Reconstruction of Hideyoshi's Golden Tea Room (3rd floor of the Main Tower of Osaka Castle) Hideyoshi Toyotomi was absolutely fascinated with gold. Accordingly, he ordered that gold be applied to furniture, weapons, armor, and furthermore, to the exterior of the Main Tower of Osaka Castle. Hideyoshi collaborated with Rikyu Sen, who worked for Hideyoshi as a tea-ceremony master, and completed the construction of a golden tea room, in which not only the walls, the pillars and the ceiling, but also the tea utensils were finished with gold. Hideyoshi Toyotomi(1537-1598) Rikyu sen(1522-1591) Holy Priest Rennyo (1415-1499) Ieyasu Tokugawa (1542-1616) Osaka Castle -a symbol of Osaka, which has been handed down through the dramas in history to the present day Osaka Castle is widely known as an emblem of the power and fortune of Hideyoshi Toyotomi. In 1583, Hideyoshi began construction at the former site of Honganji Temple and completed the magnificent castle, which was reputed as being unparalleled in the country. Hideyoshi, having employed the castle as his stronghold, succeeded in quelling the wars which had continued for more than one century, thereby unifying the entire nation. After Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu Tokugawa, who worked for Hideyoshi as his chief retainer, was appointed to the Shogun and he established the shogunate (government) in Edo (Tokyo). In 1615, Ieyasu ruined the Toyotomi family and destroyed Osaka Castle (in the Summer War of Osaka). Thereafter, the Tokugawa shogunate reconstructed Osaka Castle. It held the castle under its direct control until 1868, when the Tokugawa shogunate lost power and the castle fell. In 1931, the Main Tower of the Castle was reconstructed in the center of Osaka Castle, which was used as a military base, with funds raised by the citizens. The present-day Main Tower is the third generation. It follows the Main Tower from the Toyotomi period, which was destroyed by fire during the Summer War, and the tower from the Tokugawa period, which was struck by lightning and was burned down. Since its construction, Osaka Castle repeatedly featured as the battleground of the major wars in Japanese history. Osaka Castle has been popular with both domestic and overseas tourists as a historic site which has been handed down through the above-mentioned historical dramas to today. 1496 Holy Priest Rennyo built a small temple (Osaka or Ishiyama Gobo) in Osaka. 《Osaka or Ishiyama Honganji Temple established》 1533 Honganji Temple moved its head temple from Yamashina (present-day Yamashina ward in Kyoto) to Osaka. 《Osaka or Ishiyama Honganji Temple established》 1570 The war between Osaka (Ishiyama) Honganji Temple and Nobunaga Oda ,who attempted to unify the entire nation, broke out. 《The Ishiyama War》 1580 Nobunaga Oda concluded peace with Honganji Temple, and proceeded to take over the temple. Honganji Temple and the temple town burnt to the ground. 1582 Nobunaga Oda was killed in battle at Honnoji Temple. It was decided at the conference in Kiyosu that Osaka became the fief of Tsuneoki Ikeda. 1583 Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who succeeded his master Nobunaga's undertaking to unify the whole country, began building Osaka Castle. 1585 The Main Tower of Osaka Castle was completed. (The first Main Tower) 1598 Hideyoshi Toyotomi died at Fushimi Castle. 1599 Hideyoshi's son, Hideyori Toyotomi, moved from Fushimi Castle to Osaka Castle. 1600 The Sekigahara War broke out, and Ieyasu Tokugawa, who was one of the senior retainers of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, achieved victory. 1603 Ieyasu Tokugawa was appointed Seii-taishogun (Shogun). 1614 Ieyasu Tokugawa laid siege and launched attacks on Osaka Castle. 《Winter Siege of Osaka》 1615 Ieyasu Tokugawa ruined the ToyotomiFamily holding Osaka Castle. 《Summer War of Osaka》 1620 The Tokugawa government began reconstructing Osaka Castle. 1626 The Main Tower of Osaka Castle was completed. (The second Main Tower) 1629 The reconstruction of Osaka Castle was completed. 1665 The Main Tower was struck by lightning and destroyed by fire. 1868 The battle between the New Government Army and Tokugawa Shogunate Army broke out《the Battle of Boshin》. After the former shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa escaped from Osaka Castle, a fire erupted in the Castle. Almost all the structures were reduced to ashes. The Meiji New Government requisitioned the castle area. 1931 The Main Tower of Osaka Castle was reconstructed. (The third Main Tower) 1945 Fushimi Turret and other old structures in the castle were destroyed byair raids of the American military during the World War II. 1953 The site of Osaka Castle was recognized as a “Historic Site” and thethirteen old structures were recognized as Important Cultural Propertiesby the national government. 1955 The site of Osaka Castle was recognized as a “Special Historic Site” bythe national government.
	Copyright 2007 大阪城天守閣 Allright Reserved.