Ōtemon (Main Gate)

Otemon is the oldest surviving structure in Osaka Castle's fortress complex, built in 1628 when the Tokugawa shogunate reconstructed the castle after destroying it. The gate is a koraimon design, recognizable by two smaller gabled roofs that project at right angles from the inner face, sheltering the doors from rain. It was designated a National Important Cultural Property. Looking closely at the wooden pillars that support the auxiliary roofs, you can see where deteriorated sections have been spliced out over the centuries and replaced with new wood using traditional joinery, particularly the left-hand pillar where the repair work is especially intricate.