October is here, and yes, that also means Halloween is coming. However, there’s a lot more to October in Osaka than just ghosts and goblins!
So, today we will run through 10 unique local events that visitors can enjoy when they come to Osaka this October.
Osaka Castle Sake Square, October 5th and 6th
For a number of years now, Osaka, and indeed the wider Kansai region, has become something of a hotspot for sake lovers. This annual event, held in the shadow of Osaka Castle showcases more than 20 local sake breweries, and their assorted produce. Attendees can, of course, enjoy sampling these delicious, uniquely Japanese, rice wines. However, there’s so much more to this festival than just another excuse for a few drinks.
Throughout the two day event, there are live performances, talks about the sake preparation process, and even some chances to win some exclusive prizes.
If you’re visiting from abroad, this is also a great chance to pick up some souvenirs for loved ones back home. In addition to the excellent range of sakes on offer, there is also the chance to pick up an assortment of related goods. Sake cups, bottle sets, and the like are also available, at very reasonable prices.
Advance tickets for the event are available here. They are priced at 3,300 yen for a standard ticket, and 3,800 for a premium ticket. The premium ticket includes an exclusive sake cup that you can take home after the event.
Osaka Castle Nishi no Maru Noh Performance, 2nd Weekend of October
If you enjoyed your sake at Osaka Castle Park the previous week, then why not head back there for another dose of Japanese cultural charm?
Noh theatre is one of Japan’s most ancient, classical art forms. The first recorded performances of this quintessentially Japanese form of dance drama date from the 14th century. Indeed, it remains the oldest form of performance art in the world that is still practiced today in its original form.
Much like its more modern and flamboyant derivative, Kabuki theatre, masks play a big role in Noh performance.
The masks, which remain on the performers throughout the play, also present a unique challenge to the actors. How does one convey emotional intent without showing their face?
This is a problem many Hollywood movies still struggle with to this day. Ever wondered why Spider-Man always seems to somehow lose his mask during his final showdown with the main villain of the piece?
Perhaps Maguire, Garfield and Holland would do well to follow Noh performers’ example.
Noh performers are masters of expression through highly stylized movements, grounded in conventional, daily actions. The masks they were also clearly depict the type of character they are intended to show. Be it a hero, demon, woman or spirit. This combination of factors makes Noh a fair bit easier to follow than modern Kabuki Theater.
In any case, this is a cultural treasure not to be missed.
Tickets start from 3000 yen and can be purchased here.
Sky Meals at Abeno Harukas: Let’s Barbecue: Until Late October
Abeno Harukas, Osaka’s tallest building, has been a constant source of fascination for tourists since its opening in 2013. However, It’s not usually a place people would think of as a prime location for fine dining. That all changed this summer however, with the introduction of Sky Meals at Abeno Harukas.
This unique seasonal event, which runs until October 20th, allows people to enjoy dinner on the very top of the building, its 300 meter high sky garden.
This year, the theme is barbecue. An all you can eat and drink menu, in the classic, summer beer garden style, costs from 5,000 yen per person.
However, if you want something a little more sophisticated, there is also a “glamping” option. Following on from the recent craze for luxury campsite vacations, this menu option, priced at 8,000 yen per person offers exclusive additional food and drink options, as well as a more luxurious seating space. You’ll also enjoy the very best views of the cityscape below.
The area tends to sell out quickly however, and you only have until October 20th to get your reservation in. So don’t waste any time, book your barbecue experience at Abeno Harukas today!
Kobe Port Fireworks Festival: October 21st to 25th
As regular readers will, no doubt, already know, most of the best firework festivals in and around Osaka are in the summer. However, there are a couple of notable exceptions to this rule. One such instance is the Kobe Port Fireworks Festival.
Please note that this is different from the Kobe Marine Fireworks Festival. That other, larger, summer festival takes place on the first weekend of August.
Instead, the Kobe Port Fireworks Festival takes things at a more leisurely pace. Rather than unleashing their entire stockpile over a couple of hours, this festival spaces out its displays over five consecutive days. From October 21st until October 25th, from 6.30pm each night, a short, 15 minute firework show takes place. However, what it may lack in endurance it more than makes up for in impact. This show spans the entirety of the Kobe Port area, illuminating the sky and the waters below in a sea of color and excitement.
If you’re on a day-trip to Kobe, we can think of no better way to round off your schedule than to take in this amazing show before you head back to Osaka.
The Kobe Port Fireworks Festival is free and open to all. However, the area around Kobe Harborland, which offers the best view can get a bit congested around this time. So, be sure to arrive early if you want the best possible view.
Kurama Fire Festival: Kyoto, October 22nd
It’s not just Kobe that saves one of its most spectacular sights for late October. Over in Kyoto, the Kurama Festival offers an equally impressive, though quite distinct experience.
Every year, on October 22nd, a huge torchlight precession takes place through the town of Kurama. Hundreds of local residents carry huge flaming torches, creating a truly unforgettable sight.
The festival is also one of the oldest in the region too. Originating during Japan’s Heian Period (794-1185AD), it has remained, for the most part, unchanged since those days.
The fires and the torches that carry them represent the original ceremony the villagers conducted to welcome the ancient spirits to the local shrine for the first time, all those years ago.
The event also holds great significance for the local populace too. Children lead the parade, as they are seen as the ones charged with carrying forth the will of the spirits of their ancestors. Originally, it was only boys who took part. However, in a sign that even the most ancient and sacred of rites can still evolve and adapt to modern sensitivities, the girls of the village now march alongside them too. The parade comes to a thrilling climax in the center of the village. All of the torches are placed together in the town square, creating a massive bonfire.
The festival is just a short walk from Kurama Station, on the Eizan Kurama Line. Kurama Station is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Osaka.
The event begins at sundown and runs until midnight. Be careful not to miss your last train home though, as this is quite a rural area.
Jidai Matsuri, Kyoto, October 22nd
If you’ve ever had any kind of extended conversation about culture with someone from Kyoto, chances are they’ve mentioned in passing that it used to be Japan’s capital city.
It would be fair to say that, ever since the Imperial capital transferred to Edo (now Tokyo) in the 1800s, some folks in Kyoto have carried a bit of a chip on their shoulder about it.
In any case, whether you’re someone who wants to relive Kyoto’s former glory or you’re just someone who enjoys a good festival, the Jidai Festival is worth a look.
This day-long festival takes place every year on October 22nd. This date commemorates the day when Kyoto originally became the Imperial capital city, in 795 AD.
The modern form of the festival dates from 1896. Although celebrations and sideshows take place throughout the day, the main parade gets underway at 2.30pm. The parade departs from the old Kyoto Imperial Palace and makes its way through the crowded streets. It eventually concludes some two hours later at Heian Jingu Shrine. Colourful costumes, elaborate dance routines and all kinds of other entertainment run throughout the day.
This is an event not to be missed.
Osaka Metcha Happy Festival, various venues across Osaka, October 14th
What we have next is a uniquely Osaka-style event. Created in the year 2000, with the aim of “making children smile”, the Osaka Metcha Happy Festival is a large scale dance competition.
The word “metcha” is Kansai dialect slang meaning “very or greatly”.
Around 2800 performers took part in the 2023 incarnation and this number continues to grow year by year. The dance show takes place across 6 different venues in Osaka City, with the main event situated in Osaka Castle Park. The exact set-up for the event changes year by year, so we recommend consulting the official site for the latest updates if you plan to take in the festivities this year.
Goryo Jinja Autumn Festival, October 16th and 17th
This smaller scale event offers everything you’d want from an Autumn Festival in Osaka. The two day festival involves religious rites, good food and drink, and some absolutely beautiful lantern displays.
It’s also conveniently located, right in the center of town. Goryo Jinja Shrine is only about 5 or 6 minutes walk from Higobashi Subway Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line.
For only 500 yen, you can also buy and personalize your own lantern to add to the shrine display.
There are very few events in Osaka that offer such a sedate and intimate setting in such a central location. This is definitely one festival you don’t want to miss.
Yabusame Ritual, Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, October 25th
We move now from the serene to the spectacular, with the Yabusame Ritual. This annual event at Osaka Tenmangu Shrine involves mounted samurai archers firing arrows at targets. This is no ordinary archery display though. Kyudo, as it is called in Japanese, is far more difficult to perform effectively than the archery you’re probably used to watching at the Olympics. The bow is far longer, the string far harsher on the fingers and it requires far more strength to fire the arrow.
And then there’s also the small matter of trying to ride a horse at the same time!
Add to this the additional weight and movement restriction that comes from wearing ceremonial samurai armor, and you’ve got one heck of a challenging display.
Suffice to say, this makes for a fantastic photo opportunity, of a uniquely Japanese cultural treasure.
Admission to the event is free. Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is a short walk from JR Osaka Tenmangu Station, on the Tozai Line. Please check the official website for exact times and more details.
Halloween at USJ, October 1st to November 6th
Of course, no discussion of October in Osaka would be complete without a mention for Halloween. This Celtic ritual, later co-opted into American culture, is now a prominent fixture in the Japanese calendar too, particularly among younger people.
Whilst Amemura in Shinsaibashi is a popular gathering point for revelers at this time, it’s not somewhere I would recommend. In recent years, much like Shibuya in Tokyo, there have been a small minority of disorderly idiots who spoil it for everyone else.
Instead, whilst it is a little expensive, Universal Studios Japan has a great Halloween set-up for all the family.
During the day, you can go there with the kids and enjoy Halloween related events with characters like Shrek, Mario and Pikachu.
But at night, as darkness descends, so to do a hoard of zombies, demons and other nightmare inducing monsters.
It’s all in good fun of course, but this isn’t a place for the faint hearted. There are also special rides and attractions that change year by year, each with its own scary, Halloween theme. In recent years, the Resident Evil game franchise (known as Biohazard in Japan) has provided frights galore with a series of “escape room” style attractions. The exceptionally popular, and extremely gory manga character “Chainsaw Man” is another recent addition to the Halloween havoc at USJ.
We recommend fans of all things frightening check it out this October.
And so our October adventure in Osaka draws to a close. It’s an exciting time to be in town. Do you have any other suggestions for sights to see in Osaka this October? If so, drop a comment and tell us your thoughts. As always, safe travels everyone, and we hope you’re next Osaka Odyssey is a good one.
