Changes

The Toyotomi version of Osaka-jo had an eight story tenshu that stood 102 feet tall on a 75 foot stone base. There were 124 other corner towers around the complex. The circumference of the grounds measured 8 miles and in area about 185 acres. The huge moats were anywhere from 80 to 120 yards wide and were up to 36 feet deep.  

The Toyotomi version of Osaka-jo had an eight story tenshu that stood 102 feet tall on a 75 foot stone base. There were 124 other corner towers around the complex. The circumference of the grounds measured 8 miles and in area about 185 acres. The huge moats were anywhere from 80 to 120 yards wide and were up to 36 feet deep.  

Hideyoshi gave the castle to his son [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] and retired to [[Fushimi Castle]]. After Hideyoshi passed away in [[1598]], his erstwhile vassal Ieyasu began to put his plans in motion to gain control of the nation. Ieyasu defeated the forces of the West led by [[Ishida Mitsunari]] at the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]]. However, while the Western forces were comprised of many Toyotomi loyalists, Hideyori and his mother [[Yodo]] did not involve themselves directly in the fighting. While Ieyasu was later declared [[Shogun]] (and in turn his son [[Tokugawa Hidetada]]), he realized that as long as the Toyotomi existed they were a threat to his power. Seizing upon an excuse provided by an inscription upon a bell that had been sponsored by the Toyotomi (Ieyasu stated that it was meant as an insult to the Tokugawa), Ieyasu gathered together an army of up to 194,000 men and set out to conquer Hideyori and his army of about 100,000 ensconced in Osaka Castle. Thus began the [[1614]] [[Osaka Winter Campaign|Winter Campaign of Osaka]].  

Hideyoshi gave the castle to his son [[Toyotomi Hideyori]] and retired to [[Fushimi Castle]]. After Hideyoshi passed away in [[1598]], his erstwhile vassal Ieyasu began to put his plans in motion to gain control of the nation. Ieyasu defeated the forces of the West led by [[Ishida Mitsunari]] at the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] in [[1600]]. However, while the Western forces were comprised of many Toyotomi loyalists, Hideyori and his mother [[Yodo-gimi]] did not involve themselves directly in the fighting. While Ieyasu was later declared [[Shogun]] (and in turn his son [[Tokugawa Hidetada]]), he realized that as long as the Toyotomi existed they were a threat to his power. Seizing upon an excuse provided by an inscription upon a bell that had been sponsored by the Toyotomi (Ieyasu stated that it was meant as an insult to the Tokugawa), Ieyasu gathered together an army of up to 194,000 men and set out to conquer Hideyori and his army of about 100,000 ensconced in Osaka Castle. Thus began the [[1614]] [[Osaka Winter Campaign|Winter Campaign of Osaka]].  

The castle was in an enviable natural position, being surrounded on three sides by water (the Nekomagawa and Hiranogawa to the east, the Yamatogawa and Yodogawa to the north, and the Ikutama canal and Osaka Bay to the west). To further fortify the castle, additional defenses were added around the northwest, southwest, and southeast gatehouses. A large ditch crowned by palisades was dug between the easiest avenue of approach from the south (between the Nekomagawa and Ikutama canal). A further fortification was built out from this line and became known as the Sanada-maru after the commander of the troops occupying it, [[Sanada Yukimura]]. Actions during the Winter Campaign primarily revolved upon the reduction of the forts surrounding Osaka-jo such as the Nakajima area to the north, Kizugawaguchi to the southwest, Shigino and Imafuku forts to the northeast, Bakuroguchi to the west (aided by the fact that the commander, Susukida Kanesuke, was drunk in a brothel at the time of the assault), and Noda-Fukushima to the northwest. After failed attempts at storming the defences at the Sanada-maru, the Hachomeguchi and the Tanimachiguchi, Ieyasu decided to let his superior artillery and diplomacy carry the day. The range of his western cannon (bought from the British East India Company and Dutch traders, along with one large gun cast by Shibatsuji Ryuemon Sukenobu) allowed him to shell the Osaka tenshu with impunity-Hideyori’s cannons lacked the range to fire back. The bombardment provoked a successful raid by Hideyori’s forces at Honmachi-bashi, but otherwise proved very effective at driving the Toyotomi to the bargaining table (in particular by terrifying Yodo). In early [[1615]], peace of a sort was made as Hideyori was allowed to retain control of the castle after promising to not rebel again. The [[ronin]] defending the castle were disbanded and sent on their way. Ieyasu’s main army marched away, and all seemed well, but…

The castle was in an enviable natural position, being surrounded on three sides by water (the Nekomagawa and Hiranogawa to the east, the Yamatogawa and Yodogawa to the north, and the Ikutama canal and Osaka Bay to the west). To further fortify the castle, additional defenses were added around the northwest, southwest, and southeast gatehouses. A large ditch crowned by palisades was dug between the easiest avenue of approach from the south (between the Nekomagawa and Ikutama canal). A further fortification was built out from this line and became known as the Sanada-maru after the commander of the troops occupying it, [[Sanada Yukimura]]. Actions during the Winter Campaign primarily revolved upon the reduction of the forts surrounding Osaka-jo such as the Nakajima area to the north, Kizugawaguchi to the southwest, Shigino and Imafuku forts to the northeast, Bakuroguchi to the west (aided by the fact that the commander, Susukida Kanesuke, was drunk in a brothel at the time of the assault), and Noda-Fukushima to the northwest. After failed attempts at storming the defences at the Sanada-maru, the Hachomeguchi and the Tanimachiguchi, Ieyasu decided to let his superior artillery and diplomacy carry the day. The range of his western cannon (bought from the British East India Company and Dutch traders, along with one large gun cast by Shibatsuji Ryuemon Sukenobu) allowed him to shell the Osaka tenshu with impunity-Hideyori’s cannons lacked the range to fire back. The bombardment provoked a successful raid by Hideyori’s forces at Honmachi-bashi, but otherwise proved very effective at driving the Toyotomi to the bargaining table (in particular by terrifying Yodo). In early [[1615]], peace of a sort was made as Hideyori was allowed to retain control of the castle after promising to not rebel again. The [[ronin]] defending the castle were disbanded and sent on their way. Ieyasu’s main army marched away, and all seemed well, but…