With October fast-approaching, bringing with it the conclusion of the highly popular Japan Expo 2025, it is time to look at Osaka’s roster of events for the next month! A good portion of October’s events are carry-overs that are continuing from September, but that’s all the more reason to visit – there are so many festivals and activities to get invested in, that they shouldn’t be constrained to a single month! Add to this all the exclusively October events, and it’s not hard to see that there is no end to the fun to be found in Japan’s culinary capital. So, without further ado, here is a handful of what you can expect to see and do in the month of spooks and thrills.
Beer stalls lit up at nighttime – Photo Credit: Tenshiba Oktoberfest
Tenshiba Oktoberfest 2025
Bringing the spirit of Munich to Tennoji! Carrying over from September, this 23-day-long event encompasses everything people enjoy about the main Oktoberfest – regular live performances on the event stage, a bounty of collectible items such as coasters and stamps, and, of course, about 60 different varieties of beer from Germany and beyond! And it’s not just for the beer-lovers either – partnering with the World Wine Festival, wine lovers can sample wines from across the Kansai region too. The event is set to go ahead come rain or shine, so why not make time in your schedule to head down and raise your glasses to the new month? Prost!
Date: 12th September – 5th October 2025, 15:00-20:30 (from 11 am on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays)
Website: http://tenshiba-oktoberfest.com/
Address: Tenshiba Park, 5-55 Chausuyamacho, Tennoji Ward, Osaka, 543-0063
Price: Free; all drink purchases use a deposit system
Promotional image for Escape From the Night Spy Mission – Photo Credit: Real D Game Spy Park
Escape From the Night Spy Mission
Based in Hirakata Park, this event puts you in the role of a spy, tasked with various top-secret missions to complete around the amusement park. The event does have a daytime option, but the details here are related to the after-hours version. Fully absorb the role of a spy by completing your tasks under the cover of night, with the empty structures of the park fully setting the mood. If you fancy yourself as something of an aspiring Loid Forger, then this is the activity for you!
Note: This event is only available in Japanese, and a high school level of the language is recommended to fully enjoy the activity. However, if that’s not an issue for you, then be sure to give it a try!
Date: Friday 12th September – Sunday 19th October 2025; doors open 17:45, scheduled end 20:40
Website: https://realdgame.jp/s/spypark/osaka/ (Japanese only)
Address: Hirakata Park, 1-1 Hirakatakoencho, Hirakata, Osaka 573-0054
Price: 4,000 yen with an admission ticket in advance, 4,300 yen same-day
Futon Daiko drum for the Autumn Festival – Photo Credit: OSAKA-INFO
Mozu Hachiman Shrine Autumn Festival
Tsukimi, or the Moon Viewing Festival, falls on Monday, 6th October this year, so why not celebrate the occasion at a local festival? The matsuri at Mozu Hachiman Shrine in Sakai originated as a combination of a celebration of the full moon and a typical harvest festival, and nowadays is considered one of Osaka’s loudest and most lively festivals. The main highlight every year is the Futon Daiko procession, in which a series of giant taiko drums is led throughout the streets by groups of 60-70 people each. Whether to observe the beautiful decorations surrounding the drums, or to join in with the excitement of the festival-goers, this festival is a great opportunity to celebrate the full moon long into the night!
Date: Saturday 4th October, 11:00-22:30 – Monday 6th October, 9:30-22:00
Website: https://www.mozu8.com/event#ttl-autumn
Address: 5 Chome-706 Akahatacho, Mozu, Kita Ward, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture
Price: Free
NOTE: When translated, many sites advertising the event will erroneously translate the date. It is officially marked as “the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar,” which comes back on some sites as August 15th.
Nukamachi danjiri float pulled through Yagi District – Photo Credit: Kishiwada City Official Site
Kishiwada Danjiri Festival
The high energy continues with this festival! This is another one introduced in last month’s blog, but for anyone curious who missed out the first time, there will be another procession this month. In this 300-year-old festival, danjiri – heavy, carved wooden floats that resemble temples – are pulled around the city in a showcase of strength and dexterity, as teams work to maneuver their danjiri through the streets of Kishiwada. Whether it’s to observe the parading of danjiri and the skill required to make it happen, or get an up-close look at the intricate designs of the floats themselves, this festival is a must-see!
Date: Saturday 11th October, 6 am – 10 pm / Sunday 12th October, 7 am – 10 pm
Website: https://www.city.kishiwada.lg.jp/site/danjiri/
Address: Throughout Kishiwada City
Price: Free
Projection mapping of the Tour of Lights – Photo Credit: Japan CitySUP Association
Water Panorama Tour of Lights
All the awe and beauty of an art museum, brought out to the open air. Visitors to this attraction can ride on small boats of up to six people, which carry you along the Higashi-Yokobori River towards the underside of the Hanshin Expressway, on the foundations of which visitors can watch the projection mapping. The projection stretches over 650 metres, making it one of the largest in the world, adorning the expressway piers with dazzling patterns that blend in perfectly with the vibrance of the rest of Osaka. Each trip lasts 20 minutes and is fully private, letting guests relax and enjoy the displays with no worries.
Date: until Monday 13th October, 18:40-21:00
Website: https://www.citysup.jp/event-2504-p/ (Japanese only)
Address: 〒540-0029 Osaka, Chuo Ward, Honmachibashi, 4−8 β本町橋
Price: 2,000 yen
Promotional image for the Meccha Happy Festival 2025 – Photo Credit: osakamechahappyfestival Instagram
26th Osaka Super Happy Festival
Last month brought a Yosakoi dance contest in the form of the Koiya Festival; in October, Osaka will have yet another day of dancing festivities. Originating in November 2000, the goal of this one-day festival is to promote the healthy development of young people through the medium of dance – be it Yosakoi, Soran, street, or anything in between! In this year’s Meccha (Super) Happy Festival, 50 youth teams – totalling around 1,500 dancers – are set to participate in venues all around Osaka, including Osaka Castle Hall, Twin 21, and Lovely Town Furukawa Bridge. If you find yourself in the vicinity of any of these venues, come and enjoy the spectacles of a wide range of dance genres, both modern and traditional.
Date: Monday 13th October 2025, 11:00-19:00
Website: http://mechahappi.com/
Address: various listed, including Osaka Castle Hall, Twin 21, and Lovely Town Furukawa Bridge
Price: Free
Fireworks at the Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival – Photo Credit: Yodohanabi Gallery
The 37th Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival
Normally, this exceptionally popular fireworks festival takes place in August, but for this year alone, it has been pushed back to October due to clashes with the Expo. Every year, hundreds of thousands of visitors gather on the banks of the Yodogawa River to be dazzled by the pyrotechnics illuminating the skies. Five different firework groups will showcase spectacular light shows choreographed to music, representing the theme of “Break Through ~ Fireworks Reaching to the Future, From The Skies of Naniwa to the World”. Firework festivals are tremendously popular all over Japan – this is your chance to see the biggest one of them all!
Date: Saturday 18th October, 19:30 start
Website: https://www.yodohanabi.com/
Address: near Shin-Kitano 3-Chome, Yodogawa Ward, Osaka, 532-0026
*The exact point linked is an exclusive seating area
Price: Free
Juso Bridge at nighttime – Photo Credit: kencek1994
No matter what kind of event you’re looking for this October, you’ll find something for everyone. From the traditional celebrations of the Kishiwada Danjiri or Mozu Hachiman Festivals, or modern spectacles like the Water Panorama Tour of Lights, festivities like the Super Happy Festival with Osaka at its heart, or those like Oktoberfest that connect the city with the world. Whether you’re prepared to sit back and watch the Yodogawa Fireworks Festival or engage with something less cultural at Hirakata Park, the possibilities are endless. Even as the Expo comes to an end, don’t think for a moment that there’s any less to do around Osaka come October!
Featured Photo Credit: manhhungphotos
Ready for more fun in Osaka? Check out our many tours in the culinary capital to find the perfect experience for you!
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