https://www.osakacastle.net/english/hayawakari_001.jpg(Image above, interior of castle)
Along with the beauteous towers this castle has, there is even more beauty outside of the castle walls. “The entire Osaka Castle Park covers about two square kilometers with lots of green space, sport facilities, a multi-purpose arena(Osakajo Hall) and a shrine dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The park is one of Osaka’s most popular hanami spot during the cherry blossom season, which usually takes place in early April”("Osaka Castle (Osakajo)Reconstruction of the large castle"). These cherry blossom trees are found in the Nishinomaru Garden, and can have up to 600 cherry trees in season. There is also a tea house, former guest house, and great views of the trees and the nature of the area in the garden. This area is so popular that it is the only part of the Castle that has a fee to get in, with the rest of the castle being free to the public. The cherry trees(seen below), as well this park in general, is what makes this castle very unique.
Just like most castles in Japan, the Osaka castle has become a museum. “It is filed with armor, weapons, portraits, battle scenes, and letters written by Toyotomi Hideyoshi”("Osaka Castle"). The castle is mostly dedicated to telling visitors the story of Hideyoshi’s life, and the castle is represented as an emblem of the power that this unifier had. If in short time, there are definitely key spots that all tourists should check out. There is a diorama on the 7th floor that shows 19 scenes of Hideyoshi’s life, screens that show the Summer War of Osaka on level 5, and there are 5 different programs about the unifier’s life and the castle in general in the theatre room on the first level.
This is an image of the Nishinomaru garden with the cherry blossom trees. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h2lKO8b5hD8/Vl1Jddl7SBI/AAAAAAAAAt4/8WYIRYQxxUM/s1600/3.jpg
This image shows the Osaka Castle Park as a whole, which is filled with blooming cherry blossom trees in the spring season. https://live.staticflickr.com/1597/25715238380_cd51b3780d_b.jpg