- Home > Introduction to Osaka > Annual Calendar of Events for Osaka
Osaka bustles with life during seasonal festivals and events.
Some of these events are introduced below by season.
Spring
- Grand Sumo March Tournament
- Fifteen days from early March (at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium)
- Cherry-blossom season
- Early April (Osaka Castle Park, etc.)
- Cherry-blossom viewing in the grounds of the Mint
- One week or more in the middle of April.
- Shoryoue (ancient Japanese court music)
- April 22nd (Shitennoji Temple)
- Nozaki Mairi (pilgrimage)
- From May 1st to 10th (Nozaki Kannon)
Summer
- Otaue Shinji
- June 14th (Sumiyoshi-Taisha Shrine)
- Aizome Matsuri (Aizen Festival)
- From June 30th to July 2nd (Shoman'in Aizendo)
- Tanabata (Star Festival)
- July 6th & 7th (Hatamono Shrine)
- Tenjin Matsuri Festival
- July 24th & 25th (Osaka Tenmangu Shrine and in the vicinity of the Okawa River)
- Sakai Grand Evening Fish Market
- July 31st (Hamadera Park)
- Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks
- Beginning of August (Yodogawa River)
- Kamigata Geino Festival in Minami
- Mid August (Wahha Kamigata Museum)
- Gangara Fire Festival
- August 24th (Atago Shrine)
Fall
- Danjiri Matsuri Festival
- From September to October (Kishiki Shrine and elsewhere)
- Tsukimi Festival
- On the day of the harvest moon (Mozu Hachimangu Shrine)
- Midosuji Parade
- Generally the second Sunday of October (Midosuji Avenue)
- Autumn Leaves Viewing
- Around November (Minoh and elsewhere)
- Shinno Matsuri Festival
- November 22nd & 23rd (Sukunahikona Shine)
Winter
- Sembon Zuki (rice-cakes pounded 1,000 times)
- January 2nd & 3rd (Mizumadera Temple)
- Toka Ebisu
- January 9th to 11th (Imamiyaebisu Shrine and elsewhere)
- Doya-Doya
- January 14th (Shitennoji Temple)
- Osaka International Ladies Marathon
- End of January (Nagai Stadium)
- Setsubun
- On the eve of the spring equinox (Abiko Kannon and elsewhere)
- Plum Blossom Viewing
- Early February to early March (Osaka Castle Park, etc.)
- Ichiya Kanjo Matsuri Festival
- February 20th (Nozato Sumiyoshi Shrine)
Osaka Tidbits
Business is thriving, so bring out the bamboo!
Toka Ebisu, the god of business at the Ebisu Shrine, attracts multitudes of people every year, all hoping for a successful year in business. This event takes place on January 9th, which is known as Yoi-ebisu, January 10th, which is known as Hon-ebisu, and January 11th, which is known as Nokorifuku. The area bustles with high-spirited voices shouting, "Business is thriving, so bring out the bamboo!" and the young Fukumusume maidens, who are selected every year for the occasion. Now is the time to pray for success in business for the entire year...
