Osaka Culture & History

Osaka has its own dialect, its own sense of humour and its own version of Japanese history. It's worth knowing before you land.

C 15 guides in this department

C-01

The History of Osaka Castle

The full history of Osaka Castle, from Toyotomi Hideyoshi's original 1583 fortress through Tokugawa-era destruction to its 1931 reconstruction.

C-02

Osaka-ben and Osaka's Comedy Culture

An introduction to Osaka-ben, the city's distinct dialect, and how it connects to Osaka's outsized role in Japanese comedy and manzai.

C-03

Osaka's Festivals

A guide to Osaka's festival calendar, led by the Tenjin Matsuri — one of Japan's three great festivals — plus Bunraku puppet theatre and Sumiyoshi Taisha.

C-04

Bunraku at the National Theatre

A guide to Bunraku puppet theatre at Osaka's National Bunraku Theatre — what a performance is like, and whether it's worth booking.

C-05

Osaka's Museums

A guide to Osaka's museums — the Museum of Housing and Living, the Osaka Museum of History, and the Osaka Science Museum.

C-06

Sento: Public Bathhouse Culture

A guide to sento, Japan's public bathhouses, and how to visit one in Osaka — etiquette, what to expect, and how they differ from an onsen.

C-07

Naniwa: Osaka's Life as an Ancient Capital

Before Kyoto, before Nara — Osaka briefly served as Naniwa, an ancient capital of Japan. The history behind the Naniwa Palace ruins near Osaka Castle.

C-08

Seeing a Manzai Show

A guide to seeing manzai comedy live at Namba Grand Kagetsu in Osaka — what a show is like, ticket basics, and whether it works without Japanese.

C-09

Shotengai: Covered Shopping Arcades

A guide to shotengai, Japan's covered shopping arcades, and Tenjinbashisuji — said to be the longest in the country, running through Osaka.

C-10

Sakai: Blades and Tea Ceremony

Sakai, just south of Osaka, is the historic home of Japanese tea ceremony master Sen no Rikyu and remains famous today for its traditional Sakai cutlery.

C-11

Osaka vs Tokyo: What Visitors Usually Notice

How Osaka's character differs from Tokyo's — dialect, humour, food culture and pace — and the good-natured rivalry between Japan's two biggest cities.

C-12

Useful Osaka-ben Phrases

A handful of Osaka dialect (Osaka-ben) words and phrases visitors commonly hear — ookini, maido, honma and more, and what they mean.

C-13

The Hanshin Tigers

The Hanshin Tigers and Kansai's baseball culture — Koshien Stadium, the passionate balloon-release tradition, and the legend of the Curse of the Colonel.

C-14

Shrines vs Temples: Shinto and Buddhism

The difference between Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Osaka, and how the two traditions have coexisted throughout Japanese history.

C-15

Osaka's Seasonal Events

Key seasonal events in Osaka beyond cherry blossoms — Obon in August, winter illuminations in December, and Hatsumode New Year shrine visits.

New culture guides are added every week. See the update log →