Ōte-mon Gate, main entrance to Osaka Castle

From the serene South Moat Garden, we continued our walk toward Ōte-mon Gate, the main entrance to Osaka Castle. As we approached, the scenery shifted from tranquil greenery to impressive architectural grandeur. The castle walls loomed high, built with massive interlocking stones — some the size of small cars — each one a testament to the incredible craftsmanship and engineering of the past.

Then we reached Ōte-mon Gate, and it truly took my breath away. This massive wooden gate, reinforced with iron and flanked by towering stone walls, once served as a key defensive entryway during the castle’s feudal era. Passing through it felt like stepping into history. The scale alone was humbling — designed not just for function, but also to intimidate invaders and impress visitors.

What struck me just as much, though, was how seamlessly history and modern life coexisted here. The wide castle grounds beyond the gate were full of locals jogging, biking, and walking their dogs, all weaving through this living monument as part of their daily routines. It gave the space a vibrant, lived-in feeling — not just a relic of the past, but a beloved part of Osaka’s present.