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"Osaka Castle is Osaka's most popular attraction and famous landmark. Osaka Castle sets an imposing sight by day or night from its hill top vantage point surrounded by imposing walls and moats. Osaka Castle is a flat land\u00A0style Japanese Castle\u00A0which features thirteen structures which are designated Important Cultural Properties, an observation deck on the top floor and a museum inside the main tower (donjon) where you can find a large variety of historical materials and displays. [caption id=\"attachment_12158\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Osaka Castle[/caption] At night Osaka Castle is illuminated making an outstanding sight which can be seen from a great distance. The whole of the Osaka Castle complex has been designated as a Special National Historic Site. The castle is\u00A0located in Chuo Ward in what is now called Osaka Castle Park\u00A0and\u00A0is the symbol of the city of Osaka. Osaka Castle History Originally built in 1583 by the order of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the castle has suffered destruction several times throughout its history. The current donjon\u00A0(main tower) was built in 1931 with the external appearance of the castle built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi. In 1997 the Japanese Government designated the main tower as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property. The steep walls which rise close to 30 meters high are made of huge blocks of stone that were transported to Osaka from quarries over 100 km away. The sheer height of the walls and the wide moats they rise above the surrounding plane to make for a grand sight that can be matched by no other castle in Japan. The dolphins on the roof, the ornamental roof tiles and reliefs carved in the shape of tigers are all gilded with gold. [caption id=\"attachment_12178\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Gilded Gold Tigers Osaka Castle[/caption] Osaka Castle - Important Cultural Properties Even though the main tower is a recent reconstruction, there still remains thirteen key parts of the castle complex in original condition that are so significant that the Japanese Government has designated them to be Important Cultural Properties. These are listed below: Otemon Gate Tamon Turret Sengan Turret Rokuban-yagura (Turret) Enshogura Gunpowder Magazine Three sections of castle wall all located around Otemon Gate. Sakuramon (Gate) Osaka Castle Sakuramon (Gate) is effectively the main gate to inner realm of the castle. It is located on the Southern side of the castle tower within the Inner Moat. [caption id=\"attachment_12221\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Inui-yagura (Turret) Osaka Castle[/caption] Inui-yagura turrent provided protection to the North Western side of the castle from its raised position on the land between the South Outer Moat and the Inner Moat. [caption id=\"attachment_12156\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Ichiban-yagura (Turret)[/caption] Ichiban-yagura provided protection to the South Eastern side of the castle\u00A0from its raised position on the land between the Southern Outer Moat and the Inner Moat. [caption id=\"attachment_12225\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Kinmeisui Well and Roof[/caption] Kinmeisui Well was the most important well in the castle. Kinmeisui Well was constructed in 1624 including the stone lining. The roof was added two years later. Kinmeisui Well was originally called Ogonsui (Golden Water) Well. [caption id=\"attachment_12184\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"660\"] Kinzo Storehouse[/caption] Built in 1751 the Kinzo Storehouse was used to store gold and silver coins. The\u00A0Kinzo Storehouse\u00A0was referred to as shin-gokinzo (new kinzo) as it replaced an earlier kinzo (moto-gokinzo)."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<https://www.gojapango.com/places/osaka-prefecture/osaka/attractions/osaka-castle/>