Willowy wispy trees, shimmering moats, sinewy boughs looking up to the firmament, fairy cherry blossoms sprinkling a gentle scent ―if you wish to behold these & that too at leisure, do not miss Osaka!
After our sojourn in Tokyo, from where we journeyed to Mt. Fuji & Nagoya, we made Osaka our next stopover to travel to other destinations.
Osaka wasn’t electrifying like Tokyo, enthralling like Fujiyama, or laidback like Nagoya. Osaka was a city that held its own! I’d describe it as a city that works at its optimum speed without competing with any other city.
Spring had sprung to life & had begun to paint the town red. Boughs were tickled pink with spring blooms & the atmosphere was redolent with the sweet scent of Sakura☺️
One such fresh morning, we proceeded to visit the Osaka Castle.
A refreshing vestige of a bygone era, the Osaka Castle, with its snow-white façade, quintessential gabled & gilded roofs, stood proud & stately, overseeing the lawns.
Sakura-mon, Osaka Castle
Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, I was told, is Japan’s best. However, as Hyogo didn’t feature in our plans & a Japanese castle was definitely on our bucket list, we made do with Osaka Castle & believe me, that too was pretty.
Very few ancient structures worldwide are fortunate to have expansive lawns as enclosures. With ugly modern structures looming large, these buildings of bygone times are usually ruthlessly eclipsed!
Nonetheless, the castle, being a castle, had to hold its ground; hence, thankfully, the ugly concrete that usually greets one was out of the august precincts of this castle.
Like all castles, this one too, was enclosed by a sparkling moat.
The scene seemed straight out of a Japanese fairy tale book, where charming bridges lead to mysterious citadels!
At the main portal were other hoary structures, which lay veiled behind the blossom-laden sprays.
The stoups are a constant in temples as well as castles, we realized.
After crossing the castle gates, we came face to face with the splendid white frontage, which was very elegantly embellished.
The queue of tourists was serpentine, but moved quickly.
A little away from the main entrance was the Kinmeisui Well, which historically supplied water to the castle.
To the right, as we faced the castle, was the Miraiza Building (Osaka City Museum). No, we did not visit this museum. In fact, the Castle itself houses an array of interesting relics.
The first to greet you when you step into the castle is its scale model.
Every floor came alive with the defunct, antiquated relics of deceased patricians.
Among the several articles of virtu were the weaving patterns & motifs that prevailed in days of yore.
Some were the belongings of erstwhile emperors & empresses; some were the weaponry.
Some were royal robes & some ―handwritten letters & manuscripts by emperors & their emissaries.
The most fascinating, however, were the 3-D hologram pictures that portrayed the feudal history of the land, remote times & village life. The reels were so realistic that even if you didn’t care about the history, you’d want to be part of it!
The icing on the cake was the roof, from which one could enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city as far as the eye could see, and not to be missed are the golden fish statues (Shachihoko) atop the main keep.
The gleaming statue, with the head of a dragon & tail of a fish, gleamed under the glint of the afternoon Sun, & it felt as if the entire city, including all the contemporary structures, had gathered to behold the magnificent castle & the somersaulting antics of the golden fish!
By the way, this is the vantage point from where you could spot your family or friends if you’ve lost sight of them amidst the swarm of people thronging the grounds.
We couldn’t get enough of the cherry blossoms & so we sped down to pose.
The cherry blossom-laden sprigs smiled cheerily as we posed, relishing the joys of spring🥰
In the same Osaka Castle Complex, stood the life-size statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi & the Hokoku Shrine.
In the far recesses, away from the madding crowd, we found this gate, which led us to something of a secret garden!
The stone lanterns & torii entrance were so entrancing that we decided to follow the trail.
In no time, we found ourselves in a sunlit grove, punctuated by slender trees, floral shrubs & dewy grass.
The stream of visitors had begun to ebb & yet there seemed to be life in the woods!
Everything around was so delicate, ethereal & subtle. Birdsongs were faint, butterflies flitted about gently & flowers bloomed tenderly. Even the felicific zephyr minded its rhythm & the rustling leaves responded in tandem ―susurrating softly. And I allowed the grass beneath to nuzzle my naked feet.😍
At one moment, the evening breeze fluttering through the thickets sent shivers & at the next, the dappled sunlight streaming through the same canopy of foliage served as a soothing cloak.
The coppice was speckled with blooms in pretty pastels, like beryl blues & blushing pinks.
I paused awhile, rested my eyes on every bit of Nature’s spread, smelt the roses (or shall we say the cherry blossoms?) & tuned in to the sounds of the forest.
As dusk began to drop its drapes, we began to retrace our steps.
The castle, which had hosted a teeming crowd a while ago, stood unfazed & yet glad to have opened its gates to curious gaze.
While leaving the premises, we spotted this manhole cover that depicted the Osaka Castle. We later learnt that such manhole covers dotted the many streets of Japan; there were more than 12,000, it seems!
While we gave a few popular attractions in Osaka a miss, we could not miss Dotonbori. Where the woods will lull your senses, Dotonbori’s stimulating nightlife will surely spice up the same.
Dotonbori
I was wondering if I should skip detailing the days spent in Osaka & move forward to other places that we traversed in Japan, for they seem more vibrant, poignant & dreamy.
However, when I pored through the pictures I had clicked, the sights & scenes of the fleeting moments spent in the city came barreling by & with that ―a surge of emotions. At that instant, I decided that I could not leave out Osaka, for a place is not merely defined by its scenes, but also by the emotions & sentiments it evokes.
The vibes of a place, its aura & how they make you feel ―they matter too🥲.
This is an amazing blog. I have been to these places and reading through your experiences once again took me back to those magical moments we had in Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Osaka and Kyoto. Thank you for capturing these memories so beautifully and narrating the experience even so artistically.
A very beautiful write-up.
Thank you so much, Raje Kaushik. I consider myself lucky because I get to experience my travels through the pictures I click, & when I detail my experiences, I’m traveling again..
Excellent photos and as always a great description of the place. My arm chair visit to Osaka and the beautiful cherry blossoms was very fulfilling thanks to the verses accompanying the travel. Thank you for sharing it so well.
That’s so very encouraging ☺️. Nature’s beauty is so compelling, alluring & fascinating that it does soften humans & compel us to pause, contemplate & pay tribute..
Your blogs save me a lot of money, effort, visa etc – get to experience places from the comfort of my couch 🙂
Ah aha! I should start imposing a fee for the virtual enjoyment you are experiencing through my blog😛
O my God!
Japan revisted and that too with intricate detailing which only you , Shubhrata can elaborate .. excellent write up…thank you…
I’m so glad that I was able to refresh your memories of your trip ☺️. Sometimes, I go through the snaps I’ve clicked or revisit my posts to relive the memory, & that’s a mini break I take when I let my mind wander where my feet can’t take me.
OSAKA very nicely explained . Beautiful writing and excellent pictures . Castle and its surroundings very well explained . Keep writing . All the very best .Muruga Sharanam
I hope you will add your usual words, ‘we shall revisit’☺️
This was a fabulous blog, detailed in impeccable words of perceived importance.
Impressive indeed with precision from each aspects.
Thank you so much for your kind words & uplifting words. Apart from the places, readers like you also rekindle my fire to add more..😊
Excellent write up on the Imposing Castle of Kitchen of Japan ( Osaka). The pictures too complimented the description. The description besides being vivid takes the reader through a nice walk leisurely savouring the beauty of nature around the Castle and back. The usage of precise words to describe is soooo perfect. Keep it up and feed us more.👌
Omg! I wasn’t aware of that name by which Osaka is known. Thank you for enlightening me. And thanks so much for your kind words too..😊
Shubrata….beutiful photographs, super write up….oh….simply amazing…..we really felt we are in japan. Dotonbury….amazing place….kudos to your efforts
Great read. 🙂 If i ever get to visit Japan, i will first think of finding this post next to my travel plan.
I’m so glad that my post will help in trip planning. In fact, a few people suggested that I help them with the directions to the destinations showcased. I had to remind them that it’s a travelogue. Moreover, a destination can be reached via several points & in Japan, if one misses a train, the next train would drop you at the same destination but via a different route. So, I avoid giving directions on how to reach a place. The internet is full of such information.
Thank you for sharing your osaka city visit in Japan. Nice description of osaka castle and other points with lots of beautiful pictures.The beauty of nature has been well captured in the text and photos.Manhole covers with depiction is really unique. Not heard before. Enjoyed reading the blog.
What a beautiful city and your perfect elaborate description made it even more extravagant. Lovely clicks..If ever I go to Japan and it’s cities..will keep ur log in mind for sure. Thanks for posting it
Thank you, Poonam. Japan has become my Ikigai. I wish to make a revisit soon & that has become my Ikigai to make that dream come true..
Meticulously chronicled. Now i know what to look for during my tarvel. Gifted with language and an eye for beauty
Thank you, Murali Chari. I hope to finish chronicling all the other destinations we had visited. It is indeed an unmissable place on Earth. After visiting Japan, the dream to revisit, has become an Ikigai.
As always beautifully written .Lovely pictures specially of the cherry blossoms.Thorughly enjoyed reading about the castle.
Thank you, dear. Despite what the country has gone through by way of genocide as well as natural calamities, it shows great resilience, equanimity & grace..
Nice detailing. Japan visited. Would like to have a real visit sometime in the future. Thank you for such an awesome experience.
Thank you for liking it. Please also go through my other posts on Japan. There are more coming up. Yes, you must visit the place; you will love it. This is a place where beauty & courtesy & gentleness go hand in hand.
Awesome Shubs, You’ve taken so much pain to describe each pic so vividly.
I think I have already seen enough of Japan now, through your blog, no need of me visiting 🙂
I’m hoping for a revisit..And believe me, you too would..😊
You pour your heart out in describing every picture. It seems like one is actually there in the place visiting.
A piece of my heart is still in Japan..😊