Osaka Art & Design: Picture Book Park at JR Osaka StationOsaka Station City 08:00
Varies across events, but mostly free
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.
The theme for 2026 is 'Infinitize Your Creation/Imagination', which aims to channel the global inspiration from last year's Osaka Expo into new creative expressions. 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 will showcase his beloved ‘catstronaut’ character, Ship’s Cat, at two venues. A newly configured parent-and-child installation, ‘Cosmo Red’ and ‘Little Cosmo Red’, will make its debut at Grand Green Osaka South Building's 'Valley Space' from May 26 to June 1, followed by a Ship’s Cat pop-up at Takashimaya Osaka from May 27 to June 16.
If you're seeking something more unconventional, Art Area B1, a unique art space located in the B1 concourse of Naniwabashi Station, will host the large-scale installation 'Wind' (May 27–June 23) by art collective Haku by Swag. For families, the Picture Book Park (April 29–June 23) at JR Osaka Station features immersive, storybook-inspired installations that are sure to appeal to kids. Meanwhile, on the first basement floor of Yodoyabashi Plaza, which is connected to Yodoyabashi Station, you'll find a mesmerising 3D work by Maito Otake (May 27–June 23), who creates sculptural pieces by hand-weaving fabric.
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). Architecture fans, don’t miss the Minami tour, as it will take you to see the distinctive works of two distinguished Osaka architects, Togo Murano and Tadao Ando.
