Osaka Castle is one of the symbols of Osaka City. The entire area covers about two square kilometers with lots of trees and green space. The closest JR train station is Osakajokoen, meaing Osaka Castle Park. You can also get here on the subway from Osaka Business Park station.
The castle itself is located right in the center of the park, up on a hill and you will have to take a 10 to 15 minutes walk from the train station to reach it. As you walk towards the castle, you will be able to see the moat and park that surrounds the castle and you will see the majestic castle getting bigger as you walk closer to it. Sometimes you will also be able to see the locals fishing in the moat area.
There is an admission fee of 600 yen to enter the castle. Inside the castle there are 8 floors and in each floors there are different things to enjoy. They have turned the castle into a museum that shows the history of the castle and what happened to it. There is a lift that can bring you up to 5th floor, however to reach the 8th floor you have to climb the stairs. The recommended route is to make your way up to the 8th floor and slowly descend as you enjoy each floor.
The highest floor is the observation deck where you will be able to see a panoramic view of Osaka city. The 7th floor is where the presentation of the life of Hideyoshi Toyotomi and how he unified the entire nation. The 5th floor is where you will be able to see folding screen depicting the summer war in Osaka. There is a huge screen that will zoom in and explain the different drawings in the folding screen. The 4th floor showcases the story about Hideyoshi Toyotomi and his era and it continue till the 3rd floor where you will be able to see the artifacts such as the armors and helmet. In the 2nd floor you will be able to get souvenirs to bring back and the 1st floor is the main entrance.
