Visit Osaka with Taiga Drama "Sanada Maru"

Osaka Castle, also known as Golden City or Prosperous City, is the most famous tourist attraction and symbol of Osaka. After the unification of the Japanese islands, Toyotomi Hideyoshi began to build Osaka City in 1583 to show his power, which was destroyed several times later. The city we see now was rebuilt in 1931. The 12 kilometer long city wall of the moat is piled up with a large number of derrick stones. It is extremely majestic, making Osaka City as solid as gold. The interior of castle tower has been rebuilt into a museum. You can enjoy the rich exhibits of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Osaka. Here once was the last fortress of Toyotomi Hideyoshi family against the East army.

The Osaka Castle Nishinomaru Garden used to be the residence of Kita-no-mandokoro, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's wife. Surrounded by greenery, the garden commands a beautiful view of the castle tower and the stone wall of a moat. You need to buy your own ticket for entry. The garden is also famous as a cherry viewing resort. From the end of March to the middle of April, about 600 cherry trees, mainly the prunus x yedoensis, will bloom for about a week, during which night cherry viewing activities will be held.

The castle tower, located in the center of Osaka City, is the core building of Osaka City, which is also known as Hideyoshi city. Today's castle tower is a concrete building which was rebuilt in 1931. The interior has been transformed into a museum about the history of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Osaka City. And you can have a good view of the whole Osaka City on the top.

Stepping inside, there is a small theater on the first floor, which successively shows 5 programs with Chinese subtitles about Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Osaka City. You might as well sit down and have a look. On the second floor, the basic knowledge of Osaka City and Japanese castle are mainly introduced. There are also such experience activities as trying on helmets, zinnbaori and kimono. The third and fourth floors mainly display the important historical materials of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Warring States period, and the collection will be changed every two months. On the fifth floor, there are screens and miniature models of the Summer Battle of Osaka. However, visitors are prohibited on the sixth floor. On the 7th floor, there is the Scenery of Taikoki introducing the scenery of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's life with 19 scenes of perspective paintings. The high-tech images make the image of Toyotomi Hideyoshi lifelike. Finally, we come to the observation deck on the eighth floor, where you can view the whole Okasa.

The famous battle of Osaka in the Warring States period-the Summer Battle of Osaka-is the one that the Tokugawa family destroyed the Toyotomi family. The focus of this battle is the Shitennoji Temple. And the battle is thus also called the Battle of the Shitennoji Temple. There is Yasui Shrine, also known as Yasui Temmangu Shrine, near the Shitennoji Temple and opposite to the Isshinji Temple. It is said that this is the real battlefield where the general of Toyotomi family-Sanada Yukimura-died.

The wounded Xin Fan was then discovered by the samurai Xiwei Clan from Matsudaira Tadanao's Iron Cannon Group of Tokugawa Army when he was taking a rest there, it's said that Xin Fan had told Xiwei before he died: "take my head so you can claim your reward."

There is Sanko Shrine, 10 minutes' walk away from the eastern JR Tamatsukuri Station. Reportedly, it was established in the era of Emperor Hanzei at the end of the 4th century A.D, and was rated as a Shrine with long history. This Shrine is famous in Japan based on the bronze statue of Sanada Yukimura and "Sanada Didao", and it is the Holy Land that wins the Sanada fans' admiration.

It is reported that Sanada Yukimura constructed the fortress named 'Yanyue Town' at the exit of Osaka Castle during the Osaka War in Keich Yuanhe Years. The underground postern was established from this city (Osaka Castle) to this place. Now, this relic is located in the underground club hall of the San Kwang Shrine. The bronze statue of Sanada Yukimura and underground gallery are parallelized on the left side of the staircase to this hall. "Sanada Didao" is adjoined to the statue. I've been told that it is the underground connecting passage between Osaka Castle and Sanadamaru.

Shingan-ji Temple is located at the west side of the Prime Minister Hill Park, a temple established by Sanada family's ancestor Shigeno in Edo period, which was used to consecrate Sanada Yukimura and its son Daisuke. Remember to watch the Shingan-ji Temple gate where the temple texture engraved on it, namely, it's the sixpence engraved with the special texture of Sanada family, in addition, the grave of Sanada Yukimura could be discovered in this temple.

Shingan-ji Temple is the remains of Pill Musquash in the famous Osaka Winter War 400 years ago, in that year, Sanada Yukimura once put the armour on the Pine in front of the gate, unfortunately, that armour was destroyed by the fire during the air raid of World War II.

Isshinji Temple is seated in one corner of Sunset Hill, a thatched Pure-land School Temple established by Faran Shangren on the west side of west gate in Shi Tennoji Temple's during the first year of Wenzhi (1185). Moreover, Isshinji Temple is known for "Temple of Skeleton Buddha", there was Buddha statue made of the human skeleton in the mourning hall. The present Buddhist abbot is an architect and Monastery Gate and Day Dream Temple designed by him are unique.

This temple is renowned for being the base camp which was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Siege of Osaka.