Featured Events in Osaka Prefecture in September, 2025 (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.

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.

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?

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.

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!

【Osaka・Kishiwada】Experience the thrilling “sharp turn” up close! Kishiwada Road Race Festival Observation Seats Now Available! The “Kishiwada Road Race Festival”, with a history of over 320 years, is one of Japan’s representative traditional festivals. This year, we will set up special observation seats at the powerful viewing spot “Kankanba”, where you can sit and watch the exciting moment “Yarimawashi” when the road race turns sharply at an incredible speed. About 400,000 people come from all over the world to see this scene every year. Please come and experience the passion and sense of presence that can only be felt on site! ● About Observation Seats For three days from September 12 (Friday) to 14 (Sunday) (trial pull, eve of the festival, and the main festival day), we will set up special observation seats on the mountain side and sea side where the “Kankanba” is located. There are various types of seats, including the "trial pull" where you can feel the tense atmosphere on the eve of the festival, the "departure ceremony (楊き出し)" where the cars of each town set off on the actual day, the "parade" where all the cars gather and appear, and the "afternoon session" where the festival atmosphere reaches its climax. This year, S seats will be added on the mountain side where you can watch up close, and tickets will be sold in three areas, A/B/C, during certain periods of time; and comfortable VIP sofa seats will be set up on the sea side. In addition, "group discount tickets" suitable for families or groups have been newly added. In the bustling and crowded Kishiwada Car Festival, you can enjoy the festival leisurely from your exclusive seats! ● Highlights of the Kishiwada Car Festival A car pulling team consists of about 500 to 1,000 people, including "pullers", "musicians", "craftsmen", "front shovels", and "back shovels". The sight of the team working together to operate the huge 4-ton tram with human power is a major attraction of the festival. In particular, the "Yarimawashi" turning at a right angle while running at high speed is a breathtaking climax. For this moment, the participants have been training for a long time, accumulating physical strength, cultivating tacit understanding, and tempering the courage to break through danger. Only when the team is perfectly synchronized can the challenge of "sharp turn" be completed. This power of regional unity is the foundation for the continuation of the Kishiwada Tramway Festival for 300 years. Although there have been regrettable accidents over the years, the enthusiasm of the citizens of Kishiwada for the Tramway Festival has never diminished. When they hear the festival music, they can't help but run to the streets, because the Tramway Festival is not only their pride, but also an emotional bond passed down from generation to generation. From parents to children, from children to grandchildren, the tradition of the Tramway Festival will continue to be passed on.

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.

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.

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.

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.

During the Edo period in Osaka, elaborate decorations called Tsukurimono were often made in the town on the occasions of shrine relocations and festivals. In the precincts of temples and shrines, arts were shown to visitors, and impromptu plays were performed in the town, and arts, skills, and ideas were displayed in non-permanent locations. These were valuable opportunities for people living in the town to come into contact with culture, and they brought vitality to the town. In the Meiji period, the Fifth Domestic Industrial Exposition in 1903, held in Osaka, became the largest international exposition of the Meiji period. Eye-catching monuments and vehicles were set up at the exposition to attract people's attention, and various arts were also actively performed as entertainment. Many expositions were held in Osaka after that, contributing to the spread of new technologies, the development of industry, and the raising of awareness. The town was developed in preparation for the exposition, and it can be said that the city had grown into an international city. This exhibition will explore the city's special "urban festivals" through displays of materials that represent them, ranging from reproductions of early modern structures to modern Osaka expositions, which have not received much attention until now, and expositions held since the 1970 World Expo.

Osaka Museum of History will hold a special exhibition "YABU MEIZAN" from Wednesday, September 3, 2025 to Monday, November 3, 2025 (National Holiday) in the special exhibition room on the 8th floor. From the end of the Edo period to the Meiji era, Satsuma ware from Kagoshima, which was exported from Japan to other countries, was called "SATSUMA" and caused a huge fad. Riding on this trend, industries producing and overglazing "Satsuma ware"-style ceramics began to appear in pottery areas and areas close to export ports across the country. Meanwhile, for about half a century from the early Meiji period to the early Showa period, overglazing and selling Satsuma ware for export were also carried out in Kita-ku, Osaka, and YABU MEIZAN was the name and brand name of the workshop owner. The owner of the studio, Yabu Meizan, also known as Masashichi (1853-1934), was born in Osaka in 1853 as the son of the Nanga painter Yabu Chosui (1813-1867). He began working in Osaka in the early Meiji period, and established his studio in 1880. He was an important figure in the modern Osaka arts and crafts world, receiving the Business Achievement Award from Osaka Prefecture in 1920. This exhibition will explore the true nature of Yabu Meizan, based on the results of 20 years of research since the special exhibition "The Beauty of Meizan Satsuma - Modern Osaka Ceramics Beloved at the World Exposition" held in 2005.

Osaka Museum of History will hold a special exhibition "Treasures of Osaka in Osaka Museum of History" from Saturday, September 13, 2025 to Monday, October 13, 2025 (National Holiday) in the special exhibition room on the 6th floor. In conjunction with the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025, the Osaka City Museum Organization has selected 120 "Treasures of Osaka" from the collections of six museums and art galleries in Osaka City, which number more than 2 million items. These are a wide range of materials and works that have been collected and passed down by our predecessors along with the prosperity of the city of Osaka. In addition to the 20 "Treasures of Osaka" from Osaka Museum of History, this exhibition will select the items from the museum's collection that curators particularly want you to see, and classify them into five indexes to show their significance and appeal. Osaka Museum of History considers "Treasures of Osaka" to be the "things" and "events" left behind by people who were born or raised in Osaka, or who lived or worked here. The diverse "faces" of these objects illuminate Osaka's characteristics from various angles and provide hints for the future. Human activity in Osaka is known to date back more than 30,000 years. Due to its geographical location facing the sea, Osaka has been a place of active domestic and international traffic since ancient times. Please enjoy the magnificent human story unique to Osaka at our museum's "Treasures of Osaka." *The "Treasures of Osaka" of six museums and art galleries in Osaka City (Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka Museum of Natural History, Osaka City Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka Science Museum, Osaka Museum of History, and Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka) are published on the website (https://dom.ocm.osaka/treasure/) and are exhibited in sequence at each museum.