Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle (known as Osaka-jo in Japanese) is the city’s premier tourist attraction, and with good reason: it’s a stunning sight, rising up and commanding the skyline of the entire east side of the city. It’s worth walking up to see it from the outside, but if you’re not keen on a too-modern reconstruction, skip a visit inside and spend more time in the park.

[Osaka Castle - image © Florentyna Leow]

Osaka Castle is one of the city’s most famous landmarks, and naturally, it’s also Osaka’s premier tourist attraction. Visible from most panoramic viewpoints in the city, it is a stunning sight from afar, standing out in the skyline of east Osaka.

The original castle was completed in 1583 and was attacked and destroyed several times, most recently during air raids during WWII. The present castle is a concrete reconstruction that was finished in 1995.

[Osaka Castle - image © Florentyna Leow]

In general, it is not as interesting as Himeji Castle, which is an original structure. Osaka Castle, however, does merits at least a visit to the castle grounds - it is beautiful from the outside. The view from the top floor is good - though there are just as many high-rise viewpoints from other parts of Osaka - and the floors below have great displays on the castle’s history. You can take the stairs if there’s a long line for the elevator. In general, however, we don’t necessarily recommend actually entering the castle unless you consider this a personal must-do; we think it is more worth your time to enjoy the surrounding park.

[Osaka Castle - image © Florentyna Leow]

The closest train station to the park is Osakajokoen, which is on the JR Loop Line. You can catch it at JR Osaka Station — just make sure you take the one going east so you don’t have to go all the way around the loop.

English name:
Osaka Castle

Japanese name:
大阪城

English address:
1-1 Osakajo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, 540-0002

Japanese address:
〒540-0002 大阪市中央区大阪城1-1

Opening hours:
9am-5pm (last entry 4:30pm)

Admission:
16 years old and over: 600

Nearest Transport:
Subway: 17-minute walk from exit 1-B of Tanimachi 4-chome Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi and Chuo Lines.
Train: 19-minute walk from Osakajokoen Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Osaka Castle on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-6-6941-3044

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Osaka Castle is located in Osaka Castle area. See our complete list of things to do in the Osaka Castle area, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Are These Places Located?

• Open the Osaka map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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