Latest Events in Osaka(July Updated)

Overview Theme: Designing Future Society for Our Lives Subthemes: Saving Lives Empowering Lives Connecting Lives Concept: People's Living Lab 1. A space where 8 billion people from around the world will not only view exhibits but will co-create our future society. 2.Even before the Expo begins, an online platform for sharing challenges and solutions from around the world will be launched. 3.A place where the world’s knowledge such as cutting-edge technology will be brought together, used to create new ideas, and shared, all to help resolve global issues facing mankind. Purpose World Expo has both cohesive and communication capabilities. We will use these capabilities as a trigger to sustain growth and development of Osaka, Kansai as well as Japan following on from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. What is a World Expo? A World Expo is an event that brings together people and innovations from around the world in an effort to address issues facing humankind on a global scale. The Osaka Expo 1970, Japan’s, and Asia’s, first ever, became a symbol of Japan’s rapid economic growth and one of the country’s most lauded events. Twenty years after the Aichi Expo 2005, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai will bring the international community back to Japan. A World Exposition is a place, where new technologies and products are born, triggering greater convenience in our daily lives. Elevator (New York Exhibition, 1853), telephone (Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, 1876) Family restaurants, wireless telephones, electric cars, moving sidewalks (Expo 1970 Osaka) Entry tickets embedded with IC chips, AED, dry mist (Aichi Exposition, 2005) Goals of Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai To contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)Achievement of Japan’s national strategy Society 5.0EXPO for SDGs In 2025, the world will be a mere five years away from 2030, the year the United Nations has set as the target for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), making it a crucial one for ramping up efforts to achieve these goals. Therefore, Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai will become a key platform for reaching the SDGs by 2030. The key is “Society 5.0” “Society 5.0” is Japan’s national strategy to develop a human-centered society that progresses economically and resolves social issues through a system that combines both cyber and physical spaces in a sophisticated manner. It refers to a new form of society chronologically following hunting, farming, industry, and information societies. A society that is able to resolve a variety of issues on a global scale with technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, big data, and biotechnology is a society that will have achieved the SDGs. What we will realise at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai Bringing together the wisdom of the world, including breakthrough technologies, to create and communicate new ideasExpansion of domestic and overseas investmentCreation of innovation through activation of human interactionActivation of regional economies and small and medium enterprisesA chance to communicate the wealth of Japan’s cultureThe multiple merits of a world expo held in Osaka, Kansai, Japan Activation of Japan’s economy and the Osaka, Kansai regional economy, and strengthened management of small and medium enterprises resulting from expanded business opportunities are expected to have an economic ripple effect of about JPY 2 trillion.Further development of Osaka, Kansai’s world-class life sciences and biomedical achievements through new innovation in line with Expo’s theme.Further enrichment of Osaka, Kansai’s proud, long history and culture through interaction with foreign cultures, and elevation of its global recognition.Enabling Japan’s young, next-generation creators in a variety of fields to communicate their talents to the world.Japan possesses one of the safest environments and most advanced transport infrastructure in the world, and Osaka, Kansai can be easily accessed from major cities in the world.

The newly formed Korean group TWS is preparing for their first concert, and the atmosphere is growing increasingly tense. The concert titled "2025 TWS TOUR '24/7: WITH:US'" will tour cities across Japan from July to August. Recently, Weverse shared a vibrant concert poster with social media platforms, delighting fans immensely. On the poster, the members are smiling under a clear blue sky. Their radiant smiles were filled with joy and anticipation for the concert. TWS aims to become a shining new generation of stage artists. Their performances will feature vibrant choreography and stable live singing, leaving a lasting impression. Pledis Entertainment is dedicated to presenting a genuine show that showcases TWS's growth and commitment to its fans.

ENHYPEN is a global boy group formed through Mnet's large-scale project "I-LAND," which aired from June 2020 for approximately three months. The group consists of seven members: Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. They debuted in November 2020 with "BORDER: DAY ONE" and made their Japanese debut in July 2021 with the single "BORDER: Hakanai." In January 2023, as a "4th generation" K-POP act, they held a solo dome concert at Kyocera Dome Osaka as part of their "MANIFESTO" world tour, setting the fastest record for a dome concert within approximately two years of debut. Later, during their September 2023 "FATE" world tour, they became the fastest K-POP boy group to hold a solo concert at Tokyo Dome. Their fifth mini-album "ORANGE BLOOD," released in November 2023, achieved double million sales, and their latest album "ROMANCE: UNTOLD" also reached double million sales in initial shipments, continually breaking their own records. ENHYPEN will hold their first stadium concert in Japan this summer, titled "ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR 'WALK THE LINE' IN JAPAN -SUMMER EDITION-." The concerts will take place on July 5-6 at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo and August 2-3 at Yanmar Stadium Nagai (Nagai Stadium) in Osaka. This marks the first time a "4th generation" K-POP group has held stadium concerts in two cities—an unprecedented feat. Additionally, ENHYPEN achieved this milestone in approximately 4 years and 7 months since debut, the fastest among non-Japanese artists.

Osaka Kansai Expo has decided to hold the "Japan Fireworks Expo", and the "Japan Fireworks Expo" will show the world the charm of Japan's unique culture, the world's highest level of fireworks technology. Fireworks festivals in various places have their own regional characteristics and are deeply connected to local culture and traditions. There are also many fireworks festivals with a history of 100 years. For example, fireworks festivals started to pray for the comfort of those who died in the great famine and plague and for the elimination of diseases. Fireworks festivals that started as a symbol of reconstruction after war and earthquakes, and include mourning and wishes for peace. Fireworks masters from all over the country gather together to compete in technology and artistry. Fireworks set off near the sacred shrine are solemn and there is a fireworks festival where you can feel a special atmosphere.

Discover the enchantment of TWICE's 《THIS IS FOR》 WORLD TOUR in Osaka, hosted at the renowned Kyocera Dome Osaka. Mark your calendars for July 26th and 27th for this exclusive opportunity to witness the international sensation, TWICE, perform live. Immerse yourself in this extraordinary concert experience and soak up the vibrant atmosphere of Osaka. Don't let this unforgettable event pass you by!

How have the works of Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890) been passed down to the present day? This exhibition focuses on the collection that has been passed down through his family. Van Gogh's younger brother Theo, who supported Van Gogh's painting career and kept most of his works, passed away six months after his brother's death, and Theo's wife Yo took over the management of the vast collection. Yo dedicated her life to increasing her brother-in-law's fame, lending and selling his works for exhibitions, and organizing and publishing his vast letters. His son Vincent Willem created the Vincent van Gogh Foundation and worked hard to establish a museum to prevent the collection from being dispersed. The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam houses approximately 200 oil paintings and 500 drawings by the painter Vincent van Gogh, as well as letters, related works, and ukiyo-e prints. Most of the pieces were permanently loaned by the Vincent van Gogh Foundation when the museum opened in 1973. This exhibition will mainly feature works from the Van Gogh Museum, but will also display more than 30 of Van Gogh's works, as well as four of his letters, which will be on display in Japan for the first time, to introduce the collection that has been protected and passed down through the family.

ILLIT is a South Korean girl group launched by the South Korean entertainment company Belift Lab. The members of the group were selected through the survival audition program "R U Next?" and officially debuted on March 25, 2024, with their mini-album "Super Real Me". In terms of music style, ILLIT's songs mainly feature a dynamic and energetic electronic pop style. Their debut song, "Magnetic", has attracted a large number of fans with its catchy melody, energetic rhythm, and the members' clear and lovely timbres. The song has achieved excellent cumulative playback figures on Spotify, the world's largest music streaming platform, which proves the group's strength and appeal. Their second mini-album, "I'LL LIKE YOU", has also achieved good results on the Japanese Oricon and Billboard Japan charts.

A "Detective Conan" mystery-solving event will be held at Osaka Castle! Take on the challenge of solving mysteries with Edogawa Conan and Hattori Heiji! A strange code was discovered in the city overlooking Osaka Castle. The identity of the culprit and his motives are unknown. Heiji, who received a top-secret request, begins an investigation with Conan. Before long, the two realize that the code is not just a play on words, but a device that also involves the surrounding "scenery." Can you solve all the codes using the clues scattered around the city?

The Sumiyoshi Festival is one of the three major summer festivals in Osaka, and it is also a grand festival in the back of the summer in Osaka. The three-day event starts on July 30 and ends on August 1. There are three well-known events: "God Washing the Gods", "Xia Yuexi" and "God Yu Yu". "God washes the gods" refers to the ritual of washing the gods with sea water on July 30. The shrine starts from Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine and heads towards Sumiyoshi Park, which used to be in the direction of Yoshihama, washing the shrine with sea water as it goes. This seawater is brought back in the morning by the special ship "Shiokabune" of the Osaka Sumiyoshi Fisheries Association from Osaka Bay, which is considered a sacred seawater. After the cleaning was over, Miyu returned to Sumiyoshi Taisha. "Xia Yue's sacred events" is considered to be an intangible cultural heritage, and it is also the highlight of the annual festival on July 31. It is a ceremony in which a gorgeously dressed Xia Yue girl and a golden boy and a jade girl drill the thatch together. Ordinary people can also participate, praying for no disease and no disaster. "Shinyu Togo" refers to a ceremony in which the deity of Sumiyoshi the Great God parades through the shrine to Sakai no Judo Intongu. Local residents will participate in the activities of raising the gods, and the scene is very lively.

Shosoin THE SHOW, an exhibition event supervised by the Imperial Household Agency's Shosoin Office, will be held on the occasion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, where visitors can experience and enjoy the miracle of Shosoin and its treasures, which are still in good condition after 1,300 years of rare items. These treasures, which still shine and do not fade, have been passed down through the hearts and hands of people throughout the ages. This exhibition will unravel the story of the miracle of Shosoin's 1,300 years from the three perspectives of "love, beauty, and weaving." This exhibition is unique in that it will make full use of the latest digital techniques. The treasures will be scanned from 360 degrees and displayed in high-definition 3D digital data, allowing visitors to experience the details and texture of the treasures in a realistic way. In addition, the "replicas" that the Shosoin Office has been researching and producing will be exhibited in combination with video, music, and lighting, providing a new encounter with Shosoin. In addition, new works created by contemporary artists, including fashion designer Tomoe Shinohara, inspired by Shosoin treasures will be introduced. Photography and posting on social media is permitted throughout the venue, not just at the photo spots. This is an exhibition event that is truly colored with the splendor of a show, with cutting-edge creators directing the words and space.

During the Osaka Kansai Expo, Osaka Prefecture and each city and town will promote the charm of Osaka to both domestic and overseas audiences through the "Osaka Week - Spring, Summer, and Autumn" held in three periods throughout the year! In autumn, a music-centered event "Osaka Festival! - EXPO2025 Autumn Battle" is planned.

U-NEXT MUSIC FES - Love Live! Series EXPO 2025 STAGE ~Right now!~ is a live concert to be held by U-NEXT which features the Love Live! franchise on its third day. The concert will take place at EXPO Arena "Matsuri", Osaka on August 14, 2025.

In 2025, Osaka will be transformed into a giant art museum! "Learning: Osaka Kansai International Art Festival 2025" will be held from April to October. The exhibition will cover various areas of Osaka and take the World Expo as an opportunity to bring an unprecedented art feast. Among the first wave of 28 international artists announced, heavyweight creators such as surreal sculpture master Ron Mueck and conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan will surely present a visual feast that subverts imagination!

The Tenjin Festival kicks off on July 24 with religious ceremonies at the shrine and river, lion dances, and prayers for peace and prosperity for Osaka. Once preparations are complete, men wearing red turbans beat drums to announce the start of the festival. The Tenjin Festival is an exciting summer festival for Osaka residents, featuring a variety of activities including various Shinto rituals, dance, music, and parades of mikoshi (portable shrines). The festival climaxes with a spectacular one-and-a-half-hour fireworks display in the evening. The festival is held in honor of Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning enshrined at Tenmangu Shrine. His spirit is transferred to a mikoshi at the shrine and carried along the streets to the river, where it is loaded onto a boat and prayed for the prosperity of Osaka. The highlight of the festival is the evening parade of illuminated mikoshi, some of which are lit with bonfires, on the Okawa River. You can enjoy the festival wearing Yukata (traditional summer dress) and geta (traditional shoes).

At the beginning of the 20th century, many artists from all over the world gathered in Paris, the city of art. Young artists lived in studio complexes such as the Bateau Lavoir (laundry boat) in Montmartre and La Ruche (the beehive) in Montparnasse, where they deepened their connections and worked hard on their creations. This group of artists was later called the Ecole de Paris. Many of them were painters and sculptors who came to Paris from outside France and gathered mainly around Montparnasse. Representative painters include Chagall and Soutine from Russia, Modigliani from Italy, Pascin from Bulgaria, Kisling from Poland, Tsuguharu Foujita from Japan, and French painters Utrillo and Laurencin. They did not create their works based on a clear artistic theory or doctrine, like a specific school or art movement. However, inspired by new artistic styles and theories such as Fauvism and Cubism, and sometimes drawing inspiration from primitive art in Africa and elsewhere, each artist sought his own unique expression rooted in the traditions and ethnicity of his home country. Although it reached its peak in the 1920s and came to an effective end with the Second World War, the painters of the École de Paris allowed diverse and rich art to flourish in Paris. This exhibition will feature works by Laurencin, Utrillo, Modigliani, Pascin, Foujita Tsuguharu, Kisling, and others from the Sanno Museum of Art's collection.

This exhibition will be held to coincide with the Osaka-Kansai Expo, as the first of the Expo commemorative exhibitions, with the theme of "Getting to Know Osaka." The aim is to widely disseminate Osaka's urban residential culture, and it will be held to coincide with the Osaka-Kansai Expo, as the first of the Expo commemorative exhibitions, with the theme of "Getting to Know Osaka." Osaka has a long history as a major city, spanning approximately 400 years from the Edo period to the present. During the Edo period, Osaka flourished as a commercial city of water transport and the "Kitchen of the Nation." During the Meiji period, the city was modernized and industrialized as it entered the modern era, earning it the nickname "Manchester of the East." During the "Great Osaka" period, Osaka became the largest city in Japan in terms of both population and area, and during the prewar Showa period, suburban residential areas and villa areas were developed, establishing a new form of urban residence. Over its long history, Osaka has developed its own unique urban residential culture, which is the foundation of Osaka today. The theme of the Osaka-Kansai Expo is "Bringing together efforts for a future society where life shines and showing hope for the future to the world," and the city's gaze is directed toward the future. This exhibition looks back on the 400-year evolution of the urban residential culture that is the foundation of Osaka's current prosperity. We hope that this will provide an opportunity for you to experience the charms of urban living and lifestyle culture in Osaka, while also thinking about urban living from the present to the future.

Yumeshima, the site of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, is a place that gives a sense of Osaka's unique character, which developed towards the sea. The numerous documents stored in the Osaka Castle Tower retain the image of the "water city" of the past, which can no longer be seen today. Please take the time to reflect on the history of Osaka, which was nurtured by its abundant waters.

During the Sengoku period, various cultural artifacts from Europe and Asia were brought to Japan through trade with the Western countries. This exhibition will focus on the various aspects of exchange with the world that had a major impact on Japanese society, such as the introduction of Christianity and firearms.

There are many artists and works that are still unknown to the world in Japanese art. For example, in the case of Ito Jakuchu (1716-1800), an exhibition held at the Kyoto National Museum in 2000 triggered an unprecedented boom in Jakuchu's work, but before 2000, Jakuchu was a "hidden treasure trove" for the general public. Since then, Jakuchu and other eccentric painters have been unearthed, but there are still many hidden treasures from the Jomon period to modern times. This exhibition aims to unearth these treasures once again and establish them as beautiful gems in the history of Japanese art. We would like the audience to use their own eyes to find "future national treasures."

Fukahori Ryusuke (born in Aichi Prefecture in 1973) is an artist who is fascinated by goldfish and continues to create works of art. This exhibition will feature around 300 works, from his early period to his latest, with a focus on his Goldfish Sake series, which the artist named himself after the incident of being saved by a goldfish. His virtuoso 2.5D (dimensional) paintings (which look like swimming goldfish when viewed from above, but what about from the side?) bring to life the cruelty, strangeness, beauty, loveliness and transience of life.

As part of the much-anticipated Osaka Expo, the "Japan Fireworks Expo" will be held in Osaka this year! The event will showcase Japan's world-class fireworks displays and combine the celebration of this timeless tradition with a modern twist. The Japan Fireworks Association brings together fireworks enthusiasts from across the country in the hope of sharing the culture and tradition of Japanese fireworks with the world and helping them rediscover one of the country's amazing charms. This month, a special show of approximately 20-30 minutes will be held on July 23rd. In addition, special shows with no special displays will also be held in August, September, and October. Whether you attend the regular show or the special display, you will enjoy a fireworks display that you will never forget.

This is the first retrospective in 25 years of Naraju Koide (1887 – 1931), one of the leading modern Japanese Western-style painters. After graduating from Tokyo Fine Arts School, Naraju made his debut in the art world with his work “The Family of N” at the Nikaten Exhibition. He continued to pursue oil painting as a Japanese artist until his sudden death at the age of 43, leaving behind numerous masterpieces in still lifes and nudes. He was known as a master of nudes, and was nicknamed “Naraju the Nude.” In particular, in the works he created in the five years after moving to Ashiya in 1926, he elevated the naked bodies of Japanese women to a unique level of beauty through bold deformation and lustrous colors. This exhibition will trace Naraju’s career from his early years to his later years, along with his representative works from each period, and will once again explore the appeal of his oil paintings. It will also introduce his diverse talents in drawings, glass paintings, bookbinding, illustrations, essays, and more.

Celadon is a kind of ceramic that has a trace amount of iron in its glaze and turns green after high-temperature firing. Celadon has a long history. It was born in China in the 2nd century AD, and then continued to develop and spread to the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and even all over the world. Celadon occupies an important position in the history of East Asian ceramics. Its unique beauty is not only fascinating, but also a symbol of authority and wealth. The most fascinating thing about celadon is its beautiful glaze color, and its color will change subtly due to the different firing environment and the color of the body, making celadon present a rich and diverse appearance. This exhibition selects the treasures of Chinese and Korean celadon in the museum's collection, and also introduces Japanese and modern celadon works, allowing the audience to appreciate the dazzling charm of celadon in the history of East Asian ceramics. In addition to this exhibition, special exhibitions and collection exhibitions will be held to display representative works in the museum's collection. In each exhibition, works from the special project "Treasures of Osaka - Twenty Selections of MOCO" held in commemoration of the Osaka Kansai Expo will also be displayed.

Spreading its wings and flying high into the skyThe beautiful chirps that tell us the season...The hearts of people who are fascinated by birdsThis has not changed throughout history, in any place.With eyes of admiration and affectionInspired by artLet's admire the birds.

Osaka Museum of History will hold a special exhibition, "Unveiling New Acquisitions," from Wednesday, June 25, 2025 to Monday, September 1, 2025 in the special exhibition room on the 8th floor. Since its opening, Osaka Museum of History has made it its basic policy to introduce the history and culture of the Osaka region to the general public and deepen their understanding of it. Collecting materials in line with this basic policy is also the foundation of the museum's activities, and every year the museum stores various materials donated by citizens and uses them for research, exhibitions, etc. This exhibition will introduce approximately 25 items, mainly unpublished items, from the many donations that became new additions to the museum's collection in fiscal year 2024.

Just because the weather is hot doesn’t mean you can’t partake in cultural traditions. In fact, now’s the perfect time of year to try out a yukata, a beautiful traditional garment designed for hot weather! In Umeda, wearing a yukata is a huge celebration throughout July, transforming the city into a magical summer festival. But it’s not just about creating the perfect photo opportunity; Umeda offers great discounts and pop-up events for those dressed up.

The Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum will be holding the second half of the exhibition "Koji Kinutani: Towards Peace" as a proposal for peace through the power of art and the arts. Currently, conflicts continue in many countries and regions, resulting in many casualties and refugees. In addition, environmental destruction has caused natural disasters in various places, making the road to peace a difficult one. The recognition that peace is the common wish of all humanity is shared by both East and West. Koji Kinutani has continued to create works that teach the folly of war while also feeling a reverence for nature, giving dreams and hope to many people. This exhibition will focus on works that strongly express the message of "Peace," and is held in the hope that a day of peace will come to people all over the world who are suffering from the ravages of war and disasters.

As part of their involvement in the World Expo Osaka 2025, Louis Vuitton has created this unique, immersive experience with the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. Celebrating 170 years, the exhibit takes visitors on an amazing journey through multiple rooms inspired by savoir-faire, creation, and innovation. It’s a new and creative way to experience one of fashion’s biggest brands, making it a must-see whilst you’re in Osaka.