Osaka Castle was built starting in 1583 by warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the site of the former Ishiyama Honganji Temple, with construction completing around 1597. Designed as a symbol of Hideyoshi’s power and ambition, the castle featured massive stone walls, gold leaf decorations, and a five-story main tower with three underground floors.

The castle played a crucial role during the Siege of Osaka (1614-1615), after which it fell to Tokugawa forces, marking the end of the Toyotomi clan. The Tokugawa Shogunate rebuilt the castle in the 1620s, but the main tower was destroyed by lightning in 1665 and was not rebuilt until a modern reconstruction in 1931, which included modern construction materials and a museum inside.

Today, Osaka Castle is a famous cultural landmark and popular tourist destination surrounded by extensive gardens, cherry blossoms, and historic structure.