Edward Hewes

Osaka may not be renowned for its beaches, but there are plenty close enough for a quick summer escape to enjoy the balmy sea breeze. Both the northern and southern shores of Osaka Bay are well served by trains from the city’s main stations – even the Pacific Coast is reachable within a morning. Whether you’re after clear waters, surfing, sauna, water sports, barbecue, fresh seafood or scenic coastal views, the following beaches are all accessible from Osaka by train or bus, most within an hour or two. RECOMMENDED: 8 reasons why Osaka is so hot right now (and we don't mean the weather)

Shimokita Craft Beer Fest returns in September for its eighth edition, this one a special collaboration with Moon Art Night Shimokitazawa. For the last weekend of the month, the beery bash will bring together craft breweries from across Japan to celebrate tsukimi, the autumn moon festival. From familiar faces on the capital-area craft beer scene, such as West Coast Brewing, to local taprooms such as Kaigan Brewery, each of the 11 breweries involved will be making a beer specially for the occasion. Highlights include Kyoto Brewing’s Aki no Kimagure, a limited release red IPA; Tokyo Aleworks’ Harvest Moon, a pumpkin spice ale; and TDM 1874’s roasted chestnut ale, brewed with roasted malts to capture the colour of the harvest moon. There will also be food trucks serving dishes specifically designed to pair with the beers, making the event the perfect setting to enjoy festival food, appreciate some art and – of course – toast the changing of the seasons with world-class craft beer.

Kobe Rokko Meets Art is a contemporary art festival held annually on Mt Rokko in Kobe. Now in its 16th year, the event is a diverse celebration of culture, nature and art. Running from August 23 to November 30, the mountain’s forests, terraces, gardens and venues are transformed into sculpture parks, open-air exhibitions and light and sound installations. Plus, it’s less than an hour from Osaka, making it a must-visit for anyone looking to enjoy nature while admiring art this autumn. This year’s focus, ‘Environmental Perspectives and Thought’, aims to inspire conversations about nature, history and culture, particularly the power that natural monuments like Mt Rokko have in shaping our world view. The work of over 60 artists from Japan and abroad will be on display, including Michael Lin, Winter/Hoerbelt and Yoshitomo Nara, whose famous Peace Head will become a permanent installation at the site. This year also sees Ryotaro Muramatsu’s world-touring Dandelion Project come to Mt Rokko as its 65th venue. On weekends and holidays, the Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden will stay open late, allowing you to take an enchanting stroll and blow on giant dandelions that scatter laser beams and lights across the garden’s rocks, trees and alpine flora. The best way to get there is by cable car: a ten-minute ride from Rokko Cable Shita Station takes you to the top of Mt Rokko, roughly 880 metres above sea level. From the Tenran Observatory, you’ll enjoy sweeping views of Kobe, the Seto Inland

With a history dating back over 300 years, the Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is one of Japan’s largest, oldest and most popular danjiri festivals, often drawing huge 400,000-strong crowds. It’s held twice a year – in September and October – in Kishiwada city in southern Osaka prefecture. As its name suggests, the festival revolves around the danjiri: massive wooden floats adorned with intricate carvings and housing miniature shrines, reaching up to four metres tall and weighing as much as three tons. What makes them so captivating to watch is the speed at which they’re hauled through the streets by hundreds of men, spurred on by thumping drum beats and guided by dancers balancing atop the floats. The sharp, high-speed corner turns are especially skillful and dramatic, so be sure to catch these yarimawashi maneuvers. This year, the festivities will take place on September 13 and 14 (and again on October 11–12). On Saturday, the float parade starts at 6am, and the next day at 9am. It pays to come early, as this is when the floats are moving at their fastest, since the streets are less congested. You can take in the spectacle for free from anywhere in the city, but one popular spot is outside Kispa LaPark, where you can dip in and out of the air-conditioned department store. In the old town, where the roads are narrower (especially along Kishu Kaido Street), the floats appear to be moving faster, and the atmospheric setting will remind you of Japan’s nostalgic Edo period (1603–1867)