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

The Kobe Festival began as a community happening in 1971 and has since evolved into one of the largest street events in Hyogo prefecture, involving hundreds of performers from across the area. Taking place in Kobe’s historic Former Foreign Settlement on May 17, the free-to-enjoy festival is famed for its spectacular parade of marching bands, brass bands and samba dancers. Besides the dazzling parade, another highlight is the ‘samba street’, where dancers dressed in elaborate costumes, including the Kobe Samba Team, face off in dance battles on Kyomachi-suji avenue. A variety of other performances also take place throughout the day, including jazz, classical Japanese music and children’s cheerleading demonstrations. Enjoy the show with street foods like takoyaki and yakisoba from the many food stalls and trucks for the complete festival experience.

Love the outdoors, or know someone who does? Make a beeline for Outdoor Park, an annual event at Expo ’70 Park that combines al fresco activities with a stacked gear market. Held on the weekend of May 30 and 31, this year’s festival features a bouldering booth, a forest adventure course, bungee-trampoline rides, slacklining and a children’s trampoline area. With a full crew of retailers exhibiting gear for camping, fishing, rock climbing and hiking, expect everything from fishing rods and windbreaker jackets to hammocks and camper vans in the market area. Visit for the love of the outdoors, but stay for the festival food, as it includes gourmet fare like barbecued pulled pork, ‘California Spice Chicken’, delicious burgers, and sweets like churros, strawberry smoothies and soft serve. Enjoy these with live music and performances, which run throughout the day. Tickets cost ¥800 (free for children of elementary school age and younger). Note that a separate admission fee applies for Expo Commemorative Park: ¥450 for everyone of high school age or older (younger children get into the park for free).

The annual Himeji Castle Festival is held right by the iconic White Heron Castle from May 22 to 24 to celebrate the city’s illustrious history. Free to enjoy, the event features performing arts like Noh theatre, classical Japanese music and taiko drumming, plus children’s performances. The best day to visit is May 23, when colourful parades crisscross the city from morning to evening. Among them are historical re-enactments of a feudal lord’s parade and the wedding procession of Princess Sen, who married the lord of Himeji in 1616. Both showcase costumes and customs from the Edo period (1603–1868). The parades finish with a high-energy sou-odori, where spectators can join in with the performers in a collective dance. Food stalls will be set up throughout the weekend, serving festival staples like yakisoba, skewered meat and shaved ice desserts. A children’s festival lets the young ’uns enjoy craft workshops, games and a mini parade of their own.

If you’re a fan of sci-fi mecha anime, you’ll be pleased to know that a pop-up Mobile Suit Gundam café will be running until May 24 at the Kitte building in Osaka. Open daily from 10am to 9pm, the café offers 13 seatings throughout the day. The first half (1st–7th session) of each day runs one of the two concurrent themes, while the second half (8th–13th) runs the other, letting fans enjoy different decorations, menu items and special offers depending on the time of day. The eats and drinks reference characters from the anime and include a paprika-spiced burger with cheese and chilli sauce inspired by GQuuuuuuX, and Thai chicken over rice inspired by Nyaan’s cooking. Themed drinks and desserts like a Mont Blanc shaped like a Gundam’s head and a Machu-inspired strawberry soda drink are also available on the colourful menu. The last seating of the day is at 7.45pm, and while walk-ins are possible, reservations are highly recommended. These can be made online for a 75-minute session; there’s a ¥770 booking fee, but you get a set of two stickers as a door gift.

Beer garden weather is here, and the annual Suntory Building Rooftop Beer Garden is open to ring in the sunny days. Running until September 26, the lofty spot lets you choose from a range of barbecue packages, with the signature Beef Loin BBQ and Beef Loin & Seafood BBQ courses available throughout. There are also seasonal options like the Herb Chicken & Thick-Cut Bacon BBQ Course (available April to June, and September), the Hokkaido Lamb Jingisukan BBQ Course (April to June) and the Okinawa Nakaochi Kalbi Ryukyu BBQ Course (July to September). Barbecue deals start at ¥5,000 and come with an all-you-can-drink plan that includes Suntory’s signature offerings like Premium Malts draft beers, Sui Gin cocktails and All-Free (non-alcoholic beer). Kids meals and various add-ons like sausages, seafood skewers and steak are also available, if you’re looking to make your meal a little more substantial. Walk-ins are possible, but we strongly recommend making a reservation. Note that as this is an outdoor event, the beer garden may be closed in the case of heavy rain or inclement weather.

Boasting over 130 years of history, Nara’s prestigious Umenoyado Brewery will be hosting a free-to-enter sake festival on their premises on the weekend of May 16 and 17. The festival features three types of sake: Umenoyado’s signature brew, Katsuragi; the debut of an unpasteurised version of the same label; and Aragoshi Hinohikari, a speciality cloudy sake. Like what you tasted? Bottles will also be available for purchase to enjoy at home. Coarsely filtered beer will also be on the menu, as will beer cocktails, which are mixed with Umenoyado’s fruit liqueurs from their Aragoshi Series. Non-alcoholic drinks like peach- and yuzu-flavoured slushies will also be available to beat the heat. Festival food like chicken tempura, grilled fish and squid on skewers, takoyaki and yakisoba can be enjoyed with the drinks and live performances. Note that exclusive food items like straw-grilled bonito tataki and Mahoroba Red Beef steaks and croquettes require special tickets, which can be purchased online before your visit. While you’re there, don’t miss out on the exclusive brewery tour, which includes tastings and a limited-edition souvenir. The tour costs ¥1,800 and must be booked in advance.

Hosted by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Osaka, the Thai Festival is the largest annual Thai cultural event in the Kansai region. The free-to-enjoy festival, held on the weekend of May 30 and 31 this year, invites you to eat, first and foremost: there’ll be a variety of diverse and authentic Thai dishes on offer, including classics like Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup, plus refreshing desserts like coconut ice cream and mango sticky rice. On the shopping front, fresh tropical fruits like mangoes, papayas, mangosteens and tamarind will be available for purchase, as well as handmade accessories, colourful clothing and assorted Thai souvenirs. The performance programme ranges from elegant classical dances and thrilling Muay Thai demonstrations to lively T-pop concerts. For a hands-on option, try making traditional Thai crafts like beaded flower charms at one of the dedicated craft workshops.

The unseasonal Kobe Oktoberfest is a major springtime beer bash in the port city, featuring 29 kinds of beer from five German breweries and one brewery from Hokkaido. With hearty German pub fare like assorted bratwursts, cheese currywursts and pretzels to enjoy with the brews, there’ll be more than enough to keep you satiated during the live performances that run throughout the day. Not big on sausages? Worry not: pizza, deep-fried camembert cheese, steaks and seafood platters can also be enjoyed here. Cash, credit cards and electronic payments can be used to purchase food and beverages, but note that beer glasses require a deposit of ¥1,000; glasses can be returned later for a full refund. Starter tickets (¥2,500) include a 500ml serving of German beer and the deposit for one beer glass, and can be easily purchased at the door. Exclusive paid seating is available at the event; tables for up to 8 guests cost ¥6,600 for a 2-hour session. These can be booked and purchased online before your visit. To reduce plastic waste, guests are encouraged to bring their own cutlery to the event. Reusable cutlery sets will also be sold at the venue, and the sets come with a coupon for discounts on food and drinks.

In Japan, nothing rings in the summer as loudly and colourfully as the beloved seasonal fireworks shows. Kicking off the season of pyrotechnics in Osaka is June’s Rinku Fireworks Festival, which will be returning for its 10th year in 2026. Held at Rinku Park’s Marble Beach on Saturday June 6, the 40-minute display features 7,000 fireworks synchronised to music. While the fireworks show begins at 7.30pm, the festival grounds are open from 4pm, giving you plenty of time to stake out a good spot and enjoy the spread that the festival food trucks and booths have to offer. Tickets range from ¥3,000 to ¥20,000 in a tiered seating system, where the spots with the best views go for higher prices (natch). Tickets for this one tend to sell out incredibly fast, so we recommend getting yours online well in advance.

The Nakanoshima Festival is one of Osaka’s largest annual community festivals. Returning for its 53rd edition this year, the free-to-enter extravaganza takes over Nakanoshima Park with a bustling flea market plus lots of food stalls selling classic Japanese street eats like yakisoba and yakitori, as well as springtime festival staples like shaved ice and draft beer. A variety of live performances will be held throughout the day, with the programme including music, dance numbers, street performances and daring sword fights. Also on the grounds is a handmade, hand-powered amusement park for kids, which features a variety of carnival games, a maze, a playground and even makeshift (but perfectly safe) rides cobbled together from plywood and metal. The Nakanoshima Film Festival will be taking place concurrently as well, with indie movies screened twice daily for free at Osaka City Central Public Hall.

Nothing beats enjoying a pint on a warm and sunny spring day. Craft Beer Live invites you to celebrate the sipping season with locally brewed Kansai craft beers over the May 23 and 24 weekend, featuring a respectable 300 beers by 66 breweries from across the region. You can pair your choice with Japanese pub grub like skewered meats, gyoza and various deep-fried delights, or opt for curry, pizza or pasta. Come for the beers and eats, stay for the live music and dance performances, which run throughout both days. Admission is free, but the beers can only be purchased with special drink tickets. These are available at the venue, but we highly recommend picking up yours online in advance. General tickets cost ¥3,500 for a bundle of 6 and a plastic mug, while the limited-edition set of 6 tickets and an exclusive beer glass will set you back ¥5,500. Can’t wait to get buzzed? Even more reason to buy online; advance ticket holders can enter the venue an hour before everyone else.

Whether you’re a fan of bitter hops or malty sweetness, there’s sure to be a German beer for you at the Tenshiba Oktoberfest. Held at Tenshiba Park over 13 spring days – not October, but arguably as great a season for sud-sipping as any – the festival invites you to enjoy draft beers courtesy of six German breweries, plus classic German festival foods like bratwursts, currywursts and pretzels to match the beers. Not a big sausage person? Worry not: steaks, pizza, platters of seafood and a variety of fried foods will also be served at the event, so you won’t go hungry. And with the World Wine Festival held concurrently at the same venue, even non-beer-drinkers have a reason to visit. Meal tickets and drinks can be purchased with credit cards, transit IC cards and cash. Those looking to lean hard into the lawn vibe will want to know that picnic mats and mini tables will be available for rent (and purchase) on site.

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

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