19 best things to do in and near Osaka this weekend: June 12–14

Rice-planting ceremonies are held throughout Japan, but the version carried out at Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Taisha, one of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines, holds special significance. This is because at this historical shrine, the ancient tradition stays faithful to its original form, with the rites performed in their entirety just as they were done centuries ago. In fact, Sumiyoshi Taisha’s rice-planting ritual – officially known as Otaue Shinji – is now recognised as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.

On this auspicious day, Sunday June 14, a stage is set up in the centre of the sacred rice field to host the proceedings. The day’s programme begins at 1pm and includes the Yaotome Dance featuring eight shrine maidens, a warrior performance with participants decked out in traditional armour, as well as a rice-planting dance carried out by local children.

The festivities culminate with the famous Sumiyoshi Dance. Together, these rites serve as a prayer to bless the planting season...

One of Japan’s most distinctive ceramic styles, Kutani ware originated in the mid-17th century in the historical Kaga region of present-day Ishikawa prefecture. This painted Japanese porcelain is highly prized for its vivid colours and intricate hand-painted imagery. The iconic Seisen Kiln in Kaga City – a Kutani ware specialist founded in 1868 – unfortunately fell dormant following the death of its master potter in 2014.

Now, ongoing revival efforts are bringing the historic site and its legacy back into the spotlight. Japanese ceramics collectors and design lovers can admire the exquisite works produced by this kiln at a pop-up exhibition on the seventh floor of Hankyu Umeda Main Store.

Here you’ll find new pieces created by contemporary artisans using preserved and restored antique molds salvaged from the heritage kiln. Alongside these modern recreations are rare, original pieces that were produced more than 50 years ago. Best of all, many of the pieces here are up for sale...

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.

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.

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)...

Just before summer rolls in, Osaka will experience a brief period of rainy days. But don’t let that dampen your spirits, as this is exactly when the city’s hydrangeas bloom in their multi-coloured glory.

Nestled in the northwest corner of the expansive Natural and Cultural Gardens at Expo '70 Commemorative Park, the gorgeous Hydrangea Forest was renovated just last year. It now boasts roughly 50 varieties of hydrangeas in a spectacular array of vivid hues. 

During the festival, you can also check out two site-specific installations that double as photo spots. The ‘Forest Palette’ features a circular formation with vibrant ribbons radiating from a central tower. Meanwhile, ‘Graffiti Street’ is more interactive. Here, you are encouraged to write down messages on colourful stickers and affix them to large boards adorned with outlines of rainbows and hydrangeas, ultimately transforming the displays into a collaborative work of mosaic art...

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. With cutting-edge projection mapping and interactive installations, you’ll not only see Gaudí’s distinctive designs and understand his revolutionary approach, but also experience his fantastical architecture in a truly sensorial way...

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. Since 2010, her practice has expanded to include large-scale theatre works...

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.

From 1901 to 1909, Renoir focused on painting nudes in natural settings while managing his worsening rheumatoid arthritis, as detailed in chapter four. Chapter five (1910–1919) is dedicated to his final years: though confined to a wheelchair, he continued to create joyful, life-affirming works that reflect his unwavering passion for life...

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. This exhibition at the National Museum of Art, Osaka marks his first retrospective since his death ten years ago...

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.