Osaka Castle Day & Night

Osaka castle was located in the Chuo district of Osaka city. It was a very large area to explore if you were going to spend time around the park area around the castle. I went during the weekend, which I believe was on a Sunday. There was a lot of activity around the castle, especially with the locals doing some kind of sports/ marathon event. There were some people who seemed pretty old but they had awesome technique and blasted through the races with ease. It was almost surprising to see the seniors being so healthy, because in Korea I rarely see seniors at that age doing any activity that involves running. These folks were very healthy. 

I went early in the morning so there weren't a lot of tourists around, at least no until later in the morning. The castle interior wasn't very interesting in my opinion. There were a variety of historical relics but I wasn't too familiar with the historic context of the events and characters so it was a little difficult to digest. The observatory was great, but it was a little difficult taking photos because there was some kind of netting around the viewing area, probably to prevent people from falling off. 

The park itself is large and spacious. It's a great place to come for a walk or even for a jog, hence the high level of activity. It took me about 3 to 4 hours to explore most of the area, and I would have needed an hour more to complete the experience, but I was pretty satisfied with what I had seen. 

What's really great about the castle complex is that it is open throughout the night. The castle itself is closed, but the castle itself is brightly lit. The park itself is really dark, so it might feel a bit creepy. I was here around 8 pm in the evening to take some night photos and there were practically no people around, save a few fellow tourists. 

This was an interesting scene during my visit to Osaka. I will call him the ferret man because he had a pet ferret. I had never seen anyone with a ferret as a pet so it was an interesting sight. So thought a few other tourists who were snapping away with their cameras. The ferret was kind of shy so it eventually climbed up on to his owner and snuck into it's masters vest.