When I was walking inside Osaka Castle Park after visiting Hōkoku Shrine I found a huge, impressive Japanese-looking one-storied building just next to the shrine. When I got closer I heard characteristic yells of someone practicing Kendo, Japanese fencing, from inside the building. The place is called Shudo-kan, equivalent to the Budo-kan in Tokyo, where people practice Japanese martial arts such as Judo, Kendo, Kyudo (archery), Naginata, etc. It didn't surprise me, since this place was once a gigantic fortress, and includes Osaka Castle where heavy battles were fought in the 16th century, and which was heavily bombed during WWII. Even before Osaka Castle was built, a battle between Oda Nobunaga's army and warrior monks of Ishiyama Honganji Temple was fought here. The place has been somehow connected to 'battles' for more than 400 years and some people are still practicing how to fight! Well, it is probably just a coincidence, isn't it?
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Pour en savoir plus Parc du château d'Osaka
