The best things to do in Osaka in May 2026

Hosted by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka, the Thai Festival is the largest annual Thai cultural event in the Kansai region. The free-to-enjoy festival, held on the weekend of May 30 and 31 this year, invites you to eat, first and foremost: there’ll be a variety of diverse and authentic Thai dishes on offer, including classics like Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup, plus refreshing desserts like coconut ice cream and mango sticky rice.

On the shopping front, fresh tropical fruits like mangoes, papayas, mangosteens and tamarind will be available for purchase, as well as handmade accessories, colourful clothing and assorted Thai souvenirs. The performance programme ranges from elegant classical dances and thrilling Muay Thai demonstrations to lively T-pop concerts. For a hands-on option, try making traditional Thai crafts like beaded flower charms at one of the dedicated craft workshops.

Art Osaka returns for its 24th edition with an expanded format that further cements Osaka’s role as a gateway to contemporary art in Japan and across Asia. The 2026 edition will bring together 60 galleries from six countries and regions across 15 cities, representing Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Through this dynamic mix of established and emerging spaces, the fair offers a broad cross-section of contemporary artistic practices from across the region.

The Galleries Section (May 29–31) takes place at Congress Square in Grand Green Osaka, the centrepiece of Osaka’s rapidly transforming Umekita district. Here, 52 galleries present works spanning painting, sculpture, video and installation, organised across four presentation formats (Galleries, Focus, Wall and Screening) designed to bring established artists and emerging voices into dialogue.

Meanwhile, the Expanded Section (May 28–June 1) occupies the cavernous industrial halls of Creative Center Osaka, a former shipyard that has become synonymous with experimental art. Featuring 13 large-scale projects by 15 artists, the section highlights immersive installations and site-specific works that respond to the architecture and history of the space...

Osaka Art & Design 2026 is like a treasure hunt. This four-week-long creative festival features a host of exhibitions, events and activities across the city's main hubs, from Umeda, Nakanoshima and Abeno to Honmachi, Shinsaibashi and Namba.

And it's not just museums and galleries either. You'll find visual arts, installations, product designs and more in a wide variety of spaces including department stores, train stations, commercial facilities and home interior shops. Since its debut in 2023, the city-wide festival has become a staple in Osaka’s annual art calendar. Last year, it attracted 760 creators with exhibits scattered across 65 venues. 

For the 2026 edition, you can expect works by emerging Japanese and international artists and designers across various disciplines. Highlights include installations by contemporary artist Yuichi Hirako at Hankyu Umeda Main Store's display windows on the concourse floor (May 20–June 22) and the Festival Plaza (May 27–June 8) on the 9th floor, as well as a group exhibition inspired by the mythical phoenix at Daimaru Shinsaibashi (May 29–June 25). Kenji Yanobe, the creator behind the adorable 'catstronaut' character Ship's Cat, will have a pop-up at Takashimaya Osaka from May 27 to June 16.

Aside from these art and design showcases, there are three guided tours worth making reservations for: the free mural art tours in Konohana Ward (June 3 and June 13), as well as the Osaka architecture tours of Kitasemba (June 20) and Minami (June 21)...

Super Studio Kitakagaya (SSK) is Osaka’s largest shared studio space, and since it was converted from a former shipyard warehouse, its lofty proportions with 7-metre-high ceiling allow for unique and expansive works. Normally closed to the public, this private art space will welcome visitors on the last weekend of May in conjunction with Art Osaka 2026. During this rare occasion, the public can check out limited-time exhibitions by resident and guest artists.

Highlights include the unveiling of a collaborative mural created by British deconstructive pop artist Matt Gondek and Japanese contemporary street artist Naze. Meanwhile, renowned Japanese photographer Kenichi Yamamura will showcase street art murals he documented while travelling the world.

Admission is free, except for the interactive installation ‘Dust in the Stomach’ (3pm–6pm daily), which requires a nominal fee of ¥500. While you’re here, don’t miss the special opening of MASK (Mega Art Storage Kitakagaya, 11am–7pm). Entry is free, and you’ll get to explore the impressive collection kept here, which includes pieces by Kohei Nawa, Kenji Yanobe, Miwa Yanagi and a host of other notable Japanese artists...

By bringing together three Kansai-born, internationally renowned artists who each has a singular point of view on the world today, this group exhibition is bound to be a blockbuster hit.

Born in Osaka, Kenji Yanobe creates functional mechanical sculptures that carry underlying social commentary on modern survival. He is perhaps best known for his Ship’s Cat series, ‘catstronauts’ envisioned as guardian spirits to protect travellers. One of these beloved feline figures now permanently greets visitors at the entrance of the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, the host of this showcase.

Fellow Osaka artist Yasumasa Morimura is a master of disguise. A conceptual photographer, filmmaker and visual artist, Morimura is renowned for appropriating iconic Western paintings and historical images. He inserts himself into these works as a form of self-portraiture through a meticulous fusion of props, costumes, make-up and digital manipulation.

Rounding out the trio is Miwa Yanagi. Born in Kobe, Yanagi creates evocative works that put women at the centre of the narrative. Through photography, make-up and digital effects, her captivating images examine women’s roles and gender stereotypes in modern Japanese society...

Prominent creative studio Naked is drawing on its digital art technology expertise to bring the visionary world of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926) to life. Following a popular run in Tokyo that attracted over 170,000 visitors earlier this year, the exhibition now arrives in Osaka. 

This is not a fan tribute. Held in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death and the completion of the Sagrada Familia’s central tower of Jesus Christ, ‘Naked Meets Gaudi’ is an officially sanctioned exhibition produced in collaboration with the Gaudí Foundation.

The comprehensive display of rare archival materials – including letters, manuscripts, personal notebooks, blueprints and architectural tools – offers a deep dive into Gaudí’s genius mind. You’ll learn about his singular approach to architecture, defined by an organic, nature-inspired aesthetic that shaped everything from Casa Batlló and Casa Milà to Park Güell and his magnum opus, the Sagrada Familia. Today, seven of his works are collectively designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site.

What sets this exhibition apart from a typical museum show is the inclusion of immersive, experiential elements – something Naked is known for...

One of the world’s most beloved Impressionist artists, Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841–1919) is widely celebrated as the ‘painter of happiness’. Over an illustrious career spanning 60 years, he explored a wide range of subjects – portraits, landscapes, still lifes, nudes – yet they all exude a characteristic joy, warmth and affection. This was guided by a personal belief that paintings should be lovable and beautiful. 

To commemorate the 185th anniversary of his birth, Sanno Art Museum has brought together 50 works from its collection to trace Renoir’s artistic journey through the major phases of his life – 12 pieces of which are being exhibited for the very first time.

The exhibition unfolds across five chapters. The first covers Renoir’s early years (until 1880), when he was an aspiring artist exploring the early days of Impressionism. Chapter two (1881–1889) highlights his return to classical painting, while chapter three (1890–1900) examines his rising recognition at a time when Impressionism was gaining popular acclaim...

Yajuro Takashima (1890–1975) stands as one of modern Japan’s most enigmatic artistic figures. Born in Fukuoka prefecture, the self-taught oil painter forged a career entirely outside the established art world. As a result, his work remained virtually unknown during his lifetime, only gaining recognition in 1986, more than a decade after his death, when his photorealistic technique and contemplative subject matter finally captured public attention.

Known for his meticulous, almost obsessive approach, Takashima developed a unique style that brought an uncanny realism to his subjects. His most celebrated works – flickering candles casting warm light in darkness and luminous moons suspended in night skies – reveal an artist deeply concerned with illumination, both literal and spiritual. These iconic motifs, rendered with painstaking attention to light and shadow, earned him recognition as a painter of rare technical mastery and meditative depth.

From spring through early summer, the Nakanoshima Museum of Art presents the most comprehensive retrospective of Takashima’s art ever held in Osaka. Marking the 50th anniversary of his passing, the exhibition brings together over 160 works, including numerous pieces shown publicly for the first time...

One of Japan’s most distinguished contemporary artists, Tokyo‑born Natsuyuki Nakanishi (1935–2016) left behind an impressive body of work that defies neat categorisation. His paintings often question the purpose and existence of a painting, making them difficult to classify as strictly figurative or abstract.

Classically trained in painting, Nakanishi is also closely associated with the avant-garde art scene of 1960s Japan. During that period, as a founding member of the boundary-pushing art collective Hi-Red Center, his practice expanded beyond traditional painting to include performance art. Later, after an inspiring collaboration with butoh dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, he returned to painting with a more evolved conceptual approach.

Nakanishi’s iconic works are often executed with unusually long brushes and painted from a distance, frequently employing vibrant colours such as orange, yellow-green and purple...

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Ultraman series, the Hirakata amusement park is hosting a VR-experience 'museum' where fans can step into the fantastical world of the titular hero.

The Land of Light Museum: Ultraman XR Journey is divided into four zones connected via a narrative thread. As the story goes, a museum celebrating the life and history of Ultraman heroes has opened in Ultraman’s home world, the Land of Light, and humans on Earth are now welcome to visit.

To go on this VR journey, you first choose an avatar dressed in a soldier uniform. In the opening zone, a larger-than-life Ultraman appears and whisks you away on a dreamlike journey to his home in the Land of Light. Zone 2 is the monster exhibition room, where you get to examine renowned Ultraman foes in 360-degree views, including iconic kaiju such as Baltan Seijin, Gomora and King Joe.

Moving on to the exhibition of Ultraman heroes in Zone 3, you’ll encounter the different versions of the titular hero as the tribute looks back at the franchise’s 60-year legacy. Saving the best for last, Zone 4 will put you in the thick of intense battle scenes between Ultraman and some of his most fearsome adversaries...

Sitting at the intersection of history, science, magic and horror, mummies are an enduring source of fascination for many – and at the heart of this exhibition featuring a selection of masterpieces from the prestigious Egyptian collection of the Brooklyn Museum. Following successful runs in Tokyo and Hiroshima, the show will be on at the Abeno Harukas Art Museum from March 20 to June 14.

The 150 artefacts on display include sculptures, coffins, jewellery, pottery, earthenware, papyrus scrolls and, of course, human and animal mummies. You can dive right into the lore with immersive video and audio presentations about the pyramids and ancient Egyptian spells, learn about the daily lives of people in the age of the pharaohs, and study up on their beliefs about the afterlife.

Expo ’70 Commemorative Park is home to two of Osaka’s most popular and best-attended flea markets, one in its Festival Square and one in its East Square. The Expo Garage Sale is noted for the wide range of goods its vendors sell. Expect handmade items, accessories, antiques, bric-a-brac, and plenty of second-hand and vintage clothes. 

Most importantly, expect bargains. The organisers pride themselves on the market being a true-to-its-name ‘out of the garage’ sale. That means you’ll need to bring cash, and that bargaining – albeit politely – is encouraged. If you prioritise low prices over being particular about the products, know that in the afternoon, the crowding calms down and many of the amateur vendors lower their prices. 

The market also attracts food trucks, and the park has several cafés and restaurants so there are plenty of options for a picnic in the park. The Expo Garage Sale takes place up to three times a month but on irregular dates and is subject to weather conditions, so make sure to check the website for an up-to-date schedule.

From a 1,500-year-old festival to a world-class photography exhibition, get ready for an exciting month in Kyoto

Escape the city with a day hike through Kansai’s natural beauty, from easy river walks to challenging mountain peaks