Hokoku Shrine, Osaka

Just south of Osaka Castle’s main keep, tucked into the greenery of Osaka Castle Park, you’ll find Hokoku Shrine—a small site with very big ambitions. This temple enshrines three members of the Toyotomi family and is best known as a place to pray for success and good fortune. In other words, if you’re aiming high, this is where Osaka politely suggests you stop and say hello.

The story begins after the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, when the Meiji Emperor ordered shrines to be built in honor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the man who unified Japan. The main shrine went up in Kyoto, while Osaka received a branch shrine, originally located in the Nakanoshima area.

That location didn’t last forever. In 1961, the shrine packed up and moved here to Osaka Castle Park, clearing the way for what would become the Osaka Central Public Hall on its former site. Indeed, even shrines, it seems, sometimes have to relocate for urban development...

Today, the shrine is dedicated to Hideyoshi, his son Hideyori, and his nephew Hidetsugu. A large statue of Hideyoshi stands on the grounds, keeping a watchful eye on visitors—and possibly on their career plans.

The garden, laid out in 1972, carries a strong maritime theme. Locals believed that Osaka’s prosperity was tied to seafaring and trade, so the design reflects that idea, complete with large stones forming an “Ishiyama,” or stone mountain. Look closely, and you’ll notice the overall layout echoes the shape of a horse, Hideyoshi’s personal emblem.

Many visitors come here for more than quiet reflection. The shrine is famous for its Sennari-hyotan amulet, said to bring success and good luck. The logic is simple and very Osaka: Hideyoshi started life as a low-ranking foot soldier and ended it as one of Japan’s most powerful leaders. If that kind of rise sounds appealing, this might be the most motivational stop on your walk through the park.