Small Shrines inside Hōkoku Shrine

Don't miss the pretty shrines and Yukimura Sakura!

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

Pebbles are piled up on the small torii gate

When you enter Hōkoku Shrine in Osaka Castle Park, you'll find small shrines on the grounds

There are small Torii gates in the corner of Hōkoku Shrine's grounds which looked really pretty

Ah! Here it is, a small shrine, waiting for visitors

This small shrine is called Wakanaga Shrine. Originally, it was built in the house of a wealthy merchant in Osaka 400 years ago who was a purveyor of the king of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Time has passed since then, but the small shrine existed together with Hōkoku Shrine, which enshrines Hideyoshi, and eventually found a resting place here in the corner

This one is called Shiratama Shrine, standing next to Wakanaga Shrine on the grounds of Hōkoku Shrine. Unfortunately, the history of this shrine is unknown to me

In the bush, there was a sign explaining Sanada Yukimura's popularity in Osaka. He sided with the Toyotomi Clan and fought bravely in the lost battle against Tokugawa in the Battle of Osaka in 1614 and 1615. The city of Ueda, his hometown in Nagano prefecture, donated their local cherry tree (sakura) to be planted on the grounds of Hokoku Shrine, which enshrines Toyotomi Hideyoshi and is close to Osaka Castle where he fought. The cherry tree is called Yukimura Zakura (Sakura), the cherry tree of Sanada Yukimura

Well, which one is Yukimura Zakura anyway?

Colorful strips of paper on bamboo leaves, probably for the Star Festival

Nobody was there and I loved the tranquility of the place

When I visited Hōkoku Shrine in Osaka Castle Park, I found pretty small shrines on its premises. The small torii gates standing in the corner of Hōkoku Shrine seemed as though they were inviting me. Allured, I stepped through and explored the area. It turned out that one of the shrines was originally built 400 years ago by a wealthy merchant in Osaka who did business for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the king of Japan, who built the original Osaka Castle! Also, I found a cherry tree called 'Yukimura Zakura (Sakura)' in a bush near the small shrines. A famous samurai in the Sengoku period, Sanada Yukimura, fought for Toyotomi Clan against the Tokugawa army. Although Toyotomi lost the war and Osaka Castle was burnt down with them, Sanada Yukimura, for his audacity to challenge the powerful Tokugawa Ieyasu, was still very popular among the local people in Osaka. The cherry tree was donated by the city of Ueda, the hometown of Sanada Yukimura.