About Osaka

When the plum blossoms have fallen, Osaka welcomes its annual Grand Sumo Tournament! The Osaka Grand Sumo Tournament takes place in mid-March at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, and during the tournament, colorful flags are lined up outside the gymnasium to support each wrestler. You can also see the powerful wrestlers striding about in the city of Osaka.

Spring is when Japan is covered in cherry blossoms. In Osaka, the cherry blossoms bloom all at once from the end of March to early April. You don't have to go anywhere in particular to see the cherry blossoms, but if you want to enjoy the most gorgeous cherry blossoms, we recommend Osaka Castle Nishinomaru Garden, Nagai Park, and Yodogawa Riverside Park. Even after the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms, which are popular in Japan, have fallen, you can still enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Osaka. The Mint Bureau holds a famous event called "Sakura no Toori Nuke" where several varieties of cherry blossoms that bloom a little later than Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms bloom in full bloom. It is open to the public in late April, and many local Osakans visit to walk through this beautiful cherry blossom tunnel. The cherry blossoms blooming along the old Yodo River (Okawa) are a seasonal feature of spring in Osaka. And it is common throughout the country to gather under the cherry blossoms with friends and family to celebrate the arrival of spring. It is said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the most famous historical figure from Osaka, also loved to look at beautiful cherry blossoms. Hideyoshi and modern-day Osakans alike share the same love for Osaka's cherry blossoms in full bloom.