This is a museum shop located in Osaka Castle's main keep. They sell various items, including some that can only be purchased here. One item that caught my eye was a small gold coin-shaped container with two types of kombu (kelp) from the long-established store "Oguura-ya" in Shinsaibashi. The containers are wrapped in a non-woven fabric with a traditional Japanese design, adding to their charm. There were two patterns available, and I chose the one with the Osaka Castle design labeled as a "Osaka Castle Limited Edition." I bought two, one for myself and one as a souvenir. The other design featured a map of Osaka with illustrations of famous landmarks and specialties. Since you need a ticket to enter the main keep of the castle and it can be crowded even on weekdays, it's not easy to visit, so if you do make the effort to come here, it's nice to buy something as a memento.

I visited in September 2018~ Osaka's symbol(( *´艸)Seeing is believing, but eating and drinking is even better(๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)ﾝﾏBought some sweets(●’∇’)♪I treated every ingredient I encountered with the utmost respect, thank you for the feast☺️

It's a souvenir for those who visited Osaka Castle. It's a cake with takoyaki flavor cream and pudding flavor cream. It uses syrup that has won the Monde Selection Gold Award. The appearance is... well, it looks like takoyaki (laughs). When you eat it, it's super sweet!! It's a bit confusing to the brain (laughs). It's a snack with Osaka-like puns.

I received this souvenir from a coworker who took summer vacation. When I visited before, I didn't notice it? Or maybe I just wasn't paying attention. The snack is called "Osaka Castle Honmaru Sweet" and it claims to have won the "Mond Selection Gold Award" (lol). It seems that the award was for the ingredient "mizuame," not the snack itself. The snack is shaped like the paulownia crest of Toyotomi Hideyoshi on the surface. Inside, there is white bean paste? Egg yolk paste? It's moist, but if you eat it without a drink, it gets stuck in your throat. It says that it uses plenty of mizuame, but it was a moderately sweet steamed bun (^^♪ I wonder how many Mond Selection awards they have won in a year (lol)

On July 24, 2016. It was probably the first time in over 10 years that I visited Osaka Castle on a scorching hot afternoon. I entered through the Aoyamon gate, crossed the Gokuraku bridge, and made my way to the main keep, observing the many young people enjoying Pokémon GO along the way. First, I stopped at "Osaka Castle Honjin" and had a banana soft serve ice cream before heading into the main keep. Although there was a long line for the elevator to the upper floors, I opted to take the stairs and quickly made my way to the 8th-floor observation deck to enjoy the view. I then rushed through the exhibits on the intermediate floors and made my way straight to the 1st floor (Sundays are just too crowded). Near the exit, I found a museum shop (was it always there? I can't remember) selling various suspicious snacks typical of Osaka. I purchased the Osaka Castle limited edition "Taikomochi" for 1,080 yen (6 pieces). I brought it home and tried it immediately. The soft dough was filled with plenty of white bean paste and sliced sweet potatoes, giving it a moist and delicious taste. The small size made it easy to eat in one bite. It was a delightful treat. Thank you for the meal. It seems that the number of foreign tourists at Osaka's tourist spots has significantly increased.

On July 24, 2016, I visited various places in Osaka starting from "Autobacs Takaida Store" in Higashi Osaka, then to "Chuka Soba Menya 7.5Hz Takaida Store", followed by "Kintaro Pan" near Kintetsu Fuse Station, and finally to "Osaka Castle Park". We parked our car in the parking lot on the east side of Osaka Castle Park. The "Osaka Castle Park Water Park" was bustling with families, swimsuit-clad girls, and young Japanese people with smartphones playing Pokemon GO, trying to catch monsters. We then made our way to the castle tower, where we enjoyed a shaved ice drink called "Ramune" at a tea house. We climbed up the stairs to the observatory on the 8th floor and enjoyed the view of Osaka's cityscape from the castle tower. We visited the museum shop on the first floor of the castle tower and bought some original and unique Osaka souvenirs. One of the items we purchased was "Okonomiyaki Senbei" which is a snack made to taste like the popular Osaka dish "Okonomiyaki". It came in a box with Tiger's colors, containing 10 pieces of senbei flavored like mayonnaise and cabbage. The snack was a freeze-dried version of Okonomiyaki, made with ingredients like tempura scraps, dried cabbage, eggs, green onion paste, dried red ginger, dried shrimp, flour, seaweed, and bonito powder. It was an interesting snack, although the mayonnaise-flavored ones were tastier than the cabbage-flavored ones. The senbei was dry and lacked the texture of a traditional Okonomiyaki. Overall, it was a fun experience exploring Osaka Castle Park despite the hot weather.

The other day, when I went to Osaka, I visited Osaka Castle. It's hard to find time to visit Osaka Castle even when you're in Osaka. There was a crowd of people at the entrance. There were many tourists from overseas, and various languages were being spoken. I decided to go up to the main tower, and from there, I could see the city of Osaka in all directions. Nowadays, with the transportation infrastructure, the city seems to be expanding around train stations and bus terminals. But looking at the cityscape from the castle, you can see the castle town centered around the castle, or how the city expands based on the flow of the river and the terrain. After learning about the history, I went souvenir shopping. Souvenirs can be found on two floors, one on the observation deck and the other on the floor where the elevator is. The items are mostly the same, but there are some items that are only available on one floor. I bought a small bento box on the observation deck and some sweets on the elevator floor. When I opened the package, a lovely matcha scent filled the air. When I tasted it, it melted in my mouth. The unique naming of the sweets is also very Osaka-like. I feel like going back to Osaka Castle to buy this sweet again.

When I was invited to a academic conference in Osaka, I decided to do some sightseeing by taxi, visiting the sites of the former Dojima Rice Market, Yodoya Residence, and Osaka Castle. I was pleasantly surprised to find a sign at Osaka Castle indicating free admission for the day. The castle had an elevator up to the 5th floor, with stairs leading to the top floors. Due to the crowds, it took quite some time to get on the elevator, so I quickly toured the exhibits on each floor before descending to the first floor and stopping by a souvenir shop. Wanting to buy something typically Osaka, I purchased "kushikatsu" (deep-fried skewers) and "okonomiyaki senbei" (a type of snack). Although my companion suggested I could buy them later anywhere, I'm glad I bought them as I couldn't find kushikatsu in other stores we visited afterwards. The kushikatsu, individually wrapped, reminded me of thin pork cutlets and tasted like a dry ham cutlet. Despite being a bit tough to eat due to its dryness, I enjoyed the flavor and would buy it again when I return to Osaka. Each skewer cost 86 yen, which may seem a bit expensive, but I would still buy it again in the future.

◇JR Loop Line, Osaka Castle Park Station. Subway Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line, Business Park Station. Subway Tanimachi Line, Tanimachi Yonchome Station⑨←This seems to be the closest to the castle. I took a water bus and arrived at Osaka Castle on a whim. Arrived at 4:30 pm. I didn't expect that the castle closes at 5 pm ^^; Hurried to the top floor 8th observation deck, the main keep. On the way back, I stopped by the 1st floor museum shop. There are many items with Osaka Castle depicted. I had a good laugh at the colors of the miscellaneous goods that seemed to be probing my taste ^^; Speaking of Osaka, there are takoyaki and kushikatsu. They also sell food items such as snacks, Japanese sweets, and tea. ◆Osaka Castle Limited Edition, Taiko Ume ￥1680 ← Kind of subtle (laughs). I might buy one as a souvenir. Chose this one. ★Osaka Castle Senbei ￥300. 2014 marks the 400th anniversary of the Siege of Osaka. History buffs are excited about this year, like my friend's younger brother who is very interested ^^ The Osaka Castle depicted on the salt senbei. I took a photo of it next to the actual castle. How do you like the resemblance? The taste of this large-sized senbei is delicious. It's a bargain at ￥300 ^^ In a rushed 30 minutes, I would like to take a leisurely stroll around Osaka Castle if I have the chance again. (Admission fee: Adults ￥600, Junior high school students and below ￥0)