Hōkoku Shrine, Shinto shrine in Osaka Castle Park, Japan
The shrine features traditional Japanese architecture with a torii gate at the entrance, several wooden structures, and a bronze statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi that stands about 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall, overlooking the grounds with Osaka Castle as a backdrop.
Built in 1879 under orders from the Meiji Emperor, Hōkoku Shrine was established to honor Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a military leader who helped unify Japan during the late 16th century, and also enshrines his half-brother Hidenaga and his son Hideyori.
The shrine hosts traditional Shinto wedding ceremonies and festivals on the 18th of every month, with major celebrations during the Tenjin Matsuri in July and an August lantern festival that illuminates the castle grounds with thousands of floating lanterns each year.
The shrine is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no entry fee, and can be reached by taking the JR Loop Line to Morinomiya Station or the Chuo or Tanimachi subway lines to Tanimachi 4-chome Station, both about 10 minutes from the site.
The shrine houses a modern dry rock garden called Shuseki-tei, designed by landscape artist Mirei Shigemori in 1972, which is usually closed but can be viewed from outside during special times like Golden Week and New Year holidays.
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