Ōte-mon Gate

This guide to Ote-mon Gate at Osaka Castle traces the 1615 defeat of the Toyotomi clan, whose fortress was buried under the new Tokugawa castle, and the daimyo lords ordered to quarry and haul immense granite stones here as punishment for backing the losing side. You'll hear how the gate's boxed masugata courtyard, built around 1628, was designed to trap any attacker who broke through. Look closely at the stone walls as you pass through the gate.