Best things to do in Osaka this weekend

The annual Suminoe Art Beat returns this year with a big programme. Just like last year, the one-day art festival will expand beyond its main site at Creative Center Osaka (CCO) to include the nearby Kitakagaya Park. 

The event’s signature icon, the giant 9.5m-tall 'Rubber Duck' by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, will reclaim its rightful place at the shipyard dock to welcome visitors. Naturally, exclusive 'Rubber Duck' merchandise will be available for purchase during the event.

There’s a lot to do at this free art festival, so be prepared to spend the whole day here. At the former shipyard dock that now houses the CCO, you’ll find a red London bus you can step inside and explore. Just remember to look up at the sky from time to time; there will be Flying Duck drone shows held four times throughout the day. 

Running concurrently is the Minna no Uen Festival, where more than 50 vendors gather for a food and crafts market offering locally sourced produce, handmade accessories, workshops and more.

Inside CCO, you can join a balloon maze workshop, while students from Osaka Prefectural Konan Zokei High School’s Public Art Club will showcase interactive, site-specific artworks that make creative use of the shipyard’s unique architecture. 

Over at Kitakagaya Park, you’ll find a large-scale walk-in installation created by Japanese artist Akihito Okunaka.

Now in its fifth year, the highly acclaimed Osaka Taiko Expo returns for a one-day-only show on Saturday November 8 with a very special programme. This year, the globally renowned taiko ensemble Kodo will collaborate with celebrated taiko and shinobue (bamboo flute) performer Yuki Yamanaka, who is also the founder, producer and director of the Osaka Taiko Expo. Together, they will share the stage with a diverse line-up of taiko performers – from professionals to students and community groups – to showcase the diverse expressions found in the traditional Japanese art of taiko drumming.

There are two acts: the first begins at 1.30pm (doors open 1pm) and the second at 6.30pm (doors open 6pm). While the first act showcases community and emerging artists, the second will see the headliners take the stage: the Taiko Expo Unit, alongside Kodo and Yuki Yamanaka himself.

The day’s event will also feature an exhibition of traditional Japanese instruments, mini live performances of shamisen and shinobue, and outdoor food trucks, making this a full-day celebration of the vibrant spirit of taiko.

After a series of high-profile exhibitions at Tokyo’s Ginza Six and Saitama’s Hyper Museum Hanno, Kenji Yanobe is bringing his signature cat-astronauts, known as Ship’s Cat, to Osaka.

Held at MASK (Mega Art Storage Kitakagaya), a repurposed art warehouse formerly used for steel processing, this exhibition revolves around Luca, the solar tower-shaped spaceship first seen in the now-concluded Big Cat Bang exhibition at Ginza Six. It’s displayed alongside other sculptures from the Ship’s Cat series, as well as works by other artists from MASK’s collection.

One of the largest winter illuminations in Japan, this year’s Osaka Castle Illuminage is introducing new light installations while also upgrading some of the most popular exhibits from previous years. This annual after-dark event, held at Osaka Castle’s Nishinomaru Garden, is not your typical winter light-up. The grand showcase is inspired by Japanese history, specifically the country’s Sengoku (Warring States) period, which spanned from the mid-15th to the early 17th century.

This defining era is brought to life through millions of LEDs and an immersive soundscape, all set against the majestic backdrop of Osaka Castle. This year’s theme, ‘Toyotomi’s Dream – The Unification of the Realm’, centres on Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the eminent feudal lord who is regarded as one of Japan’s great unifiers. Six of his legendary samurai are depicted in luminous armour, their loyalty, courage and ambition expressed through vivid colours and light.

In the Osaka Landmark Series, iconic attractions such as Tsutenkaku Tower, Dotonbori, retro trams, temples and markets are recreated in vivid, three-dimensional light displays. The ever-popular takoyaki illuminations also return, now on a grander scale with enhanced lighting effects.

Another past festival favourite making a comeback is the Samurai Helmet Collection, which has evolved into full-body samurai armour.

Since Grand Front Osaka opened in 2013, its annual champagne gold illumination has become a signature year-end event in Umekita, the area north of Osaka Station where the sprawling multi-purpose complex calls home. This year, following the full opening of Grand Green Osaka and Umekita Green Place, and through a collaboration with JR West, the light-up has expanded significantly to cover a larger area.

The illumination now stretches from Osaka Station all the way to Umekita Green Place. The number of illuminated trees has increased from 93 to 140, while the number of LED lights has almost doubled – from 250,000 last year to an impressive 480,000. The result is an even more striking spectacle, with the lights enveloping the entire Umekita district in a warm, atmospheric winter glow.

The National Museum of Art, Osaka’s regular Collection exhibitions offer a glimpse into the museum’s extensive holdings, which span primarily from the 19th to early 20th century. Collection 2, however, adds a special feature to complement the usual Collection Highlights.

Titled ‘The Imaginative Power of the 21st Century’, the special presentation reflects on the first 25 years of this century, exploring both our current state of affairs and the trajectory ahead. At the turn of the millennium, few could have predicted the sweeping changes that had come to completely transform our lives, values and perspectives. This exhibition examines our recent history through contemporary works created over the past quarter-century.

The Collection Highlights section is lighter in subject matter, showcasing some of the museum’s most iconic works alongside recent acquisitions. Notable new additions include pieces by Joseph Beuys, Takashi Murakami, Maureen Gallace and Maria Farrar.

This annual year-end celebration in Osaka covers a series of light-ups across the city. The Midosuji Illumination takes centre stage and has started earlier than usual this year to coincide with the recently concluded Osaka Expo. Another highlight is the Osaka Light Renaissance, held on the ‘museum island’ of Nakanoshima, showcasing striking site-specific projection mapping displays.

The 4km-long illuminations along the tree-lined Midosuji come aglow from 5pm until 1am. The entire stretch is divided into seven coloured zones, each highlighting a different aspect of the city. Notably, the Minami area has unveiled a new colour for the first time in five years.

Part of the Osaka Light Renaissance programme, the Osaka City Hall facade now serves as a canvas for 3D LED mapping (until December 31, 5pm–1am), with additional video projections running closer to Christmas (December 14–25).

Hidden among the high-rises of Umeda, Tsuyutenjin Shrine – affectionately known as Ohatsu Tenjin – hosts one of Osaka’s most charming flea markets on the first and third Friday of every month.

The market is modest in size, but its convenient location makes it a must-visit for treasure hunters looking for something a bit more down-to-earth compared to the commercial bustle of central Osaka. On any given week there can be between 10 to 20 vendors set up beneath the shrine’s stone lanterns, offering a mix of antiques, pottery, retro and Showa-era goods.

The atmosphere is quietly magical. The 1,300-year-old shrine, dedicated to the deities of love and good fortune, is best known for the tragic tale of Ohatsu and Tokubei – Japan’s own Romeo and Juliet. Today, couples visit to hang heart-shaped ema (wish plaques) and pray for lasting love before browsing the market’s retro curiosities.

Born in Osaka, Yasumasa Morimura is one of the most compelling Japanese artists of our time. A conceptual photographer, filmmaker and visual artist, Morimura is best known for appropriating iconic Western paintings and classic imagery from history and popular culture. He inserts himself into these works as a form of self-portraiture through expert use of props, costumes, make-up and digital manipulation.

Since the debut of Portrait (Van Gogh) in 1985, Morimura has produced self-portraits based on works by renowned artists such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Velázquez, Johannes Vermeer and many more. While often cheeky, witty and even humorous, his meticulous recreations of some of the art world’s most recognisable masterpieces not only challenge our relationship with the originals but also highlight Japan’s fascination with Western culture.

Marking the 40th anniversary of his career, Morimura has organised this retrospective exhibition to showcase one work from each year between 1985 and 2024. Here, you can also explore a chronological timeline of his artistic journey, view four of his personal favourite pieces, and discover previously unreleased works for the first time.

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.

Founded in Osaka prefecture in 1996, POP Circus (whose acronym stands for ‘Pursuit of Pleasure’) is a renowned touring entertainment troupe specialising in world-class human acrobatics. Known for its high-energy, family-friendly performances, POP Circus’s latest show in Aramotokita features top-tier artists from over 10 countries performing jaw-dropping, and sometimes death-defying, stunts, including flying trapeze, aerial acrobatics, high-level juggling and African-style hand voltige.

This marks POP Circus’s first performance in Osaka prefecture in 12 years. The show runs until January 12 2026, in an air-conditioned tent set up in front of the Higashi-Osaka City Hall. Performances typically start at 10am, 1pm, 4pm and 7pm, though the number of shows varies by day, and some days (usually around mid-week) have no performances. Each performance lasts approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes, including a 15-minute interval.

One of the most prolific artists of our time, Yayoi Kusama has created a strikingly diverse body of work spanning painting, sculpture, performance art and fashion. Yet across all mediums, her art is consistently defined by themes of obsessive repetition and proliferation, expressions she has described as a form of ‘self-therapy’ born from her hallucinations.

What sets Kusama apart is her ability to continually reinvent these signature motifs in imaginative ways. Her work always feels fresh, even as it remains instantly recognisable. This thematic continuity is on display in the small but curated exhibition now showing at Espace Louis Vuitton Osaka until January 2026. Titled ‘Infinity – Selected Works From The Collection’, the showcase brings together pieces from her early career through to her most recent creations.

The clear highlight of the exhibition is the Infinity Room, which transforms her repetitive motifs into a physical, immersive experience. ‘Infinity Mirror Room – Phalli’s Field (or Floor Show)’ (1965/2013) is one of the earliest works in her widely celebrated ‘Infinity Mirror Room’ series. 

The 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris was a landmark event in art history. It marked the launch of the Art Deco movement, one of the most influential design styles of the 20th century. For its centenary celebration in 2025, the Nakanoshima Museum of Art is hosting a special exhibition focused on the graphic art and design of the era, with a particular emphasis on its portrayal of women.

You can expect to see rare and exquisite Art Deco works from across Europe, especially France, including jewellery, perfume bottles, dresses and classic cars. The exhibition also features around 100 vintage posters that capture the glamorous image of the modern woman as envisioned a century ago.

Note: This exhibition is closed on Mondays (except October 13, November 3, November 24) as well as October 14, November 4, November 25, December 30, December 31 and January 1. 

Osaka-born Koide Narashige (1887–1931) was a pioneering figure in Western-style Japanese painting, and this comprehensive exhibition at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art marks his first major retrospective in 25 years.

A graduate of the Tokyo University of the Arts, Narashige produced a prolific body of work in oil painting, focusing primarily on still lifes and female nudes. It was his portrayals of the female nude, however, that earned him lasting acclaim. 

The exhibition features key works from each period of Narashige’s oeuvre, tracing his contributions to early 20th-century Japanese art. You can also expect to see a selection of sketches, book designs, illustrations and writings that highlight his wide-ranging creative talents beyond painting.

The annual Abeno Harukas Sky Illuminations is a staple in Osaka’s cold-season calendar, when the skyscraper's interior and facade are fully decked out in dazzling lights. For its 12th anniversary this year, the organisers have refreshed the signature showcase on the 16th-floor outdoor garden (5pm–10.30pm), which is open to the public for free.

Following this year’s theme ‘Sky Fantasia’, the relaxing green space features gold-themed decorations alongside interactive elements to create a festive atmosphere. The Digital Illumination Ball exhibit moves in sync with music, while the Interactive Flower installation changes its light in response to visitors’ movements. 

Here, you’ll also find light-filled photo spots, which provide the perfect backdrops to capture stunning holiday moments. More importantly, as you’re standing high above the city, don’t forget to peer out over the garden for a breathtaking aerial view of Osaka.

Additional illuminations are scattered throughout the building, including the second-floor outdoor deck (5pm–midnight) and the Harukas 300 observation deck, where sparkling light installations (5pm–10pm) complement the twinkling city skyline after dark. Admission is required for the observatory.