Yesterday, we saw the interesting manhole cover that featured Osaka Castle. For Today’s Japan Photo, we head over to Osaka and visit the real thing.
Osaka Castle is Osaka’s best known sight and the symbol of the city. The steep walls which rise close to 30 meters high are made of huge blocks of stone that were transported to Osaka from quarries over 100 km away. The sheer height of the walls and the wide moats they rise above the surrounding plane to make for a grand sight that can be matched by no other castle in Japan. The dolphins on the roof, the ornamental roof tiles and reliefs carved in the shape of tigers are all gilded with gold.
In summer, the Okawa River in the northwest of the Osaka Castle becomes the stage for the Osaka Tenjin-matsuri Festival known as one of the three largest in Japan. The sight of a fleet of about 100 ships going down the river is a must-see, so are the gorgeous fireworks going up at the same time.
