Osaka Castle, Osaka Prefecture, Kansai Region, Honshu island, Japan

Osaka Castle, Osaka Prefecture, Kansai Region, Honshu island, Japan. Osaka Castle played a major role in the unification of Japan. Originally built 1583–1597 as Japan's then-largest castle, its prominent keep was destroyed four times — by wars in 1615, 1868 & 1945 and lightning in 1665. To avoid creating another wooden lightning rod, its landmark main tower was rebuilt in 1931 using modern reinforced concrete. Osaka is Japan's second largest metropolitan area. For many centuries it's been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai Region. Before the Nara Period, Naniwa (Osaka's former name) was a regional economic and political center ruled by Emperor Kōtoku in 645-654. In the 1500s, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built his castle in Osaka, which would have become Japan's political capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not ended the Toyotomi lineage and established his government in distant Edo (Tokyo).

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Filename: 24.11JPN-2216.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
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Contained in galleries: 2024 Oct: JAPAN all, Osaka

Osaka Castle, Osaka Prefecture, Kansai Region, Honshu island, Japan. Osaka Castle played a major role in the unification of Japan. Originally built 1583–1597 as Japan's then-largest castle, its prominent keep was destroyed four times — by wars in 1615, 1868 & 1945 and lightning in 1665. To avoid creating another wooden lightning rod, its landmark main tower was rebuilt in 1931 using modern reinforced concrete. Osaka is Japan's second largest metropolitan area. For many centuries it's been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai Region. Before the Nara Period, Naniwa (Osaka's former name) was a regional economic and political center ruled by Emperor Kōtoku in 645-654. In the 1500s, Toyotomi Hideyoshi built his castle in Osaka, which would have become Japan's political capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not ended the Toyotomi lineage and established his government in distant Edo (Tokyo).