OfficialOn now© Momopy~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0USJ's anime-and-game mega-event marks its 10th anniversary with five blockbuster Japanese titles, including the park debut of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' running into January 2027.
Until Mon, Jan 11, 2027 21:00 JST OsakaRequires a Studio Pass (1-day from around 8,600 yen); some Cool Japan attractions need a separate Express Pass.
OfficialOn now© Mr.henry yanayah · CC BY-SA 4.0USJ celebrates 25 years with a year-long 'Discover U!!!' festival — a new anniversary parade, classic film cars on display and special entertainment running from spring 2026 into March 2027.
Until Tue, Mar 30, 2027 21:00 JST OsakaIncluded with a Studio Pass (1-day from around 8,600 yen); no separate ticket for the anniversary entertainment.
OfficialOn now© Choi2451 · CC BY-SA 3.0Known as 'Osaka's Kitchen,' this 580-metre covered arcade packs around 150 stalls of fresh seafood, grilled crab, sea urchin, wagyu skewers and street snacks.
Until Thu, Dec 31, 2026 18:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialOn now© Momopy~commonswiki · CC BY-SA 3.0USJ's 25th-anniversary ONE PIECE event runs July 30–Nov 19, 2026. Premier Show ¥3,000–6,000, Sanji's Pirate Restaurant ¥7,000 (lottery) — full ticket guide.
Until Thu, Nov 19, 2026 21:00 JST OsakaStudio Pass required; the Premier Show and Sanji's Pirate Restaurant need separate paid/lottery tickets.
OfficialThis weekend© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Midosuji Illumination 2026 runs Tuesday 3 November to Thursday 31 December, lit every night from about 17:00 to 25:00 (1am) along 4 km of Midosuji from Umeda to Namba. No ticket needed; the lighting ceremony is on 23 November.
Tue, Nov 3, 2026 17:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Christophe95 · CC BY-SA 4.0USJ Christmas 2026 runs 13 November 2026 – 17 January 2027 at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. The night shows Light Up the Night and Joy of Lights (back after nine years) play 25 November – 11 January, with none on 31 December; the special viewing area costs from ¥1,700.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 09:00 JST OsakaStudio Pass (park entry) required separately — check prices on the official web ticket store. Light Up the Night / Joy of Lights special viewing area: from ¥1,700 incl. tax, all ages. Holiday Kids Free Pass (Japan residents only, 1 adult + 1 child): from ¥8,400.
OfficialUpcoming© Martin Falbisoner (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0The Umeda Sky Building Christmas Market 2026 runs 13 November–25 December in Wonder Square, the building's ground-floor plaza in Osaka, with stalls open 12:00–22:00 and free entry. The 25 m tree's light show starts at 18:00 in November and 17:00 in December; the limited mug costs ¥900.
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 12:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Mr.ちゅらさん · CC BY-SA 4.0Japan's earthquake-recovery marathon returns Nov 15, 2026 — 20,000 runners from Kobe City Hall out along the Akashi coast to a Harborland finish.
Sun, Nov 15, 2026 09:00 JST OsakaMarathon ¥18,000 (Japan residents) / ¥24,200 (overseas entrants); 2-person relay ¥30,400 (Fees per the official race guidelines, as of September 18, 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Ramen Expo Osaka 2026 runs 21 Nov – 30 Dec at Expo '70 Commemorative Park, Suita: 6 weekend sessions, 11:00–21:00, 10 shops each (60 total). Free entry; park fee ¥450; ramen by ticket. 2026 shop list not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).
Sat, Nov 21, 2026 11:00 JST OsakaFestival entry free. Park admission required (Natural and Cultural Gardens / Japanese Garden combined ticket): ¥450 for high-school age and above, free for junior-high age and under (revised 1 Apr 2026). Ramen is paid for with tickets; 2026 ticket price not yet announced (checked 2026-10-13).
OfficialUpcoming© Mc681 · CC BY-SA 4.0OSAKA Hikari Renaissance 2026 runs 11–25 December around Osaka City Hall and Nakanoshima Park. The Central Public Hall projection mapping plays 17:30–21:30 (last show 21:20), free and in any weather; the City Hall façade and tree-lined street are lit 3 Nov–31 Dec, 17:00–25:00. Checked 2026-10-14.
Fri, Dec 11, 2026 16:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Christophe95 · CC BY-SA 4.0Universal Studios Japan's NO LIMIT! COUNTDOWN 2027 runs Dec 31, 2026 7:00 p.m. to Jan 1, 2027 9:00 p.m. A PARTY PASS costs ¥16,900 (all ages); general sale opens about 21:00 JST on Nov 4. Day guests must leave by 5 p.m. on Dec 31.
Thu, Dec 31, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaPARTY PASS ¥16,900 incl. tax (all ages; 3 and under free); fireworks viewing-area packages ¥23,800–24,300; dinner packages ¥32,800–61,900; VIP tours from ¥348,500
OfficialUpcoming© Saigen Jiro · CC0Some two million Osakans cross the arched Sorihashi bridge to greet the year at 'Sumiyossan,' head shrine of Japan's 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines.
Thu, Dec 31, 2026 22:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY 4.0Around a million people pack Osaka's Imamiya Ebisu Shrine over January 9-11 to pray to 'Ebessan', the god of business prosperity - collecting a lucky fukuzasa bamboo branch from kimono-clad 'fuku-musume' maidens to the chant 'come with your bamboo for a thriving business'.
Sat, Jan 9, 2027 09:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© KENPEI (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 3.0Fukuotoko Erabi 2027 starts at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 10, 2027, at Nishinomiya Shrine in Hyogo. Runners dash about 230 m from the Red Gate to the main hall, front-row spots are drawn by lottery, and no fee is listed. Toka Ebisu runs January 9 to 11.
Sun, Jan 10, 2027 06:00 JST OsakaNo entry or viewing fee is listed on the official site (checked 2026-10-13). Front-row starting spots are allocated by lottery. The 2027 lottery time and numbers are not announced yet.
OfficialUpcoming© Satdeep Gill · CC BY-SA 4.0Western Japan's biggest international cooperation festival: NGO booths, world food stalls and global music fill the Umeda Sky Building, free to all.
Sat, Feb 6, 2027 10:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Aos.1905 (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY-SA 4.0Osaka Auto Messe 2027 runs Fri 12 – Sun 14 February 2027 at INTEX Osaka, 9:00–18:00. Tickets are planned to go on sale in December 2026; prices are not yet announced (a 2026 advance general ticket was ¥3,000).
Fri, Feb 12, 2027 09:00 JST Osaka2027 prices not yet announced; tickets planned to go on sale in December 2026. 2026 show: general ¥3,000 advance / ¥3,500 on the day; U-22 ¥2,000 / ¥2,500; visitors with a disability certificate ¥2,000 / ¥2,500 (one carer free). Each general ticket admitted one child of junior-high age or younger free with a guardian (tax included; checked 2026-10-13).
OfficialUpcoming© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Osaka Marathon 2027 runs on Sunday 28 February 2027. General entry closes at 17:00 on 28 August 2026 and lottery results are emailed on 28 September. The ¥16,000 fee is not the final bill — an admin charge and a compulsory charity donation take it to about ¥18,000. Caps, eligibility and race-number collection, straight from the race guidelines.
Sun, Feb 28, 2027 09:00 JST OsakaAn individual general entry costs ¥16,000 in Japan / US$145 from overseas. On top of the entry fee you must also pay an administration charge (6.0% of the settled amount for domestic entries) and a compulsory charity donation of at least two units (¥500 each in Japan), so a domestic individual entry actually comes to roughly ¥18,000. Watching from the roadside is free. (Race guidelines, as of 16 August 2026.)
OfficialUpcoming© No machine-readable author provided. Peter 111 assumed (based on copyright claim · CC BY-SA 3.0**Osaka's 2027 Grand Sumo tournament, the Haru Basho, runs March 14–28 at EDION Arena Osaka, and advance tickets go on sale Saturday, February 6, 2027.** Prices rose for 2027: regular chair seats from ¥4,000, regular masu from ¥9,500 per person, sold by the whole box (JSA price list, checked 2026-10-13).
Sun, Mar 14, 2027 08:30 JST OsakaNew prices from the January 2027 tournament (Osaka, per person, tax included; Japan Sumo Association admission price list, checked 2026-10-13): tamari ringside ¥20,000; masu S ¥17,000; masu A ¥15,000 (weekend & holiday) / ¥14,000 (weekday); masu B ¥12,500 / ¥11,500; masu C ¥10,500 / ¥9,500; two-person masu with table ¥13,000; chair SS ¥13,000; chair S ¥11,000 / ¥10,000; chair A ¥8,000 / ¥7,500; chair B ¥6,500 / ¥6,000; chair C ¥5,500 / ¥5,000; chair D ¥4,000; wheelchair space ¥5,000. Masu are sold by the whole box (e.g. a 4-person Masu C box on a weekday: ¥9,500 × 4 = ¥38,000). Fees are extra (¥2,000 per ticket on the English Ticket Oosumo site at the November 2026 sale). Same-day tickets only if advance tickets remain.
OfficialUpcoming© Seattleite7 · CC BY-SA 4.0Over 1,000 cherry trees frame the brilliant white 'White Heron' castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in one of Japan's most picture-perfect hanami scenes.
Sat, Mar 27, 2027 OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Jack145945 · CC BY-SA 4.0The world's largest anime expo leaves Tokyo for the first time and brings its public days to Intex Osaka.
Sat, Mar 27, 2027 10:00 JST OsakaPaid admission; ticket prices for the 2027 Osaka edition to be announced on the official site.
OfficialUpcoming© Jason Riedy · CC BY 2.0Osaka's Den Den Town shuts its main street for one of Japan's largest cosplay parades, where thousands of costumed fans flood the otaku district.
Sun, May 16, 2027 11:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialUpcoming© Ogiyoshisan · Public domainOsaka's Aizen Matsuri (fixed every Jun 30–Jul 2) just wrapped its 2026 run — here's what happened, and the reliable placeholder for 2027.
Wed, Jun 30, 2027 10:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© FingerWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0Umeda dinner-and-concert club in the Herbis Plaza Ent, hosting jazz, soul and pop in an intimate room.
Open year-round OsakaReserved seating with music charge; food and drink ordered on site.
OfficialOpen year-round© DVMG · CC BY 3.0Shinsaibashi's cult underground club where techno, drum & bass and Metalheadz nights roar through a no-frills, sound-first room.
Open year-round OsakaDoor charge varies by event (approx. ¥2,500–¥3,500, with drink)
OfficialOpen year-round© Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0A glossy multi-floor megaclub in the heart of Dotonbori serving open-format party nights with world-class DJs and VIP energy.
Open year-round OsakaDoor/VIP table pricing varies by night
OfficialOpen year-round© Makoragi · CC BY 4.0Free sake museum in Kobe's Nada Gogo district inside a Taisho-era brewhouse, with life-size displays and tastings.
Open year-round OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Hiart · CC0The home of bunraku, Japan's UNESCO-listed puppet theatre, where master puppeteers, tayu chanters and shamisen bring epic dramas to life.
Open year-round OsakaTickets vary by program; English audio guide available
OfficialOpen year-round© Xander Ashburn · CC BY 2.0Osaka's otaku mecca — over 150 shops of anime, games, electronics and figures, with cosplayers spilling onto neon-lit Ota Road.
Open year-round OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© shankar s. from Poona (pune), India, India · CC BY 2.0Hidden Nakazaki-cho cafe-bar and club under the railway arches, hosting DJ nights and underground music events.
Open year-round OsakaCafe by day; event/door charge varies for night music programs.
OfficialOpen year-round© Hanlu Cao · CC BY-SA 3.0A 106-hectare green expanse around Osaka Castle, ringed by moats and stone walls — 300 cherry trees, 1,200 plums, lawns and concerts year-round.
Open year-round OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA · CC BY 2.0Pokémon Center Osaka DX sits on 9F of the Daimaru Shinsaibashi Main Building, open 10:00–20:00 (official, checked 2026-10-11), with an underground link from Shinsaibashi Station Exit 4. The adjoining Pokémon Cafe OSAKA is reservation-only: 90-minute seatings, last orders 19:00.
Open year-round OsakaFree
OfficialOpen year-round© Konrad Krzyżanowski · Public domainA striking subterranean museum on Nakanoshima island devoted to postwar and contemporary art, behind a soaring bamboo-like steel facade.
Open year-round OsakaCollection exhibition ~¥430; special exhibitions vary
OfficialPast event© Sakai Yayoi · CC0Dive into retro Shinsekai beneath Tsutenkaku Tower for Osaka's famous deep-fried kushikatsu skewers and neon old-Osaka charm.
Sat, Jun 27, 2026 17:00 JST OsakaSkewers from around 130 yen each
MeetupPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Friendly recurring meetups in Osaka where travelers, expats and locals mingle over drinks and language practice.
Sun, Jun 28, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaUsually free or low-cost entry; drinks separate
OfficialPast event© Lianguanlun · CC BY 4.0Cook Osaka's soul food — okonomiyaki, takoyaki and ramen — with an English-speaking chef in 'Japan's kitchen', then sit down and feast on what you made.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 11:00 JST OsakaVaries by menu and group; reserve via the official site
OfficialPast event© Yasu (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0Japan's most passionate baseball crowd — join tens of thousands of Tigers fans for a jet-balloon night at historic Koshien.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 18:00 JST OsakaOutfield seats from about ¥2,000; infield reserved ¥6,000–¥9,000+
MeetupPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Relaxed, recurring language-exchange meetups in Osaka where locals and travelers swap Japanese and English over drinks.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaOften free entry; buy your own drinks
OfficialPast event© Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0Dive into Osaka's neon nightlife around Dotonbori and Namba — street food, standing bars and dazzling river lights.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaPay-as-you-go; standing bars from a few hundred yen per drink
OfficialPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0Settle into Osaka's intimate whisky bars to sample award-winning Japanese single malts poured by passionate bartenders.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaPours from around 1,000 yen; some bars add a seat charge
OfficialPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0A big, mainstream Umeda club (since 2012) with one of Japan's largest LED screens, leaning EDM and hip-hop.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 21:00 JST OsakaDoor usually includes drink(s); discount coupons common
OfficialPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0A record shop, label and tiny dancefloor in Kitahama devoted to underground techno, house and electro.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 22:00 JST OsakaIntimate parties; modest door (some free anniversary parties)
OfficialPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0An iconic Amerikamura club since 1999 — multiple floors and a rooftop running techno, house and trance.
Wed, Jul 1, 2026 22:00 JST OsakaVaries by event/DJ (advance + door)
JmtyPast event© KIOG (Kansai International Outdoor Gathering) · via jmtyKansai International Outdoor Gathering's summer series of hikes and day trips—July 11 brings veggie-harvesting and pizza-making just north of Osaka.
Sat, Jul 11, 2026 09:00 JST Osaka¥3,190 (includes lunch)
OfficialPast event© Mr.ちゅらさん · CC BY-SA 4.0Osaka's thousand-year river festival ends with a flotilla of lantern-lit boats and fireworks reflected on the Okawa River.
Sat, Jul 25, 2026 15:00 JST OsakaFree
connpassPast event© Type specimen · CC BY-SA 3.0One of Japan's longest-running AWS user groups, with Osaka deep-dive talks, hands-on sessions and certification prep.
Thu, Jul 30, 2026 19:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialPast event© Kounosu · CC BY-SA 3.0Teams haul massive wooden festival floats at full sprint through Kishiwada's streets in one of Japan's most thrilling matsuri.
Sat, Sep 19, 2026 06:00 JST OsakaFree
OfficialPast event© Judgefloro · CC BY-SA 4.0Pet Haku Osaka 2026 runs Sep 21-23 at Intex Osaka. Ticket prices (advance vs door) and the exact rules for bringing your own pet, explained.
Mon, Sep 21, 2026 10:00 JST OsakaAdults (junior-high+) ¥1,300 advance / ¥1,500 door; children (age 4-elementary) ¥700 advance / ¥800 door.