Ultimate Guide to Osaka Castle: 12

What is this?

According to the sign, this is called the 'Ichiban-yagura' turret, the first turret of seven turrets built on the stone walls on the south side of the Outer Bailey. It was built in 1628 and only two out of seven turrets remain, which makes it an important cultural property of Japan. The turret has many windows for the purpose of attacking enemies from them. Also, it has a device to drop stones to repel enemies who attempt to climb the stone walls

The Ichiban Turret viewed from below

The view of green plants and trees near the Ichiban Turret

Stone monument of a poem written by a Japanese Senryu poet, Tsuru Akira (1909 - 1938), who was famous for his anti-war poems

Walkway connecting turrets was completely deserted and a bit scary

There was a burnt-down (or a dried-up) tree root along the way and I enjoyed imagining it was burnt-down 400 years ago when Osaka Castle was attacked by the Tokugawa Army!

And here is another turret

This is the Rokuban Yagura Turret, which is the sixth turret, one of the two turrets remaining out of seven turrets originally built on the premises. This was also built in 1628 and is designated as an important cultural property of Japan

The sign indicating that the Minami Shikirimon Gate and the Taiko Yagura Turret used to be here

This is the remains of the Minami Shikirimon Gate, which was made of stone

Entrance of the Nishinomaru Garden...but it was under maintenance and I couldn't enter it!

As it was closed for maintenance, I had to enjoy the view from the outside...I should come back again!