Osaka Castle and the Nishinomaru Garden
The Osaka Castle and the Nishinomaru Garden will be – for the second time in a row – the venue for the Japanese leg of the tour, giving FMX fans the thrill of a lifetime. Japan's most famous castle is located in the heart of Osaka and is easy to access for every fan.
Nishinomaru Garden, designated as a special historical site, is about 6.5 hectares and lies west of the castle and is full of greenery with some 600 cherry blossom trees, which are attracting numerous viewers throughout the year.
The park, which offers a magnificent view on the castle tower and the stonewalls, was opened to the public in 1965 and is the former residence of Kita no Mandokoro, the General Hideyoshi Toyotomi's wife. Hideyoshi built the castle in the 16th century and was a preeminent warrior, general, and politician regarded as Japan's second "great unifier".
Venue
The city of Osaka is located in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu –a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law. The capital city of Osaka is Prefecture and represents the largest part of the Keihanshin metropolis, which comprises three major cities of Japan: Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe. Located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is Japan's third largest city by population after Tokyo (special wards) and Yokohama.
