About Osaka

In June, the rainy season in Osaka, you can enjoy a wide variety of flowers and plants. Visit the iris garden in Johoku Park, the Sakuyakonohanakan, where you can closely observe rare tropical plants, and the colorful hydrangeas in Osaka Castle Park. Although not as well known as the cherry blossoms in spring, the pretty flowers of early summer are also a must-see.

In the height of summer, the biggest event in Osaka is the Tenjin Festival, one of Japan's three biggest festivals. It is held every year on July 24th and 25th, and many boats float on the Okawa River (formerly the Yodo River) from around Sakuranomiya to around Nakanoshima. The climax of the festival is the votive fireworks that are launched into the night sky. The Tenjin Festival livens up the whole of Osaka. It is also a festival that attracts attention from people living in other surrounding prefectures, and hundreds of thousands of people visit every year.

If you don't like crowded places, we recommend a quiet festival to celebrate summer. The Sumiyoshi Taisha Rice Planting Ceremony held in June is a sacred event to pray for a good rice harvest. After the Obon festival in August, Jizobon, a custom unique to the Kinki region, arrives. In July, you can also watch Noh performances, which are held outdoors after sunset, with torches lit.

Various fireworks festivals of all sizes held in Osaka Prefecture beautifully decorate the summer night sky, and the city bustles with a festive mood. Small summer festivals and Bon Odori festivals are also held in each small town. Osaka is a city where unique customs can be seen in Shinto and Buddhist ceremonies. Small summer festivals where locals gather are a rare opportunity to get a glimpse into the lives of local people.

Like other prefectures in Japan, Osaka has a humid summer. However, if you go to the bay area, you can feel the cool breeze from Osaka Bay, and there are beautiful beaches such as Nishikihama Beach in southern Osaka. If you are going to play in Osaka in the summer, we recommend that you wear thin cotton shirts and short-sleeved clothing.