Osaka Castle is a staple tourist destination for visitors to Japan. Surprisingly, not many people opt to venture into the castle.
Despite only costing 600 yen (4.50 USD) to enter the famous Osaka Castle, many tourists (myself included) often opt to appreciate its beauty from the outside, and rightfully so. While nothing can compare to the sheer magnificence of the castle’s exterior appearance, unique experiences await inside the castle walls.
Cool exhibitions
Upon entering Osaka Castle, you’ll enter something of a historical museum inside. There are many exhibitions on display that depict the battles fought during the Edo Period
You’ll also find historical artifacts around the museum such as shogunate helmets and other battle equipment on display.
Miniature figures of Tokugawa shogunate soldiers can be seen carrying spears and flags while heading into battle on horseback. The backdrop features a cool painting depicting how the battle between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Toyotomi clan went down.
Around the corner, you’ll also find a museum shop that sells souvenirs related to Osaka Castle. Items such as T-shirts, posters, and home decor can be purchased to remember your experience and take a piece of Japanese history home with you.
Spectacular views
One of the underestimated features of Osaka Castle is just how tall it really is. Despite only being about 58 meters tall, the surrounding structures and plantation around the castle are quite short in comparison, allowing you to overlook the entire surrounding cities of the Chuo-ku prefecture.
The Golden Fish – Shachihoko 鯱鉾
The Shachihoko is a mythological Japanese sea creature that has the body of a carp and the head of a tiger. Legends describe this creature as one that can swallow huge amounts of water and hold it in its belly for long periods of time.
Also believed to have the power to control the rain, the Shachihoko is built as a decoration piece on many wooden structures such as Osaka Castle in the hopes that it would prevent fires. Of course, this is not necessarily true in a physical sense, but at the very least the Shachihoko acts as a token of good fortune and spiritual protection.
From a tourist standpoint, it’s just a really cool-looking golden tiger fish. One of the perks of going inside Osaka castle is you can head to the balcony and get a close-up view of the Shachihoko.
The outer walls
As you exit Osaka Castle, you’ll find an interesting outdoor area that you don’t typically see without an entrance pass. For one, you can see this canon which was believed to be a signal gun and/or noon marker during the Edo Period.
There are also some unique views to be enjoyed from here as you get nice and intimate with the castle walls. You’ll find yourself at head height with the surrounding trees and city structures as you gaze down upon flocks of tourists taking photos of the magnificent Osaka Castle from the ground level.
Before descending the stairs to the level ground of the commoners, I suggest turning around and enjoying the view of Osaka Castle up close. You can snap some unique, hard-to-get photos of the structure as well as the views of the city skylines.
With all that being said, it’s a mystery that some people opt out of entering Osaka Castle after making the journey all the way to Japan. This level of proximity to the castle simply won’t be achieved without a pass, so be sure to have 600 yen ready or grab yourself an Osaka Amazing Pass for the full experience!
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!