Rachel Teo

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

Osaka is a lively city year-round, and it gets even more exciting in the summer when there are festivals abound. Many of our favourite seasonal celebrations are fireworks festivals; when vibrant explosions start lighting up the cloudless skies after sundown and the yukata-wearing crowds turn their heads towards the spectacle, that’s when you can get into a truly magical Japanese summer mood. This year’s celebrations kick off with the Ise Shrine Dedication Fireworks Festival out in Mie on July 19 and include everything from classics (Tenjin Festival Fireworks, Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks) to a beachside favourite (Senshu Dream Fireworks) and a massive happening out in rural Kyoto (Kameoka Hozugawa). So dust off your yukata, arrive early to secure the best viewing spot, and enjoy the colourful fireworks while snacking on some tasty festival grub. RECOMMENDED: 7 reasons to visit Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai at night

Get ready for a weekend of fish frenzy. The Sakana Japan Festival is one of the nation’s largest annual seafood events, celebrating the abundance of Japan’s ocean bounty and supporting the fishing communities along the country’s coastlines. The Osaka leg of the festival will take place from March 19 to 22 at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, where the main highlight will be a live tuna-slicing show. As for the eats, you can look forward to tuna, salmon and salmon roe, nodoguro (black-throated seaperch), sea urchin, scallops, oysters, crab and more in the form of traditional fisherman’s meals in various regional styles, plus seafood delicacies from Western, Chinese and other international cuisines.  Vendors at the event accept most credit cards, electronic money and cash. Admission costs ¥500 per person, but note that a separate admission fee (¥260 for adults, ¥80 for children in junior high school and younger) for the park is also required.

Spring is strawberry season in Japan, and that means it’s time for all manner of events celebrating these sweet and juicy red berries. Returning to the city for the third year running, the Osaka Strawberry Festival is among the most delicious of the bunch: a 10-day strawberry bonanza taking place in the open-air atrium of Kan-Tele Ogimachi Square. Always featuring a wide variety of strawberry-themed desserts by numerous specialist vendors, the festival entices with a packed line-up of drinks, parfaits, cakes, crepes and even dessert pizzas.  We highly recommend getting tickets in advance online, where they cost ¥450 per person. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the door for ¥600. Re-entry is permitted, so you can get your fix of strawberries multiple times in a day.

Did you ever enjoy a packet of animal crackers as an after-school snack in your childhood? Relive the experience in slightly fancier form at the Tabekko Dobutsu Land Café, a pop-up eatery serving food and drinks inspired by the popular Japanese biscuit brand. Held at the Box space in the Tennoji Mio shopping complex until March 29, the café features delicacies like character-themed burgers, a 35cm-tall Kirin’s Long Parfait and hot lattes with cute latte art. Exclusive merch like plush key charms, magnets and a range of stationery can also be purchased during your visit. The café is open from 11.15am to 9.30pm daily, with the last seating at 8.15pm. While walk-ins are possible, reservations are highly recommended. A 75-minute session can be booked online for ¥660. Note that the store accepts most credit cards and electronic money, but not cash.

Osaka’s annual Hawaii Festival is a vibrant three-day event celebrating the significant cultural ties between Hawaii and Japan. Held from May 2 to 4 in Namba, the free-to-enter festival draws large crowds every year. The programme includes live music and numerous hula dance performances by troupes from all over Japan taking place from 10am to 6pm daily.  With beer and tasty festival food sold from food trucks and booths on site, you can enjoy some authentic Aloha spirit in what’s usually gorgeous Golden Week weather. Traditional Hawaiian clothing, beachwear, and accessories like iron-on patches, floral pins and flower crowns can be purchased at the festival’s small market. Be sure to bring cash just in case.

If you love the thrill of a treasure hunt, you’ll definitely enjoy the Amaiseki Park Flea Market. Taking place on Sunday March 29 from 10am to 3pm at the archaeological site in central Takatsuki, the market boasts up to 100 vendors and stores. Browse handmade artisanal items, second-hand clothing, home décor, ceramics and glassware, and even some vintage wear and antiques.  Food trucks peddling plenty of enticing treats will be parked in the park on the day, and a picnic in the lush, green space makes it perfect for a day out with the whole family. As the market is held outdoors, it may be cancelled in case of inclement weather. Admission is free, but be sure to bring cash.

Bakushoku Onsai is a major international food and music festival held from March 13 to 15 at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park. Running from 9.30am to 5pm daily, it showcases the cuisine of over 40 countries alongside live performances by Brazilian artists, a diverse line-up of African musicians and dancers, Kyrgyz traditional dancers, Muay Thai martial arts performers and a choir singing Beethoven’s Symphony No 9. The festival also includes a small market with stalls selling distinctive items from each participating country – think handwoven rugs, colourful décor, cutlery and glassware, jewellery and accessories. Admission to the festival is free, but you’ll need to pay a separate admission fee to Expo Park: ¥260 for adults and ¥80 for elementary to high school students.

The Sagicho Festival is an annual, 430-year-old Shinto fire festival that this year takes place March 14–15 in the historic town of Omihachiman, Shiga prefecture. The highlights of the free-to-attend festival are the 13 Sagicho: elaborately decorated floats adorned with depictions of the year’s Chinese zodiac animal. The floats take months to construct. On a base of pine wood and paper, the animal – the horse for 2026 – is detailed with a range of edible materials like red and black beans, glutinous rice flour and noodles, and dried gourds. The use of food symbolises gratitude for last year’s harvests, as well as a prayer for an abundant crop for the year ahead. Adorned with red streamers believed to prevent fires, the Sagicho are paraded through town during the festival. The climax on the second night sees the floats burned in a dramatic finale at Himure Hachimangu Shrine, offered up to the gods alongside prayers for protection from fire and evil spirits, and good health for the community. Food stalls selling street food will be set up near the shrine on both days, with staples like yakisoba, skewered meats and takoyaki available in ample quantities. Don’t forget to bring some cash.

A former castle town, the city of Itami in Hyogo has been a significant centre for sake brewing since the Edo period (1603–1868). To explore the locale’s boozy legacy in depth, head to the Itami City Museum on March 28 for the Spring Sake Festival. Held in the museum’s traditional Japanese garden, it makes for a serene and slow way to learn about local history and culture while sipping on some of the finest sake made by Itami breweries. There’s no need for registration or admission fees, as the tastings are paid per cup, with prices ranging from ¥400 to ¥900 per glass. A special appetiser set (¥1,000) by chef Takefumi Sato will showcase three delicious dishes that pair swimmingly with any of the brews. Using public transport is highly recommended due to limited parking at the venue. Don’t forget to bring some ID.

Food trucks are a beloved and essential part of Osaka’s culinary scene, offering affordably priced and often surprisingly delicious grub across the prefecture. The annual Kitchen Car Grand Prix brings together the best of the bunch in Takatsuki’s Amaiseki Park, where a total of 33 food trucks will be facing off for the title of Osaka champion over two weekends between February 14 and 23. With mini dishes to let you taste a little bit of everything offered alongside regular-sized portions, you’ll have the chance to fill your belly with a wide variety of cuisines. Staples include burgers, tacos, omurice and takoyaki, plus sweet treats like milkshakes, crepes, donuts and so much more. The event also features street performances like balloon artists and acrobatics, and young ’uns can run wild on play equipment and partake in various fun activities. Admission is free, but be sure to bring some cash.

Drawing several hundred thousand visitors every year, the Osaka Auto Messe is one of Japan’s premier automotive customisation events. Essentially a love letter to car culture, the festival spotlights one-of-a-kind custom builds while well over 200 vendors showcase their car customisation options, including engine tunings, in-vehicle audio systems and a range of accessories. Expect to see everything from Super GT race cars with their loud and aggressive wide-body kits to luxury vehicles with interiors showcasing the ultimate in comfort and elegance. You can also look forward to exclusive merch, engine revs and a ton of photo ops. The Messe is held in its usual digs at Intex Osaka from February 13 to 15 this year. Tickets are available at the door for ¥3,500, as well as online. Junior high school students and younger children enter for free if accompanied by an adult.

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.

The theme of the annual Cycle Kitchen food festival at Expo ’70 Commemorative Park is ‘eat and play’. You can accomplish the former by perusing the many food trucks and booths set up on the grounds to offer a diverse range of delicacies, while two concurrent events make up the ‘play’ portion. Those springtime happenings are Cycle Mode Ride, one of Japan’s largest sports-bike festivals, and Outdoor Festival, a family-friendly event centred on camping gear and outdoor recreational goods that also features live performances you can take in over pizza or a plate of steaming takoyaki. The festival itself is free to enjoy, but you have to pay to get into the park. Admission costs ¥260 for adults and ¥80 for children of junior high school age or younger.

Street art can breathe new life into public spaces, transforming blank walls into vibrant canvases. But it’s more than just decoration. When created with intention, it can reflect a community’s cultural values and identity, and help strengthen the connection between people and place. While murals remain relatively uncommon in Japan, interest is growing – especially in Osaka’s Konohana ward, where a new street art festival is making its debut this month. Photo: Jun Chihara The Enoen Festival will take over Konohana’s Shikanjima Sumiyoshi Shrine on Saturday, September 27, for a day of art, live music, street food and wholesome family fun. Alongside celebrating the town’s 25 existing murals – created by local and international artists from more than 20 countries over the past two years – the festival will also unveil five new murals painted during an artist residency running from September 21–28 in Konohana’s Baika district.  Photo: Wall Share At the heart of Konohana’s emerging street art scene is Wall Share, an organisation established in 2020 with a mission to transform Osaka’s urban landscape with bold, colourful murals. Since launching the Mural Town Konohana initiative in September 2023, Wall Share has invited local and international street artists to participate in an art residency programme, where they create captivating murals across the Yodogawa and Konohana wards during their stay in Japan. Photo: Wall Share In the week leading up to the Enoen Festival, five new

Summertime is festival time in Osaka. Kicking off the celebratory season is Tanabata, a traditional Japanese festival with origins in Chinese folklore. According to legend, deity couple Orihime and Hikoboshi are separated by the Milky Way, and they are only able to meet once a year: on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. Tanabata, or the Star Festival, celebrates the day of their reunion. As Japan has largely dropped the lunar dating system in favour of the Gregorian calendar, Tanabata is commonly celebrated on July 7, which falls on a Monday this year. The Star Festival is associated with grand, colourful streamers decorating streets, shopping malls and temples. Another popular custom is to write your wishes on strips of paper and hang them on bamboo trees. Tanabata is one of the most joyous and colourful traditional celebrations in Osaka – and it offers great photo opportunities. So if you’re in the city between July 5 and 7, put any of these three Star Festival events on your to-do list.   Photo via Hirakata ParkTanabata Lantern Festival at Hirakata Park Tanabata Lantern Festival at Hirakata Park July 5–6 Hirakata Park’s Tanabata festival features a special indoor lantern area, where lanterns filled with wishes are launched. Summer festival stalls offer carnival games like superball scooping, yo-yo fishing and shooting. There are also workshops that allow you to paint masks and make flower crowns or have your face painted. Consider picking up a ¥200 fortune-telli