Edward Hewes

When people talk about Japanese denim, they tend to point to Okayama – more specifically the small coastal town of Kojima, where Japan’s first domestically made jeans were produced and where the country’s denim tradition is rooted. But the story of why Japanese denim became a global obsession is really an Osaka story. In the late ’80s and ’90s, a cluster of brands based in and around the city – now known collectively as the Osaka 5 – pushed back against the mass-produced denim that dominated the market and revived the raw, unwashed, shuttle-loom selvedge tradition that modern manufacturing had left behind. Studio d’Artisan, Fullcount, Evisu, Warehouse & Co. and Denime didn’t just make better jeans; they kickstarted Japan’s reputation as the adoptive home of classic American denim. Several of the original five still have flagship stores in Osaka, and over the decades they’ve been joined by other brands drawn to a city that has become one of the world’s most concentrated pockets of serious denim retail. Most of the action is in Minamihorie and Kitahorie, a walkable stretch of Nishi-ku west of Namba where boutiques, bars and independent shops share streets with some of the most knowledgeable denim staff in Japan, and where the stores are close enough to each other that you can cover them in a single afternoon. From the founding names of the Osaka 5 to an underground cult label that’s barely known outside Japan, these are the shops that make Osaka one of the world’s best cities f

Osaka’s markets are as varied and vibrant as the city itself. From its temple courtyards and leafy shrines to its park promenades, the city hosts regular flea markets and antique and vintage clothes fairs throughout the year. Some unfold every Sunday for a slow, easy day of perusing; others appear monthly for treasure hunters who prefer quiet prospecting; yet others are festival-style events that come complete with music. Whether you’re chasing rare collectables, classy antiques, one-of-a-kind outfits or just a bargain, Osaka’s markets guarantee good finds and a good day out. Plus, almost all the markets we’ve put together boast a wide array of stalls offering seriously tempting food and drink, so even if you don’t find the niche memorabilia or eccentric ensemble you were hunting for, you’ll at least leave well fed. RECOMMENDED: The 15 best museums in Osaka

In keeping with its reputation as one of the grittier and more down-to-earth major cities in Japan, Osaka is home to thriving punk, indie and experimental music scenes. The heart of these is kept beating by a lively circuit of sticky-floored and stageless punk bars, old-school ‘live houses’ and intimate living room-style indie venues. What sets the best of these spots apart is how they have stuck true to their roots in Japan’s live house culture – delivering music-first spaces that showcase newer bands and experimental acts. With local bands often drawing consistent crowds of regulars, not to mention the low entry fees and BYOB policies, Osaka’s best underground music venues are always lively. So, regardless of whether you’re chasing punk, indie, ambient or something yet unnamed, they make discovering something new easy and are well worth dropping into even if you’ve never heard the names on the bill. RECOMMENDED: 6 best bars in Amerikamura

On February 22, over 34,000 runners will flood the streets of Osaka for the city’s 14th annual marathon. And this isn’t your typical leisurely city race: the 2026 Osaka Marathon serves as a Marathon Grand Championship Series event and doubles as selection trials for both the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Whether you’re planning to cheer on a friend or family member going for yet another personal best or just want to soak up the atmosphere, you’ll be able to do just that while watching world-class athletes compete for championship berths and a chance to represent Japan at the Olympics.  Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of race day. Where to watch it and when Photo: Ymgerman/Dreamstime The marathon starts with the first and fastest runners setting out at 9.15am between the Osaka Prefectural Government Building and the west side of Osaka Castle Park. Runners have seven hours to complete the course, with the race officially ending at 4.15pm, just over on the east side of the park.  Looking to cheer someone on? The atmosphere will no doubt be electric at the start, what with all those 34,000 runners gathered in one place – but it’ll also be the race’s most crowded point. Runners tend to start off compact before thinning out as the course goes on, so consider catching them along the Okawa River just after the start before heading to Nakanoshima, where the race returns around the 6km mark. This is also where the concurrent,

Osaka borders four other prefectures. To the north, there’s picture-perfect Kyoto; to the east, the peaceful, popular and spiritual Nara; to the south, there’s the rugged coastline of Wakayama; and to the west sits Hyogo with its mountainous hinterlands. When it comes to hiking, this means the treks in and around Osaka prefecture offer a little bit of everything.  Whether you're looking for challenging mountain climbs with epic city views and onsen waiting at the end for a hot soak, a peaceful riverside walk with a splash of swimming, or just a quick spot of forest bathing on the edge of the city – these five hikes are proof you don't need to venture too far from the city for a good old romp amid lush nature. RECOMMENDED: Prefer to enjoy greenery within the city instead? Here are the best rooftop gardens in Osaka

If you're looking to experience a major concert in Osaka this year, you're in luck. Japan's second city is making some serious noise in 2026, with shows lined up across the city's premier venues – from the massive 55,000-capacity Kyocera Dome to city-centre concert halls like Osaka-jo Hall and Grand Cube Osaka, plus intimate spots like Umeda Club Quattro, Zepp Namba and Gorilla Hall.  Almost every month there will be shows from some of the biggest names in pop, rock, K-pop, indie and electronic, with more announcements still to come. For now, here are the biggest concerts to look forward to in Osaka in 2026. RECOMMENDED: 7 best art and cultural events to look forward to in Kyoto in 2026

If you really want to experience local life at its most authentic when exploring a new city, the best thing you can do is take to the streets. And no, not that one major thoroughfare with the samey high street megastores and generic coffee shops. We’re talking about the neighbourhood backstreets and lively avenues that locals love; the places packed with independent shops and creative people, where a brand-new hi-fi listening bar will share the space with an old-school grocer or a centuries-old pub.  This year, to create our annual ranking of the world’s coolest streets, we asked our global network of local editors and experts to nominate the street that epitomises the very best of their city. Time Out’s global travel team then narrowed down the list and ranked each street against criteria including food, drink, culture, fun and community spirit.  From Saturday samba sessions in Rio de Janeiro to a shapeshifting shopping street in Osaka, every avenue, alleyway and side street on this year’s ranking is unique to its hometown. Walking their length is like taking a stroll through the city in miniature, getting a taste of what makes life there brilliant – from food and culture to shopping and nightlife.  Did your favourite street make the list? Read on to find out. RECOMMENDED: 🏘️ The world’s coolest neighbourhoods in 2025🌆 The world’s best cities in 2025 Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for the latest travel news and the best stuff happening a

Autumn in Japan is breathtaking. Successive waves of different trees trading their summer greens for shades of crimson and gold create a month-long spectacle that leaves the countryside and cities awash in some of the world’s most striking autumn colours. In Kansai, Kyoto often takes the spotlight as the top autumn destination, but Osaka also boasts its own fantastic ways to enjoy the season. From illuminated boulevards and urban parks that provide a stunning contrast to the city’s concrete jungle, to nearby mountains, rivers and waterfalls offering quick escapes into quieter landscapes, Osaka features a range of vibrant and unique autumn experiences. Moreover, after a record-breaking hot summer in Japan this year, the autumn colours are expected to be especially brilliant, as the prolonged sun exposure has enhanced the pigments in the leaves. So, if you find yourself in Osaka during November or December, rest assured – each of the following attractions offers the awe-inspiring splendour of Japan’s dazzling autumn foliage. BEFORE YOU GO: Check out the latest official forecast on the best times to see autumn colours in Osaka and Kyoto

As one of Japan’s largest cities, Osaka is naturally home to a host of sky-piercing towers. While the views from these skyscrapers may not be as instantly recognisable as Tokyo's cityscape, the sights of Osaka Bay, Osaka Castle and the surrounding mountain ranges are no less captivating. Crucially, many of these buildings don’t just offer stunning views; they also hide relaxing rooftop gardens, lush with greenery and open to the public for free. So the next time you're looking to escape the crowds, don't duck into a café – look up. RECOMMENDED: Looking for more places to relax? Here are nine of the best beaches in and near Osaka

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)

Housed in Nintendo’s very first headquarters now reimagined by the most celebrated architect in Kansai, Marufukuro is made up of three original 1930s Art Deco buildings and Tadao Ando’s all-glass and concrete addition. It’s part museum, part period property and part luxury hotel. Crucially, Marufukuro wears these roles lightly, refusing to let any one identity compete with the others. It offers the same attentiveness, the same unhurried pace, the same sense that the property is working on your behalf as a luxury hotel, but is playful and engaging where you might expect it to be reverential. There’s no front desk – staff work from an open-plan area in a nod to the building’s office origins. The bars are self-service, the art interactive, and some bathrooms even play Grieg’s Morning Mood when you take a seat.  The result is a stay in a register that is entirely its own. Marufukuro is possibly the most singular place you can bunk at in all of Kyoto. What are the rooms like at Marufukuro? The hotel has 18 individually designed rooms, including four suites. In the original building’s rooms, mid-century hardwood furniture fills spaces where old and new are genuinely hard to tell apart. There are large windows to flood the rooms with light while smaller Art Deco stained-glass windows soften and colour the spaces; original William Morris wallpaper hides inside some of the wardrobes. The Ando-designed rooms offer something different: poured concrete walls warmed by timber accents, fl

One of Osaka’s most carefully curated flea markets is returning to its natural home on the promenade of Nakanoshima Park on April 11 and 12. Started in 2018 by a group of designers and stylists, the Kitahama Flea Market has since grown steadily without ever losing the discerning eye that has defined it from the beginning and makes it stand out among Osaka’s wealth of markets. The result is a market that feels less like a car boot sale and more like browsing the contents of not just your most stylish friends’ wardrobes, but their entire house too. The mix leans creative and considered: handcrafted ceramics and brass jewellery alongside vintage clothing and Nordic fabrics, dried flowers and potted greenery, antique curios and artisan bread, snacks and drinks.  The setting is half the draw. Nakanoshima island – otherwise known as Osaka’s art island – has a particular calm that’s hard to find elsewhere in Osaka, and on a good April weekend the riverside walk between stalls is as much a pleasure as anything you might buy. As with most flea markets in Osaka, make sure to go with cash and you might just come back with something you’ll keep for years.

Shimokita Craft Beer Fest returns in April for its ninth edition, just in time before cherry blossom season ends. For the first weekend of the month, the beery bash will bring together craft breweries from across Japan to celebrate spring. 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 13 breweries involved will be making a beer specially for the occasion. 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. The event takes place at the Shimokita Senrogai open space, just a few minutes’ walk from the station, beside the Shimokitazawa Police Box. 

After a two-year absence, the Craft Gyoza Fes returns to Osaka Castle Park for Golden Week 2026. The dumpling-stuffed festival, which drew a whopping 250,000 visitors last time it visited Osaka during the spring holidays, brings together 17 vendors and more than 30 types of gyoza across five days at the open-air Sun Square (Taiyo no Hiroba). Pan-fried, boiled, deep-fried, steamed, wrapped, souped, sauced and stacked with cheese – this year's line-up is organised around four categories intended to showcase just how far the humble dumpling can be pushed.  ‘Neo Gyoza’ leads with creative cross-cultural mashups: think salted butter truffle, duck peperoncino and green chilli clam soup. ‘Local Gyoza’ covers Japan's regional favourites, from bite-sized Hakata dumplings with Kurobuta pork and mentaiko cheese to Kyoto lemon gyoza with sparkling citrus jelly.  ‘Traditional Chinese’ brings hand-wrapped xiaolongbao and Hong Kong dim sum as well as shrimp dumplings in crab sauce and steamed shark fin dumplings. ‘Artisan Gyoza’ rounds things out while pushing the boat out a little further with Sichuan mapo deep-fried gyoza, 100-percent Kuroge wagyu beef gyoza, and ginger gyoza swimming in bonito and Hokkaido kombu broth.  Stuffed for choice doesn’t quite cover it, especially given there’ll also be stalls for fried rice and sweet treats, as well as craft beer and gin cocktails. The event is free to enter, but there are a range of advance ticket packs that bundle food tickets with a fast-lan

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. It offers an unprecedented opportunity to examine the full breadth of Takashima’s seven-decade career, from his early self-portraits and still lifes to the transcendent candle and moonlight paintings that would come to define his legacy. Beyo

If you think you may be in need of some grill power to get you through Golden Week, the Meat Osaka 2026 has you covered. For eight days from April 29, Nagai Park becomes the city’s premier destination for meat lovers, with free admission and a line-up of vendors from across Japan. After a two-year absence from Osaka, the event returns with an expanded line-up, offering a plethora of top-tier meat dishes from butchers, yakiniku specialists and innovative chefs who’ve developed exclusive menus for the festival. Expect premium wagyu sushi, rare-cut katsu (deep-fried cutlets), Korean-style grilled beef tongue, hearty menchi katsu (deep-fried ground meat patties) and more, served up by vendors from across Japan. Confirmed participants include World Diner (Hokkaido black wagyu sushi and roast beef with truffle sauce), Tamagawa Butcher Shop (rare beef katsu and secret-blend menchi katsu), Korean BBQ specialist 4si (two styles of grilled tongue), and Ishigaki Island Kitauchi Ranch (premium cuts from its own cattle). Admission is free and the event is cashless. Food and drinks can be purchased using meal tickets (¥200 or ¥800 per ticket), credit cards as well as QR code and electronic payment methods.  With Nagai Park’s open grounds providing plenty of space to settle in, you can graze at your own pace. The event runs rain or shine, with the opening weekend typically drawing the biggest crowds. Beyond the food stalls, the Challenge zone offers music performances, sports activities and

On March 7, the suburbs of eastern Osaka become the stomping ground of 16th-century warlord Miyoshi Nagayoshi and his samurai once again. Daito City’s annual warrior procession sees around 200 participants dressed in period armour and traditional attire march from Hojo Park through local shopping streets and back again, with sword-fighting demonstrations, stage performances and music along the route. The procession celebrates Miyoshi Nagayoshi (1522–1564), a samurai who controlled territories across Kansai during his rule. With plenty of banner-waving, local food stalls and family activities, it’s a full-scale historical spectacle in a neighbourhood that doesn’t see many tourists.

If you’re planning to eat and drink your way through spring, mark Saturday March 21 in your calendar. Part food market, part sake festival, Kamigata Sake World (or more precisely, Kamigata Nihonshu World) brings together 18 restaurants and sake breweries from across Japan for a six-hour tasting event at a riverside venue. Each brewery will be paired with a restaurant, with the duo serving up an exclusive dish-and-sake combo created specifically for the festival. The food and drink are chosen to complement each other and served at optimal temperatures. This year’s line-up includes Tottori’s Tomirei sake paired with washoku (traditional Japanese cuisine) restaurant Ao, Tokyo’s Aonisai collaborating with Niigata’s Abe Brewery, and Osaka’s Ritmicita joining forces with local doburoku (unfiltered sake) maker Utsutsuyo. The remaining pairings span breweries from Niigata and Shimane to Fukuoka and Saga. The format is simple: grab your tickets, browse the vendor booths, and sample pairings at your own pace. Although, with only six hours to work through 18 pairings at Minatomachi River Place, a little planning goes a long way.  Most of the stalls offer standing service only. However, there is a premium seating ticket option (price TBC) for a more leisurely experience, with dedicated areas to sit and relax between tastings. Tickets are now available online. Note that tickets do not include food and sake; these are sold separately on-site.

For the third year in a row, the Vietnam Festival is returning to the Sun Square at Osaka Castle Park to celebrate the friendship between Japan and Vietnam. Taking place over the weekend of March 7-8, the festival aims to showcase Vietnamese culture through food, music and more. This year, the event promises a feast for all five senses, offering the sights, scents, sounds, energy and – of course – the flavour of contemporary Vietnamese life. Dozens of food booths will be serving up Vietnamese favourites including pho, bun bo, banh mi, spring rolls and Vietnamese coffee, all prepared by Vietnamese restaurants from across the Kansai region.  The music programme will feature performances by popular Vietnamese artists, alongside Japanese performers who have a strong connection to Vietnamese culture. Alongside the food and music, the festival will also offer tourism information showcasing Vietnam’s most attractive destinations.

The first sign of spring in Osaka is the arrival of plum blossoms, and for Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita, this is cause for celebration. From February 7 to March 8, the park is hosting a month-long festival to accompany the blooms. The park is home to several plum groves, which showcase around 150 varieties and more than 600 trees in total, so there will be no shortage of the fragrant white, pink and red blossoms that make this time of year so picturesque. You can expect similar abundance when it comes to plum-themed festivities. From opening day and running every weekend and public holiday, the tea ceremonies at the Japanese Garden’s Senrian teahouse will pair matcha with seasonal wagashi to enjoy while overlooking the plum-framed garden. Discounted combo tickets for this with park admission are available at entrance gates on tea ceremony days. The plum product festivities then begin mid-month with the plum-wine brand Choya’s takeover. Between February 21 to 23 and 28 to March 1, they’re set up at the Natural Culture Park Waterwheel Chaya serving tasting sets of five premium plum wines as well as selling their dangerously delicious drinks. February 21–23 will also see Choya teaming up with the Osaka Agricultural Horticulture and Food Technology College to sell collaborative plum sweets from a special tent in the plum grove. In addition, between February 28 and March 1, JA Wakayama will be bringing Wakayama’s famous pickled plums for a tasting comparison and sale. Marc

In Osaka, spring doesn’t just mean the arrival of the cherry blossoms – it also heralds the thunderous return of what’s always one of the city’s most anticipated sporting spectacles. The March Grand Sumo Tournament brings 15 days of high-stakes wrestling to Edion Arena Osaka, where Japan’s top-ranked athletes compete for the Emperor’s Cup.  As the second tournament of the year, the showdowns in Osaka are known for setting the tone for the rest of the season, with early-year performances often dictating which wrestlers will dominate the bouts, and headlines, in the year ahead. Running between March 8 and 22, the tournament has a flexible structure that lets you dip in and out as you please. Its tickets are for all day, so you can catch everything from the morning bouts to the main event matches featuring top-division wrestlers from around 2pm. One re-entry is also allowed until 5pm – perfect for grabbing lunch in nearby Namba between bouts. Don’t worry if you’re not a seasoned follower: sumo is one of those rare sports where the sheer spectacle can carry you through even if you don’t know all the rules. That said, if you want to brush up beforehand, Netflix’s Sanctuary offers an excellent crash course in the sport’s traditions and drama, and there’s still time to binge it before the tournament begins.  Tickets go on sale February 7 at 10am, and with demand consistently outstripping supply, you’ll want to set a reminder.  Seating options range from traditional masu-seki box sea

Over the last weekend of January, Namba Square is hosting a showcase of Osaka’s finest independent makers with the Osaka Unique Things Expo. The event will bring together craft producers and small manufacturers from across the prefecture for a two-day event that aims to highlight the creativity of local small and medium-sized businesses. To start with, there’ll be Osaka-made craft beer, artisanal sweets and speciality gourmet foods. Beyond the edibles, you'll find miscellaneous goods and handcrafted products – the kind of distinctive items you won't stumble across on an average trip down Osaka’s shopping streets or polished malls. There will also be hands-on workshops offering a chance to experience traditional craftsmanship first hand, while the wide-ranging stalls will let you browse and buy directly from the makers themselves. All in all, it’s a rare opportunity to discover the best of Osaka’s thriving independent scene all in one place. Entry is free, and with the venue being right by Namba Station, the market is perfectly positioned for a quick browse before or after a day trip – or as a destination in and of itself for anyone curious about what the city’s creative community has to offer.

Osaka’s pizza scene is about to get an unlikely visitor from London. Panzer’s Deli – the St John’s Wood institution, beloved by generations of Londoners for its hand-sliced smoked salmon and salt beef bagels – is making its Japan debut with a week-long residency at Hughes Pizza’s new Utsubo Park branch. Running from May 12 to 17, the residency comes via Circus Pizza, the in-house pizzeria at Panzer’s, run by head chef and self-described chief dough operative Kit Delamain. Photo: Giles ChristopherPanzer’s Deli in London After spotting Hughes Pizza’s pop-up with fellow London pizzeria Dough Hands last year, Kit decided that if his pizzas were going to travel, where better than 9,000 kilometres to central Osaka and one of the city’s favourite pizzerias.  Circus Pizza is no stranger to Delamain’s flights of imagination. He trained in Naples, but his pizzas have built a reputation for being anything but traditional – and for coming sweet. Past specials have fused classic British desserts like sticky toffee pudding and rhubarb and custard with Neapolitan technique, and celebrated British seasonality with limited-run pies, like a spring sausage special with Neapolitan friarielli and crispy Cumberland sausages, and a primavera with English asparagus.  The headline act in Osaka is The Panzer: thinly sliced smoked salmon layered over a mozzarella and basil base, with Delamain and Hughes Pizza founder Alex Hughes sourcing their salmon from local supplier Iuchi Suisan. Photo: Panzer’s

April 29 marks the start of the 2026 Golden Week, which runs through May 6. Every year, this long stretch of holidays turns Japan into a lively playground filled with an assortment of events and festivals – and Osaka is no exception. However, if the sheer number of things to do feels overwhelming, let us narrow it down for you.  These food and drink festivals, happening at some of Osaka’s biggest attractions, will appease any foodie looking for an outdoor feast that combines the chance to bask in the beautiful spring weather. While entry is free, food and drinks are to be paid for separately. Plus, the Craft Gyoza Fes and the Meat Osaka are cashless. Photo: The Meat For carnivores: The Meat Osaka, Apr 29–May 6 The Meat Osaka returns after two years, bringing an expanded lineup of top-tier meat dishes from butchers, yakiniku specialists and innovative chefs who’ve developed exclusive menus for the festival. Expect premium wagyu sushi, rare-cut katsu (deep-fried cutlets), Korean-style grilled beef tongue, hearty menchi katsu (deep-fried ground meat patties) and more, served up by vendors from across Japan. Confirmed participants include World Diner (Hokkaido black wagyu sushi and roast beef with truffle sauce), Tamagawa Butcher Shop (rare beef katsu and secret-blend menchi katsu), Korean BBQ specialist 4si (two styles of grilled tongue), and Ishigaki Island Kitauchi Ranch (premium cuts from its own cattle). Photo: Tenshiba Oktoberfest For drinking in the park: Tenshiba Okto

Quartz Shinsaibashi, a new 28-storey complex on the corner of Midosuji and Nagahori-dori, opened the first four of its seven retail floors on Saturday April 25, with 38 shops now trading in a glitzy addition to Osaka’s main thoroughfare.   Designed by Nikken Sekkei and Takenaka – the same firms behind Tokyo Skytree and Abeno Harukas – the building sits on Midosuji boulevard and is connected directly to Shinsaibashi Station. Photo: Edward Hewes Its opening line-up of shops leans on a mix of flagship stores, Japan firsts and new-format concept stores. There’s a Diesel flagship on the ground floor, while Lacoste, Mammut, Descente and a new The North Face Footwear concept store spread across the upper floors. Photo: Edward Hewes Other stores include Globe-Trotter, Helen Kaminski, Lalique (its first Kansai store) and a new branch of Osaka-born bag label Master-Piece trading under the Master-Piece Unlimited name. For now, food and drink can be found in the basement with the first Japan outpost of Parisian honey patisserie L’Atelier du Miel Torii x Shodai Bio Nature, alongside TWG Tea, Kobe Frantz and a new sister concept from confectioner Gin no Mori.  Photo: Edward Hewes The remaining floors and tenants will open in phases through 2026: a raft of restaurants and two clinics are set to start business in summer, followed by Bulgari, Cartier, Chaumet and Fendi boutiques in stages through to autumn.  The restaurants opening on the fifth floor will include Singapore-headquartered

As we reported earlier, Osaka had a star-studded night at the Michelin Guide Kyoto Osaka 2026 ceremony on April 23. The city saw one new two-star restaurant, four new one-star restaurants, nine new Bib Gourmands and 16 newly Selected entries make this year’s guide.  That takes the city’s total to 235 restaurants, four more than last year’s record 231 and just nine shy of Kyoto’s 244. Osaka now counts three three-star, 12 two-star (up from 11) and 66 one-star (up from 65) restaurants, alongside 59 Bib Gourmands and three Green Stars. Here’s a quick look at the new additions to know about – from a quietly exacting kappo hideout in Uehonmachi and a Kyushu-sourced sushi counter in Kitashinchi to a Bangkok chef in a Nakazakicho backstreet and a one-year-old ramen shop near Koreatown. The new two-star: Teruya © Teruya / Michelin Teruya is a small seven-seat counter restaurant, a few minutes’ walk from Tanimachi 9-chome Station and hidden among quiet residential streets, that the Michelin inspectors have deemed well worth a detour for. Chef Katsunori Teruya and his wife have been quietly turning out kappo cuisine here since 2018. Literally meaning ‘cut and cook’, kappo is an Osaka-born style of high-end Japanese cooking, distinguished by the chef preparing the food in front of diners at the counter. Trained in Kyoto, Teruya is recognised by Michelin for an understated, ingredient-led style: meticulous behind-the-scenes work, a focus on careful harmony, and steamed and simmered dis

2025年、道頓堀にある「大阪松竹座」が5月の公演をもって閉館すると発表され、大阪の多くの人々は地域の象徴の喪失を惜しんでいた。しかし今、大阪初の西洋式劇場でもある同施設に、存続の可能性が浮上している。 松竹株式会社は、劇場を「異なる形で継続運営する」方針を発表し、大阪府・市と今後の在り方について協議を進めているという。建て替えも選択肢の一つとされる。 大阪松竹座は1923年に映画館として開業し、1997年の大規模改修を経て現在の舞台芸術施設へと生まれ変わった。100年以上の歴史を持ち、ネオルネサンス様式の外観から「道頓堀の凱旋門」とも呼ばれ、歌舞伎を楽しめる大阪屈指の劇場として親しまれてきた。 一方、施設の老朽化を理由に閉館が検討されていたが、道頓堀という劇場文化の中心地を象徴する存在を守ろうとする声が高まり、今回の方針転換につながったとみられる。現時点で、具体的なスケジュールや計画はまだ決まっていない。建て替えに伴い一時的な休館は想定されるが、今後の継続を前提とした動きが進められている。 関連記事『京都市京セラ美術館で、体感型展覧会「禅とジブリ」が開催』『フェルメールの名画『真珠の耳飾りの少女』が来日決定、国内では大阪のみで公開』『京都にDRUM TAOの専用劇場が誕生、和太鼓の夜を発信』『東映太秦映画村、開村50周年で没入型テーマパークへ刷新』『奈良監獄ミュージアムでしかできない6のこと』 

After an announcement last year that the historic Shochikuza Theatre in Dotonbori would be closing for good following its May production run, many Osakans were resigned to mourning the loss of this local icon. But now it seems like the curtain may not be falling on the city’s first Western-style theatre after all. Shochiku Co has announced it plans to continue operating the theatre ‘in a different form’ and is in discussion with Osaka’s prefectural and municipal governments on a way forward.  Rebuilding the venue is reportedly among the options on the table – a logical outcome for a building that has stood for more than a century. The structure first opened as a cinema in 1923 before reinventing itself as a live performance venue after a major renovation in 1997.  The plot twist comes after significant pressure to preserve the Dotonbori fixture, which has served as a significant cultural anchor for a district with a history as a theatre town. Designed in the Neo-Renaissance style and nicknamed ‘Dotonbori’s Arc de Triomphe’, the theatre was originally slated to close due to the ageing condition of its facilities. For visitors and locals alike, Shochikuza has long been one of the best places in the city to catch a performance of kabuki, Japan’s traditional theatre form famous for its elaborate costumes, all-male casts and spectacular stage sets. No timeline or specific plans have been confirmed yet. A temporary closure while rebuilding takes place remains a possibility, but for

Hughes Pizza, the neighbourhood pizzeria that’s quietly become one of Nakazakicho’s most-loved spots, has opened a second location – Hughes Pizza Parkside just across the road from Utsubo Park. Photo: Milosh Stanojevic Hughes – a Brit who taught himself to make New York-style pizza in his Osaka apartment before ever working in the industry – opened his first shop in a converted 120-year-old Nakazakicho house in 2022, with five tables and one rule: when the dough regularly sells out, open up another shop. Last autumn, it was selling out regularly. Photo: Edward Hewes The new site is four times the size, seats 35 and has a kitchen big enough to match, opening the door to the pop-ups and collaborations with other pizza joints and breweries that have become a Hughes Pizza staple. Photo: Milosh Stanojevic Photo: Milosh Stanojevic The menu stays familiar: slices from ¥600 and whole pies in 40cm and 50cm sizes from ¥3,850, plus garlic knots and miso brownie cookies – as well as a house pale ale brewed exclusively by Nomcraft Brewing in Wakayama. If history repeats itself, a third location won’t be far behind. Kyoto and Sapporo are on the list. So, apparently, is Hughes’ hometown of Watford. Photo: Edward Hewes Hughes Pizza Parkside opened April 4 at 2-2-22 Utsubohonmachi, Nishi. Nearest station: Honmachi. More from Time Out Osaka New Universal Studios Japan manhole covers are popping up in Osaka Temu mic stands and big dreams: a night out at Osaka’s newest comedy club Osa

The mic stand collapsed before the first joke landed. It was February 2025, the inaugural show of Kansai Comedy Club (KCC), and the equipment – ordered from the ever-reliable Temu – was already giving up. But for co-founder and comedian Dylan Lamb, it was the perfect start. A year and more than 25 first-time comedians later, KCC runs biweekly shows across Osaka and Kyoto and has ambitions that stretch well beyond the back rooms of Kansai’s bars. To find out what’s cracking up to be the funniest night out in Osaka, we headed along to find out if the city does indeed have a new reason to laugh.  In the room Photo: Edward Hewes To see one of KCC’s Osaka shows, you’ll only have to head to Absinthe Underground, one of Shinsaibashi’s many characterful venues and a well-worn home for drag nights, live music and late-night revelry.  On the Friday night we attended, the room filled up fast and extra tables had to be brought out, while a host of comedians were already queuing up to take to the stage. The usual shows run over an hour and a half – for us, this meant ten acts. They’re also free, but this is by no means a reflection of their quality. Yes, this is an open mic night, not a Netflix special, but the range of comics is wide, and a five-minute format keeps the audience and the comics on their toes. There was clown-like slapstick from one-time America’s Got Talent contestant World Famous Kozo, crowd banter, lewd one-liners, heckling and at least one questionable Elvis impressio

In tasty news for quality-conscious foodies in Osaka, four new restaurants in the city have been ‘selected’ by Michelin inspectors for addition to the world-famous food guide.  A step below Bib Gourmand, the Selected (formerly ‘The Plate’) category is for restaurants considered quality and recommendation-worthy, having been visited and vetted by Michelin’s team of anonymous experts, but not yet star-rated. This year’s star ratings and Bib Gourmands won't be confirmed until the Kyoto & Osaka ceremony on April 23. The additions follow a record-setting 2025, when 231 Osaka restaurants earned a place in the guide, and come in a showing fitting of the city’s culinary diversity. The new foursome includes an innovative French prix fixe, a refined Italian small plates spot, a hidden gem of a Thai kitchen, and a Japanese restaurant where the chef is forging his own direction after years of training in the area. © Nelu Koraibashi Nelu in Koraibashi, just south of Osaka’s art island Nakanoshima, takes its name from the Japanese word neru (to knead or temper) and the first character for ‘brickwork’. The moniker plays on the restaurant’s home in a red-brick Meiji-era (1868–1912) building designed by Kingo Tatsuno, the architect behind Tokyo Station and Osaka’s Bank of Japan building. The restaurant serves innovative French prix fixe menus at lunch and dinner, with wine pairings and afternoon tea also available. © Michelin Just across the Okawa River, Pebble is an Italian restaurant th

One of Japan’s most respected denim labels, Japan Blue Jeans has landed in Osaka. The brand started business at its new flagship store in Umeda’s Chayamachi on Thursday March 5 as part of a double opening that also saw the brand set up shop in Fukuoka. Founded in 2010 in Kojima – the small Okayama town that produced Japan’s first domestically made jeans and has since earned a reputation as the heart of the country’s denim tradition – Japan Blue Jeans has built a following for bringing genuine selvedge craftsmanship to a wider audience.  Where its sister label Momotaro Jeans is a collector’s favourite famous for traditional cuts, Japan Blue Jeans trades in the same Kojima-made fabrics and hand-crafted construction but with slimmer, more modern silhouettes and at a more accessible price point. Photo: Edward Hewes At the new Osaka flagship, the range of items spans jeans and jackets for men and women across a variety of selvedge fabrics – from lightweight everyday options to heavier raw denim – all woven on traditional shuttle looms and finished with details like custom buttons and hand-stitched leather patches that tend to get lost at this price bracket elsewhere. The central Chayamachi, with its mix of independent shops and cultural venues a short walk from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, is a fitting home for a label that aims to keep one foot in Japan’s denim tradition and the other on the cutting edge of modern fashion. Photo: Edward Hewes Japan Blue Jeans Osaka. 4-6 Chayam

Thailand’s leading hotel operator, Centara Hotels & Resorts, is opening its second Osaka property this spring. The Centara Life Namba Hotel Osaka is set to start business between April and June, following up on the hospitality group’s flagship Centara Grand Hotel Osaka, which opened in 2023. Positioned as a cooler, more affordable alternative to the Centara Grand, the 300-room property takes over the former Nest & Rise Osaka Namba. But this isn’t just a change of ownership. Centara has promised to reimagine the space for digital nomads, solo travellers and families seeking the brand’s signature Thai hospitality without traditional five-star formality. Photo: Centara Hotels & Resorts The hotel is set to feature playful design touches featuring some of Osaka’s most famous sights, plenty of communal workspaces, and a rooftop bar with views of Tsutenkaku and Abeno Harukas for a touch of class away from the streets below.  Photo: Centara Hotels & Resorts Location wise, the hotel sits just minutes from Imamiyaebisu Station and a 10-minute walk from Namba Station, putting guests within walking distance of the neon-lit nightlife of Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi.  To sweeten the opening, Centara is rolling out a members-only launch promotion. CentaraThe1 loyalty members who book before May 31 for stays between May 1 and August 31 can snag a 25% discount on room rates. Non-members can take advantage of this offer for free by becoming a member. For more information and bookings, visit

If you thought you’d seen the last of Myaku-Myaku, think again. Reluctant to let go of the appeal of the Expo’s wonderfully weird mascot, Osaka prefecture is giving the mascot’s famous statues a proper send-off – and a whole new life touring the region. The two 3.85-metre-tall statues, which greeted visitors at the Osaka Expo’s East and West gates respectively, will begin their new life at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita. There’s even a ceremony to officially celebrate the occasion on February 21, where ‘Irasshai’ (Welcome) and ‘Waku Waku’ (Excitement) will be reunited. Photo: Shawn Ccf/DreamstimeThe bowing while seated 'Irasshai' Myaku-Myaku greeting visitors at the East Gate entrance of Osaka Expo The ceremony will run from 11am to 11.30am at Taiyo no Hiroba (Sun Plaza). The event’s programme includes throwback performances to the Expo with singer Rikka Ihara and comedy duo Fujisaki Market, plus performances by local bands and cheerleaders. This is a free event but limited to 300 Osaka prefecture residents who will be selected by lottery. Applications close February 9 at 11.59pm – you can apply via the park’s website here. After this, the statues will embark on a tour of Osaka prefecture, changing locations every three months.  Full details are yet to be confirmed, but what we do know is that one stop will likely be Chihaya Park near the 1,125-metre summit of Mt Kongo. This will be for an event provisionally dubbed as ‘Myaku-Myaku Forest’ and will take place from Sep