The dotted line joins the stops in order. It is not the exact path, so follow the signs in the park. Tap a letter for walking directions.

The route

Tanimachi 4-chome Station → A to N → JR Osakajokoen Station. Tap a name to see it on the map.

1. Otemon Gate

   The castle's main gate, an Important Cultural Property. Look for the Tokugawa hollyhock crest, a sign that the shogunate rebuilt the castle. It is lit up at night.

2. Tamon-yagura Turret

   A huge building over the square gate enclosure behind Otemon. Above the gate is a trap for dropping spears on attackers passing underneath. Important Cultural Property.

3. Sengan-yagura Turret

   Two-story corner turret that guarded Otemon from the north, with small openings in the walls for firing guns. Important Cultural Property.

4. Nishinomaru Garden

   A big lawn with about 300 cherry trees and a wide view of the Main Tower. Paid entry: adults 300 yen. Open 9:00–17:00 (March to October) or 9:00–16:30 (November to February), last entry 30 minutes before closing. Closed Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) and December 28 to January 4. Hours and price differ in cherry blossom season.

5. Sakuramon Gate

   The front gate to the inner citadel, facing the Main Tower. Named after the cherry trees said to have stood here in Toyotomi times. Important Cultural Property.

6. Takoishi (Octopus Stone)

   The biggest stone in the castle, just inside Sakuramon: 5.5 m high, 11.7 m wide, an estimated 108 tonnes. The pattern on its left end is said to look like an octopus.

7. Japanese garden

   Laid out in 1931, when the Main Tower was rebuilt, as the garden of the Kishu Palace that stood here then. The palace had been moved from Wakayama Castle in 1885 and burned down in 1947. From the south side of the pond, the Main Tower rises behind the garden.

8. MIRAIZA OSAKA-JO

   The brick-style former army headquarters, built in 1931. It reopened in 2017 with restaurants and shops. Food near the castle

9. Main Tower and Stone Wall Museum

   The museum tower in the middle of the inner citadel. Next to it, the Toyotomi Stone Wall Museum opened in April 2025. What's inside · Stone Wall Museum

10. Hideyori and Yodo-dono memorial stone

    A stone on the east side of the Yamazato-maru area. Toyotomi Hideyori and his mother Yodo-dono are said to have taken their own lives here when the castle fell in 1615. The Siege of Osaka

11. Gokuraku-bashi Bridge

    A popular photo spot, with the Main Tower rising beyond the inner moat.

12. Gozabune boat

    A gold-trimmed boat that takes you around the inner moat in about 20 minutes, right below the tallest stone walls in Japan.

13. Aoyamon Gate

    One of the gates into the castle, at the Aoya entrance. The walls around it form a square enclosure built to trap attackers.

14. JO-TERRACE OSAKA

    Shops and restaurants next to JR Osakajokoen Station, the end of the route. Where to eat here

Before you go

Questions

What is the best walking route around Osaka Castle?

The park's own Golden Route is about 3 km. It starts at Tanimachi 4-chome Station, goes in through Otemon Gate, past Sakuramon Gate and the Takoishi stone to the Main Tower, then out through Aoyamon Gate to JO-TERRACE OSAKA and JR Osakajokoen Station.

How big is the Takoishi stone at Osaka Castle?

5.5 m high and 11.7 m wide, with an estimated weight of 108 tonnes. It is the largest stone in the castle.

How much is the Nishinomaru Garden?

Adults pay 300 yen. It is open 9:00 to 17:00 from March to October and 9:00 to 16:30 from November to February, and closed on Mondays. Hours and price differ in cherry blossom season.

Written by Kyoya Fujioka. Route and facts from the Osaka Castle Park official sightseeing map (2026 edition).