Osaka Castle Main Keep recommended for Important Cultural Property designation

Japan's Council for Cultural Affairs has recommended that the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology designate the Osaka Castle main keep as a national Important Cultural Property.

The designation focuses on the “third generation” tower, which was reconstructed in 1931 through public donations during the “Great Osaka” era, rather than the original structures built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi or the Tokugawa Shogunate. The recommendation recognizes the tower's architectural excellence, its role as a pioneer of reconstructed castle towers, and its historical value as a pre-war steel-reinforced concrete structure.

The site is noted for its unique “three-layer structure,” where Toyotomi-era foundations, Tokugawa-era stone walls, and the modern Showa-era tower coexist. This historical significance coincides with increased public interest driven by the NHK Taiga drama ‘Toyotomi Kyodai!’