Jan 30, 2014 - 1 min read

Mystic Night Views of Osaka Castle

Night-time illumination brings out its real beauty

Community writer

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The evenings at Osaka Castle are specifically interesting, when sodium lamps around the castle grounds are lit up. It is a completely different look than during the day.

All the individual rooms have lights inside which, in combination with the street lights around the castle, give a unique and mystic feel to the entire castle grounds.

A close-up of the mystic illumination of Osaka Castle. You literally can feel that some samurai would suddenly pop out of somewhere and give you a time-slip experience to the sixteenth century, when the original castle was built.

In recent years there have also been projection mapping events at the castle, but the "standard" illumination is done throughout the year.

The illumination starts at 17:00 every day. In my opinion the illuminated view is even better than at Himeji Castle.

Walking back home... another great view!

Osaka Buisiness Park in the vicinity also has good spots from where the illumination of Osaka Castle is clearly visible. It's quite a mystic view, too, with the silhouette of trees and the lit-up castle in the middle.

Osaka Castle has always been in the shadow of another highly recommended castle, famous for its architectural beauty, Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, located in the neighboring prefecture of Hyogo, has been under renovation for quite some years, so in the past few years I have frequently visited Osaka Castle instead. Osaka Castle is illuminated at night-time which brings out its real beauty, and I have photographed the castle from various spots, like from the castle grounds and nearby Osaka Business Park. A visit in the late evening is highly recommended.