Rachel Teo

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

Despite having concluded its 20th run earlier this year in March, the Osaka Asian Film Festival returns in August for a special edition held in conjunction with the Osaka Expo. Featuring an extensive programme of Asian films – from Singapore, South Korea and Kazakhstan to China, Bhutan and Thailand – the festival offers a fascinating insight into the diverse cultures of Asia, showcasing a broad range of ideas, perspectives, interests and filmmaking artistry. Complementing the screenings is a symposium, where filmmakers from across the region will gather to discuss the potential of Asian cinema, along with a lecture on visual culture and the future of film festivals. The festival opens with Tracing to Expo ’70, a 2K-restored version of the 1970 film by Taiwanese director Liao Hsiang-Hsiung, featuring nostalgic scenes from the original Osaka Expo held 55 years ago. Closing the event is the world premiere of A Good Child by Singaporean director Ong Kuo Sin, which follows a drag queen who returns home to care for his mother with dementia. Screenings will take place throughout all ten days of the festival. Tickets range from ¥1,000 to ¥1,500, depending on the venue. Here are the five screening locations: ABC Hall (Fukushima, Osaka), Theatre Umeda, T-Joy Umeda, Nakanoshima Museum of Art and Osaka City Central Public Hall. Additionally, a small selection of student films will be screened free of charge at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art. For more information on screenings and ticketin

With rivers and canals winding through the city's scenic downtown areas, boat rides are a wonderful way to enjoy Osaka’s balmy summer evenings. It’s no surprise, then, that boating has become a favourite seasonal pastime here.  Running on most Fridays and Saturdays (except August 15–16) until September 13, the Sunflower Summer Beer Cruise aboard the Himawari offers a picturesque journey through some of Osaka’s main waterways. You’ll even pass by the Osaka River Fantasy, billed as the world’s largest water and light show.  The 90-minute cruise departs at 6.20pm, giving you uninterrupted views of the city skyline as it transitions from sunset into night. On board, enjoy live music, an all-you-can-drink menu (including alcoholic beverages for those of legal age), and an appetiser platter prepared by Le Clos de Mariage, a popular French restaurant in Tenmabashi.  Tickets, which include the aforementioned drinks and hors d’oeuvres, are priced at ¥8,000 for adults, ¥7,250 for junior and senior high school students, and ¥5,250 for elementary school students. Reservations must be made online at least three days in advance.

Taking place over the weekend of September 20–21, Osaka Sake Square is a festival showcasing 27 sake breweries from across the Kansai region. In addition to junmai (pure rice sake with no added alcohol) and junmai daiginjo (premium pure rice sake), you’ll also find sparkling and flavoured sake, seasonal brews for summer and autumn, and snacks that pair well with rice wines. Be sure to download the official event app, which lists all the sake served at the festival along with their flavour profiles and brewery information. Admission is free, but to enjoy sampling, you'll need to purchase a starter set, available online in advance (¥3,200) or at the door (¥3,800). The set includes a wristband, 10 tokens for sampling, and an event glass. Additional tokens can be purchased for ¥200 each. If you fancy any of the sake you try, full bottles are available for purchase on-site. For a more relaxed experience, consider booking a paid seat through the app. This is an outdoor affair and will proceed in light rain, but may be cancelled in the event of severe weather.

Summer is in full swing, and what better a way to cool off than relaxing in a pool? Hirakata Park’s water park, The Boon, is now open for the season. Running from July 19 to August 31 and open daily from 10am to 4pm, The Boon has four different pools. The Donbura is much like a lazy river, the Siesta offers panoramic views of the entire park and the surrounding neighbourhood, and the Nagisa is similar to a beach and shallows, with a gentle sloped bottom that has a maximum depth of 120cm. There’s also a children’s pool with playground equipment fitted with splash buckets and slides, plus four water slides, one of which is the longest in all of Kansai. Tickets include admission to the rest of the park and cost ¥2,900 for adults and ¥1,700 for children aged 2 to 12. Water slides require an additional ticket, which costs ¥1,000 and can be purchased from a ticket machine in the pool area. Paid rest areas with lounge chairs and parasols can be reserved in advance on the website, with prices starting at ¥5,000.

Bursting into full bloom from late July to early August, the tall, bright and yellow sunflower is a symbol of the high summer. The sunflower fields at the Sakai Green Museum’s Harvest Hill are in full bloom right now, and the park is showing off its 70,000 vibrant beauties from July 26 to mid–late August. Across two fields spanning an area of about 6,000sqm, the bright contrast of yellow petals against the blue skies creates an exceptional opportunity for taking photos. You might even stand a chance to win prizes if you participate in their Summer Photo Contest on Instagram, which runs until September 28. Tickets cost ¥1,500 for adults and ¥1,000 for children aged 4–12. While tickets are available at the door via vending machines or at the counter, they can also be purchased in advance online on the park website.

With locations in Hyogo, Tokyo and Fukuoka, KidZania is a family-focused indoor entertainment centre where children can experience a range of real-world jobs through interactive roleplay – from firefighting and piloting aircraft to baking and manufacturing small items. Now, KidZania Japan will be making an appearance at Expo 2025 at the height of summer vacation season, in the form of a one-night-only event that presents a variety of child-led activities to an international audience. Taking place on Thursday August 7 from 4.30pm to 7pm, the event will feature quizzes, dances and games, a smattering of local celebrities and world-class dance artists, and child-led sessions and shows. As the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are one of the focuses of KidZania Japan’s facilities, the event will also showcase the dreams and goals of children who have decided to take action in making the world a better and more sustainable place. Entry to the event is included in the admission fee for the Expo.

Bon Odori is a lively Japanese folk dance usually performed during summer’s Obon period to honour ancestors. Now you can get your seasonal groove on at Expo 2025, as the world’s fair is hosting this massive summer festival on the weekend of July 25–28. A huge red and white wooden stage and paper lanterns – quintessential elements of a traditional Obon festival – will be set up at the Expo venue on Yumeshima. To give you an idea of the scale to be expected, there will be two Guinness World Record challenges on Saturday: one for holding the largest Bon Odori dance in the world, another for the Bon Odori danced by the largest number of nationalities. The event will be hosted by local celebrities and TV personalities across all four days, and should guarantee some exciting nights of music, dancing and all-round fun times. Tickets for the opening night (July 25) are available only through a lottery system, but regular Expo tickets include admission to the festival on July 26–28. More information on the lottery and ticket sales is available on the Expo website. Here’s the full schedule for the weekend: July 25 (Fri): Opening event, 6pm-7pm (doors open at 5pm). Tickets obtained through a lottery system. July 26 (Sat): Guinness World Record Attempt for the Bon Odori, 2pm-7.30pm. Tickets: One-day Expo ticket ¥7,500, ¥4,200 for children aged 12-17, ¥1,800 for children aged 4-11. July 27 (Sun): Exchange Bon Dance, 3pm-8.30pm. Tickets: One-day Expo ticket ¥7,500, ¥4,200 for children aged

Presumably hoping to get visitors’ minds off the scorching summer heat, the Umeda Sky Building is holding a special deep-sea-themed exhibition in its Floating Garden Observatory on the 40th floor. From July 13 to August 31, you can enjoy views of Osaka from 173 metres above ground while being surrounded by decorations of jellyfish and other sea life. The exhibition also features a range of floral arrangements in styles that highlight and complement the underwater theme. These decorations and installations come together to create an illusion of being suspended in a floating bubble of water – allowing for some interesting perspectives and plenty of wonder when observing the sights of the bustling city below. During the event, the observatory’s café will be selling a limited-edition parfait that features coral- and seashell-shaped confectionery on top of vanilla soft serve – just the sweet treat to enjoy while taking in the view. Tickets to the observatory can be purchased at the door.

At the height of summer, what better way to kick back than with a cold pint or two at a beer garden right in the heart of bustling Osaka? The Hankyu Terminal Building, home to Osaka-Umeda Station, has transformed its rooftop into a beer garden for the summer. Running until August 31, the boozy yard serves up more than 70 kinds of beverages, starting with craft beer and cocktails, plus a respectable 26 different food options. All-you-can-eat-and-drink deals are available as part of a package deal, with prices starting at ¥5,000 per person. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phone or online on the event’s website. As the revelry takes place outdoors, the beer garden may be closed in the event of inclement weather. They’ll be operating as usual in light rain though, so you may want to bring your own rain gear if the skies appear threatening.

Held at the sprawling Meiji no Mori Minoo Quasi-National Park, aka just Minoo Park, the 40th edition of Minoo’s annual Summer Festa is taking place every evening until August 31. Between 7pm to 9pm, the majestic Minoo Falls, along with other natural features and pathways in the park, are lit up with spectacular LED displays, while more than 5,000 lit candles are arranged around nine key spots across the venue. A projection mapping show is held in the Ryuanji Temple gardens, showcasing the natural beauty of the four seasons in the rolling hills of the park. The Summer Festa also features art exhibitions and live music performances on certain days during the event period.

Love dinosaurs, or know someone who does? This exhibition of giant dinosaurs should make the perfect summer day out, then. The highlight is a full-sized, 37-metre reconstructed skeleton of the Titanosaur, which was one of the largest sauropods to ever have walked the Earth. The Titanosaur comes from the collection of the British Museum of Natural History, one of the collaborating organisers of the event. Skeletons of all-time favourites such as Tyrannosaurus Rex, Diplodocus and Ankylosaurus will be featured as well, in addition to a range of dinosaur specimens that have been found in Japan and are on loan from the Fukui Dinosaur Museum. You’ll also be able to look forward to some dinosaur animatronics, which should help you imagine what the mighty creatures looked like while they were still alive. Ticketing details and more information is available on the website.

Held annually since 1995, the Shin Umeda City Summer Festival takes place at the Umeda Sky Building’s Wonder Square. During the one-day celebration, the square will be decorated with paper lanterns and bustling with festival food stalls. After filling up on delicious street food like yakisoba (fried noodles) and karaage (deep-fried chicken) available, cool off with kakigori (shaved ice with syrup), the quintessential Japanese summer staple. If you’re up for a challenge, dance along to the Bon Odori folk dance – and to the tunes of the ‘Shin Umeda City Ondo’, a track that was composed in 2016 just for this event. There will also be classic carnival games like darts and ring toss for the young and young at heart, as well as balloon art by a clown performer (from 5pm) and a fun Doctor Yellow mini-train ride (at ¥300 per ride). A hands-on mini piñata-making experience is also available for the first 80 people, from 3pm to 8pm on the day (reception closes at 7pm). Admission is free.

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