Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park

Every Sunday, the central boulevard of Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park hosts Seseragi Marche, a relaxed, family-friendly market surrounded by the greenery of one of Osaka’s most beloved urban parks. From 9am to 4pm, visitors can browse a rotating line-up of local vendors offering everything from fresh seasonal produce and handmade crafts to hot meals and sweet treats from colourful food trucks. The stalls change weekly, so there’s always something new to discover. But expect to find anything from fragrant karaage, tacos and even pizza alongside crêpes and baked goods. When the weather is good, the atmosphere feels more like a picnic than a market: visitors spread out under the trees, dogs roaming along the paths, and live music or local community events often add to the charm. The market is the perfect complement to an easy Sunday in nature without leaving the city.

Held at the sprawling Flower Expo Memorial Park Tsurumi Ryokuchi in northeast Osaka City, Harapeko Circus has been a Golden Week staple since 2022. This year, the mega food festival promises over 50 vendors from popular Kansai restaurants, serving a wide variety of cuisines, from dim sum, gyoza and fried items such as shrimp tempura and fugu (blowfish) karaage to rice bowls and meaty dishes made with beef, chicken, lamb and the like, with no overlapping menu offerings. Moreover, there’s a ramen zone featuring renowned local restaurants including Toyomen with its bonito soy sauce noodles, Umasou na Ramen-ya with its creamy soy ramen, and Kyoto’s Katajikenai with its shellfish broth ramen. Separately, a dessert section populated by food trucks will be set up conveniently between the food festival’s main site and the nearby Tsurumi-ryokuchi Station, perfect for picking up a sweet treat on your way out after a meal. Harapeko Circus will also host a stage for music and dance performances, as well as a picnic area and an open-air lounge with outdoor gear. More interestingly, the festival will implement a mobile ordering system to make things easy. You can browse menus and make payments, and there’s no need to stand in line after ordering, as you’ll be notified for pickup once your food is ready.