Osaka Castle 大阪城 English Version

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Osaka Castle Park 大阪城  Documentary 2013 - 英語版 English Version

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00:00Osaka Joe is the lofty jewel residing over a city not renowned for or even vying for any of the world's great tourist attractions.

00:10So is it by default that people flock to Osaka Joe?

00:14Well, maybe. But that's not to say the castle and its surrounds don't deserve their Ichiban, number one, status.

00:21The sight of the castle from a distance brings a moment's serenity amid the rush of the day's business.

00:27In fact, many often think it captures the imagination best when viewed from a distance through the natural beauty of the park.

00:35This might be because of the several facelifts it has undergone throughout history as a result of war.

00:41Osaka Castle Park opened in 1931 and covers an area of 106.7 hectares.

00:47Osaka Castle Park is colourfully embellished.

00:51You can see about 600 cherry trees, including Some Yoshino in Nishinomaru Garden.

00:57About 95 kinds of Japanese apricot flowers.

01:011250 trees in total bloom in Ume Grove, and in Omoede no Mori, the Grove of Remembrance, you can enjoy beautiful autumn coloured leaves.

01:11The scenery, which changes from season to season, attracts many visitors throughout the year.

01:21Although the castle park is located in the centre of the city, it is a place of recreation and relaxation familiar to Osaka.

01:27Osaka's.

01:51Osaka Joe has a central position in the cityscape of Osaka.

01:55To the north-west lies the commercial hotspot of Umeda.

01:58South-west is the hip and happening district of Namba.

02:02Almost due south is the transportation hub of Tenoji.

02:06And just a few minutes' walk north-east is Kyobashi.

02:09Whilst there are many entrances to Osaka Joe Park, the most convenient for visitors is the Osaka Joe Koen Station on the Osaka JR Loot Line.

02:21As you exit the station, the castle is not even visible through the trees.

02:25Osaka Park is one of the city's largest patches of green.

02:29A pleasant, largely forested area criss-crossed with a maze of paths for strolling, jogging or cycling.

02:36The building you'll come across first, Osaka Joe Hall, is the castle's biggest immediate rival in terms of size.

02:43A massive, modern indoor stadium, seating over 16,000 that hosts everything from rock concerts to judo championships.

02:51At the height of springtime, the park is scattered with family, friends and colleagues drinking in circles on the boughs of blossom.

02:58At the end of July, the Okawa River to the north-west of the castle is the venue for the huge Osaka Tenjin Matsuri Festival.

03:05The climax of the festival is a procession down the river of scores of boats to the thunderous fanfare of a fireworks display.

03:13After a couple more minutes' walk, the walls suddenly become visible.

03:19They tower over the outer moat, which are full of unkempt greenery rather than water, and are composed of a variety of masonry styles.

03:27Part of the wall, overlooking the west outer moat for example, has its stones-laden subtle oval mosaic patterns,

03:34not immediately obvious, but which allow for a bit of imaginative eye-play when discovered.

03:44Magnificent moats and the stone walls consist of numbers of huge stones,

03:49and they are symbols of the solid defences of the Tokugawa build, Osaka Castle.

03:53The moats are 70 to 90 meters in width, and the number of the stone walls, which stand on all sides of the moats,

04:00are more than 20 meters in height.

04:03The total length of the stone walls, made of granite, extends to 12 kilometers,

04:08and the number of stones used in the walls is somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million.

04:14The harmonized beauty of magnificent stone walls and the moats surprises and moves the visitors.

04:21Today, we would use cranes, trucks and loaders to move and place the stones.

04:26From this edge, the outer moat lies beneath the imposing granite stone walls,

04:31that curve concavely, creating a beautiful contrast between the still calm of the water and the might of the walls.

04:38Atop the corners of these moat walls, sit antiquated stone turrets,

04:43that cast a beautiful yet lonely grey presence.

04:46During the colder months, mist hovers just above the water surface,

04:50giving the moat an almost breathing, living quality that will have you lost in private reverence.

04:57If you're lucky enough to visit in spring, you will enjoy Osaka-jo at its most beautiful,

05:02and its people at their most jubilant, as they celebrate the bloom of the iconic cherry blossom,

05:07which lines the outer moat and many of its gardens.

05:10Throughout the month of April, joyous picnics with friends, family, and moreover, salarymen and women,

05:16break out like wildflower in the areas surrounding the castle.

05:21Groups sit beneath a mirage of pink and white canopies,

05:24able to glance up through the blossoms at any moment to catch sight of the glorious castle.

05:46The main tower is the building that symbolizes the castle.

05:52As a result, it became a centerpiece of originality and invention,

05:56and was the most lavishly decorated among the castle's structures.

06:01The main tower of Osaka Castle, during the Toyotomi period, was completed in 1585.

06:07It took 60,000 laborers a year and a half to complete the castle's keeping tower.

06:13Vast masses of stone were transported to the site, from all around the Osaka area, by more than a thousand vessels.

06:21The innermost palace was embellished with silver and gold,

06:25and priceless treasures were laid out and stacked up on every floor of the main tower.

06:30It is said that Hideyoshi Toyotomi invited feudal lords from across the country,

06:35and missionaries from Europe to the castle, to display with pride the magnificent appearance of the main tower.

06:41The fine view from the observation platform, and his collected treasures.

06:49The top floor is the observation deck, from where one can enjoy the panoramic view.

06:55Views of the spacious Osaka Castle Park, the modern high-rise building, the Osaka Plain, and the mountains in the distance are all splendid.

07:01From this vantage point, one can appreciate the central nature of the castle in the life of its eponymous city.

07:11Regardless of what angle you view the castle, high up, ground level, or from a train,

07:17Osaka-jo is a truly magnificent structure.

07:19But don't just come and view the castle, take the time to wander the park.

07:23So, viewed as part of a much grander picture, a trip to Osaka-jo is much more than the castle itself.

07:33Whilst it hosts traditional Japanese architecture, landscaping, and culture aplenty, it also has that refreshing kick of Osaka personality.

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