thank you. I wish I were able to offer anything half as intelligent on your own blog.

Lina, thank you. I’m glad you had a chuckle. (I enjoyed your blog too. Son’s enjoyed the Ultraman post.)

Fascinating stuff! Thank you so much for sharing. And it must be an Ikeda thing regardless of where they happen to be from. The Ikedas of Utsunomiya also think that bigger is better, or rather, as the man of the house is fond of saying “the biggerer the betterer”.
I’ll be sure to visit the castle if (when?) I’m in Osaka. :-)

Very informative post and I could learn a lot about Kyoseki there. The surface area is already big but it could be the tip of the iceberg. Nobody knows actual size of embedded area!!
I will definitely visit there and see them in my eyes. Thanks for sharing.
Yoshi

I’m glad you enjoyed it. I suspect the post did so well because of the #showmejapan, so thank you!

Yes, I do wonder how deep the stones actually are. When researching, the information stated that all eleven stones were 90 cm’s deep. I seriously questioned this so I didn’t include it.

Anyway, Thank you, and I’m glad you enjoyed this post.

In the 17th century, lightening strikes severely damaged the castle, even burning down the main tower. With how prevalent lightening is in Japan I would think this would have happened often to Japanese castles with tall keeps.

how old is your boy? Still pre-elemantary, I guess? ;)

I visited Osaka castle again this year, and the walls and the moats impress me more than the Castle itself.  However, the castle museum is educational, with the displays of armor, Hideyoshi artifacts, and artwork.  I always greatly enjoy visiting Osaka castle park.

Wow. I’m actually kinda surprised I know. (Though I see I’m five months late.) The central tower (Tenshu) of 15 castles were lost due to lightning strikes. Less that I would’ve thought.

I swear, the next time I visit this castle, I will visit the museum in the main tower. I blame the huge grounds for always exhausting me before I get there.

No worries. :) Yeah, that’s less then I would think too.