Built on the site of the former temple of the troublesome warrior monks, the Ikko Ikki, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built a truly lavish & seemingly impregnable castle that surpassed all others. The Tokugawa clan reduced it to rubble in 1615 & five years later had succeeded in removing almost every trace of Hideyoshi's efforts & replaced it with an even mightier fortress.
This truly is a spectacular castle to visit. Initially, the fact that the main tower was a concrete reconstruction lowered its estimation in my eyes but the sheer scale is breathtaking. Also, Osaka castle is still in possession of nine buildings that date from the Edo period. Those nine buildings & a well have been designated Important Cultural Properties.
Timeline:
1583
Toyotomi started building what would be the grandest castle of its day.
1585
The central defensive structures were competed.
1598
The outer defensive structures were completed.
1614
Osaka was laid siege to by the forces of the Tokugawa Shogunate. A truce was stuck with the defending Toyotomi armies after some hostilities.
1615
Once again the castle was laid siege to. The result this time was a outright victory for the Tokugawa clan.
1620
The Tokugawa incarnation of Osaka castle was completed.
1660
Lightning strikes & destroys a gunpowder magazine.
1665
Lightning strikes twice. The main tower gets toasted.
1843
The Tokugawa Shogunate passes the hat around to raise funds to repair the dilapidated castle.
1868
Much of the castle was damaged by fire due to civil unrest and not someone smoking in bed as was first thought.
1928
The main tower, a concrete reconstruction, was unveiled.
