One of the most prominent landmarks of Osaka is the Osaka Castle. Not only is it iconic, it also represents an important piece of history of the country. Even though I may not be a fan of historic sites, I decided that it’s not a place I should omit. Furthermore, the Special Light Show Festival was happening at that time, so we willingly paid close to S$20 to visit the festival. If you want to catch the Special Light show, make sure you visit Osaka by March 2015. =D
Osaka Castle may look prettiest during autumn when you can catch the gorgeous red hues of the red leaves everywhere, there is a charm to it during winter as well. Love how calm and still the waters were.
The only time it rained when I was in Osaka was when I reached Osaka Castle, and it was a light drizzle but I had to buy an umbrella nevertheless. Paid S$6 for this very unwillingly because it’s from a shop outside the castle targeted at tourists. I could have bought the same thing from Daiso at 1/5 of the price. =X
Walking into the grounds of Osaka Castle Garden and it’s picturesque despite the bare trees. Somehow reminded me of a University campus in England.
I love how the skies look different from just one minute ago – So much drama and effects. And now, a spam of Osaka Castle photos from all angles and directions. Notice how the skies look different, all in a matter of 10 minutes or so.
When the skies start to turn dark, we proceeded to the entrance for the Special Light Show. To our surprise, there was a queue forming and there was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the air. :)
The Light Show was basically an exhibition of beautiful lights in the form of sculptures of animals, mystical creatures and some creative decorations. The whole place felt magical as we walked through it with musical playing in the background, and I love how peaceful and therapeutic it felt the whole time. It was exactly the type of holiday I needed to rejuvenate and realign myself. The photos don’t do justice to the beauty of this place at all.
The main highlight of the show was the projection on the Osaka Castle. It was basically a light show that lasted 10 minutes or so and with the clever use of laser, the Castle transformed into different scenes. Everyone just stood there and enjoyed the projection show and the grandeur of the Osaka Castle.
There is a pub for drinking beers as well as food stalls selling traditional Japanese snacks.
To understand the history of Osaka and the Osaka Castle better, you can also opt to visit the Osaka Castle Museum (which we skipped). That’s free for holders of the Amazing Osaka Pass. All in all, Osaka Castle is an important landmark of Osaka and should be a must-visit for all first-timers to Osaka.
You can read the other entries on my Osaka Travel here.
