On November 7, 2021, Osaka Castle will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the reconstruction of its main tower. The decision to rebuild it was made by the municipality of Osaka to mark the enthronement of Emperor Hirohito (Emperor Showa) in 1926. Funded entirely by the donations of Osaka residents, the tower opened in November 1931.

1931 was the year the Manchurian (Mukden) Incident occurred, which paved the way for Japan to plunge into the Pacific War.

As the war intensified, the main tower closed its doors on September 25, 1942, and was requisitioned by the Japanese army until the end of the war on August 15, 1945. Because Osaka Castle was located adjacent to the Osaka Army Arsenal, it faced a number of aerial attacks by the U.S. forces and lost Fushimi Turret, Kyobashi Gate, Kyobashi-guchi Tamon Turret, Hitsujisaru Turret, Niban Turret, Samban Turret, and other historically valuable architecture. Fortunately, the reconstructed main tower survived.

Although it was requisitioned by the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Allied Forces after the war, the main tower was returned to the municipality of Osaka on August 25, 1948, and was reopened to the public the following year, on July 20, 1949.

Since then, Osaka Castle Museum has been committed to the collection, research, and study of materials in four categories: 1. Historical materials associated with the Toyotomi period; 2. Materials related to the local history of Osaka; 3. Materials related to weapons and armor; and 4. Reference materials on the architecture of Osaka Castle. These activities allowed the Museum to organize many special exhibitions and thematic shows, resulting in a designation by the government as a “Facility Equivalent to a Museum” on December 28, 1955, and the approval as a facility to publicly display national treasures and important cultural properties on December 6, 1996.

In 1995, “Heisei-no-Daikaishu” (Great Renovation of the Heisei Era), a nine-year-long, large-scale renovation project commenced to refurbish the appearance of the main tower, to improve seismic resistance, and to extend the life of reinforced concrete structures. As a result, the main tower earned numerous architectural recognitions, including registration with the government as a tangible cultural property on September 3, 1997, on grounds that it is an excellent piece of modern architecture contributing to the enhancement of the historical landscape of the country. The main tower of Osaka Castle (and its museum) is therefore rated highly as an architectural asset, as well as for its functionality as a museum.

From the end of 2020, Osaka Castle Museum had to be closed temporarily due to the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Although we are still undergoing a difficult time, we would like to celebrate the 90th anniversary as a joyous occasion with as many people as possible by remembering its history of overcoming various ordeals, especially in times like this. We hope to provide inspiration to the public through this exhibition, which marks the beginning of the journey toward our centennial celebration.