Osaka Castle main tower recommended as national Important Cultural Property

Japan's Council for Cultural Affairs has recommended that the Osaka Castle main tower be designated as a national Important Cultural Property. This recommendation was submitted to the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Unlike the original towers from the Toyotomi or Tokugawa periods, the current structure is a steel-reinforced concrete building completed in 1931. The designation recognizes its historical value as a landmark of the ‘Dai-Osaka’ era, a period when Osaka was Japan's largest city by population and area.

The tower is being evaluated as a modern cultural facility. Key factors in the decision include its architectural design based on historical research, the advanced use of reinforced concrete technology for its time, and its history of being funded by approximately 78,000 public donations. The structure also served as a pioneer for subsequent castle reconstructions across Japan and was designed from the outset to function as a museum and observation deck for the public.