The Taiko Yagura Ruins mark the former site of a two-story turret-gate — a yagura, the defensive turrets found throughout Japanese castles — that housed a drum on its upper floor. Built around 1628, the turret sounded the shōgo taiko (noon drum) daily to signal midday, a custom that continued into the early Meiji period. The structure burned down during the Boshin War of 1868, the conflict that ended the Tokugawa shogunate and restored imperial rule. Only the stone base survives today.

Sengan Yagura is a two-story corner turret built in 1620 — one of the oldest surviving structures at Osaka Castle. It was disassembled and repaired in 1961. Its name is traditionally said to come from a saying that a turret this formidable would be worth a thousand kanmon (an old unit of currency) to capture. The striking black-and-white facade — white plaster walls under black tiled roofs — exemplifies Tokugawa-era castle aesthetics.

Nishinomaru Garden is traditionally associated with Kita-no-Mandokoro (Nene), wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Today it is a 6.5-hectare lawn garden that opened in 1965 and is one of Osaka’s premier cherry blossom spots — around 300 Somei Yoshino trees bloom together each spring. The garden also contains the Osaka Geihinkan (Osaka Guest House), a modern reception facility used for special events.

The Hitsujisaru Yagura Remains mark the former site of a corner turret at the southwest (hitsujisaru) corner of the Ninomaru — a traditional direction name using the old zodiac-based compass system. The turret itself no longer survives; only the stone base remains, still bearing kokuinseki — carved marks left by the stonemasons who built the castle, resembling a craftsman’s signature.

Inui Yagura stands at the northwest corner of Nishinomaru. “Inui” (乾) means northwest — considered in traditional Japanese geomancy (onmyōdō) the “ura kimon,” or back demon gate, a direction believed vulnerable to evil spirits. Built in 1620, it ranks alongside Sengan Yagura among the oldest structures in the castle. Its rare L-shaped, two-story design — with both floors nearly equal in area — is extremely uncommon in Japanese castle architecture. It was restored in 1959.

Enshōgura is the only surviving stone gunpowder storehouse in Japan. Built in 1685, its walls, floor, and ceiling are entirely of precisely cut granite, sealed airtight with plaster. This design emerged after a predecessor structure exploded following a lightning strike in 1660. Dismantled and restored in 1960, it stands as Japan’s most sophisticated surviving example of Edo-period explosion-proof engineering.

Rokuban Yagura (Sixth Turret) is one of only two surviving turrets from the original seven that once lined the southern outer moat. Built in 1628, it shows stylistic and technical differences from Osaka Castle’s earlier turrets. Its roofline, chidori hafu (a triangular gable), and wall treatment reflect the later phase of the Tokugawa-era rebuilding. It was disassembled and repaired in 1966.

Toyokuni Shrine enshrines Toyotomi Hideyoshi, his son Hideyori, and his brother Hidenaga. The present shrine building was rebuilt in 1879 and relocated to its current site within Osaka Castle Park in 1961. A striking 5.2-metre bronze statue of Hideyoshi in military attire stands on the grounds. The shrine is popular as a spot associated with career advancement, academic success, and business prosperity.

Ichiban Yagura (First Turret) is the easternmost of the seven corner turrets that once lined the south side of the Ninomaru. It helped defend nearby Tamatsukuri Gate, another of Osaka Castle’s historic gates, from the flank. A major renovation in 1668 gave it the form seen today, and it was disassembled and repaired in 1965.