Japanese Castle Trek：日本の城トレッキング

城区分：平城
重要文化財：大手門、堀、多聞櫓、千貫櫓、乾櫓、一番櫓、六番櫓、焔硝蔵、金蔵、金明水井戸屋形、桜門

The kind: Hira-shiro.
Important cultural property: Oh-Te-Mon, Hori, Tamon-Yagura, Senkan-Yagura, Inui-Yagura, Ichi-ban-Yagura, Roku-ban-Yagura, Ensyou-Kura, Kane-Kura, Kinmeisui-Ido Yakata, Sakura-Mon

大坂は、秀吉がここに城を建てるまで石山と呼ばれていた。1583（天正11）年、西国30あまりの大名に命じ築城を開始し、途方もない規模の城郭が15年の歳月をかけて完成する。城域が 2km 四方を越す、難攻不落の城として誕生した大坂城ではあったが、秀吉の死後17年経た1615（慶長20）年、大坂夏の陣で全焼してしまう。その後は家康のもと、秀吉の大坂城の石垣の上に盛り土をし、より大きい大阪城を築城する。1629（寛永6）年に大阪城は完成したが、36年後に落雷で焼失。以後昭和になるまで天守閣の再建はされなかった。

1931（昭和6）年、大阪市民の寄付金で家康の天守台に、秀吉の天守閣を模したものを再建。３代目、現在の大阪城の誕生である。幾多の動乱で焼失してきた天守閣は、最大の危機、第二次世界大戦を迎える。城内や周辺には軍事関連の施設が多くあったために、激しい爆撃にさらされるはめになる。ほとんどの建造物が破壊された中、天守閣はかろうじて焼け残った。

戦後、史跡公園として再出発した大阪城。近年では大阪城ホールや野外音楽堂などの施設が建てられたり、大阪国際女子マラソンのコースになるなど、国際的な一大史跡公園となった。1997（平成9）年、外壁の塗り替え、装飾部品の修復、金箔の押し直し、内部の改装、震度7の地震に耐えられる補強といった平成の大改修が行われ生まれ変わった。中でも特に美しいのは、照明デザイナー石井幹子さんによるライトアップされた大阪城。戦国時代の城内の炎の明かりを思わせる、細やかな照明は、そこに今でも戦国の世の人々の生活があるようである。

Osaka was called Ishiyama until Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the castle here. 30 or so Daimyos from the West of Japan were ordered by Hideyoshi, to start construction of the castle in 1583. The fortress despite its extraordinary scale was completed in 15 years. The whole region of the castle was called Osaka-Jo and exceeds 2km around its perimeter. It was built to be an impregnable castle, but it was burned down in a war called Osaka-Natsu-no-Jin in 1615, 17 years after the death of Hideyoshi. After that, its height was raised by Tokugawa Ieyasu, and rebuilt on the stone wall of Osaka-Jo of Hideyoshi. A larger castle was then established. Although Osaka-Jo was completed in 1629, it was burned down by a thunderbolt 36 years later. Reconstruction of Osaka-Jo Tensyu was not carried out for a further 300 years.

What initiated as the Tensyu of Hideyoshi and was developed as Tensyu-Dai of Ieyasu was rebuilt by donations from Osaka residents in 1931. Present day Osaka Castle, which is the 3rd generation, was born. Tensyu was burned down during World War II, which was the castle's greatest crisis. Since there were many military-related institutions on the outskirts and inside the castle, it was subjected to intense bombing. While almost all the buildings were destroyed, Tensyu remained almost untouched.

It was as Osaka-Jo that the castle made a fresh start as a historic park after the war. In recent years, institutions, such as Osaka-Jo Hall and a field concert hall, were built. It became a huge international historic park, and is used for events such as the course of the Osaka International Women's Marathon. The outer wall was repainted in 1997, as well as the restoration of ornamental parts and restoration of gold leaf. Internal modifications and "repair of Heisei" which can bear earthquakes of seismic intensity 7 were undertaken. Osaka castle was born again. One especially beautiful feature of Osaka-Jo is by lighting designer Ishii Mikiko who designed its illumination. It seems that the warm lighting used imitates the light of candle flames and gives the impression that the old interior of the castle, even now, has people living there as they did in the past.