Osaka City Museum Building

Ex-HQ of the 4th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army

By Takako Sakamoto

Community writer

The previous Osaka City Museum Building viewed from an angle

The museum was first built as the headquarters of the fourth division of the Imperial Army in 1931 in Romanesque style

Although the building was originally used as the headquarters of the fourth division of the Imperial Army, it was confiscated by GHQ after WWII, returned to the Japanese government in 1948,  used as the Osaka Prefectural Police Office until 1958, then turned into a city museum in 1960

It's amazing that the building still stands after the fierce bombings of WWII!

Massive tiles and marble stones are used

You can travel back in time when you stand here

Osaka Castle viewed from the old Osaka City Museum Building. You can visit here on the way back home after visiting the castle

It made me feel ghosts could be lurking in the building at night!

Green trees and faded paint of the building

The old Osaka City Museum was closed in 2001 when the new Osaka Museum of History opened in the nearby area, just outside the Osaka Castle Park

There is an old Japanese house standing in front of the Osaka Museum of History...what is this?

This is the architectural model of a large warehouse from the Hoenzaka Site in Osaka. At this historical site, many large warehouses from the fifth century were found, and one of them was restored and displayed here in front of the history museum

When I visited Osaka Castle and Osaka Castle Park the other day I found other things, curious things, in the park near the main tower of Osaka Castle. This Osaka City Museum Building was one of them. It's located in the open space in front of the main tower and stood out, as it was a 'Western' building when everything else seemed 'Japanese' there. Intrigued, I explored the building from outside (it's not open to the public). It turned out this building has a long, unique history; it was first built as the headquarters of the fourth division of the Imperial Army, was bombed heavily during WWII due to its military cennections, yet survived, then was confiscated by GHQ but was returned to Japan in 1948. It was then used as the Osaka Prefectural Police office till 1958, then turned into a city museum. In 2001, when the new Osaka Museum of History opened just outside the Osaka Castle Park it finished its role as a museum and was closed down forever. Like Osaka Castle, this western building also survived turbulent times and still stands strong!