Osaka News & Site Updates
A running log of what's changing in Osaka, and what we've just added to Totally Osaka.
USJ Halloween Horror Nights 2026: Dates, Tickets, Age Rules and Visitor Tips
USJ Halloween Horror Nights runs to 8 November: 6pm street zombies, adults-only paid Lights Out and separate Resident Evil timed entry.
NEWS · 9 OCTMidosuji Challenge 2026: Osaka Road Closures, Events and Visitor Guide for 6–8 November
Osaka’s main boulevard will host three days of public-space experiments, music and neighbourhood events on 6–8 November. Some side roads close for much of the weekend, with additional lane restrictions on Saturday 7 November.
N-40Harvest Hill Summer Festival 2026
Four Silver Week nights in Sakai from 20–23 September, with extended park hours, food trucks, festival games and a five-minute fireworks show at 8pm.
N-39OSAKA Art & Handmade Bazaar Vol. 52
More than 1,000 creators take over ATC Hall from 19–22 September, with four-day ticket options, a major mid-event booth rotation and direct maker shopping.
N-38Osaka Design Week 2026
Plan OSAKA SALONE, the citywide FUORISALONE programme, free visitor registration, key dates, venues and the Tadao Ando special talk.
N-37Tenshiba Oktoberfest 2026
Free entry at Tennoji Park from 11 September–4 October, with German draft beer, food, weekend live performances and easy access from Tennoji Station.
N-36Tennoji Zoo Night Zoo: Silver Week Guide
Tennoji Zoo stays open until 8pm from 19–23 September 2026. Plan the best arrival time, later-viewing areas, tickets and the current polar-bear closure.
N-35Kishiwada Danjiri Festival 2026
Kishiwada’s main Danjiri Festival runs on 19–20 September. Here is the practical plan for trains, crowds, safe viewing and festival etiquette.
N-01Welcome to Totally Osaka
Totally Osaka has launched — an independent, growing guide to Osaka. Here's what's live today and what we're building toward.
N-02Build Log: Week 1
Totally Osaka's first build-log update: nine departments opened, first guides published, and what's being worked on next.
N-03Build Log: Week 2
Totally Osaka's week 2 update: seven new guides added across Stay, Districts, Things to Do, Food, Culture and Day Trips.
N-04Build Log: Week 3
Totally Osaka's week 3 update: nine new guides, including two new districts (Nakanoshima and Den Den Town) and the site's first hot spring day trip.
N-05Build Log: Week 4
Totally Osaka's week 4 update: four new Stay guides closing the gap with other departments, plus Spa World, cafe culture and Awaji Island.
N-06Build Log: Week 5
Totally Osaka's week 5 update: three new Things to Do guides, two new Culture guides, and a Plan etiquette guide.
N-07Build Log: Week 6
Totally Osaka's week 6 update: six new guides, plus a pass through older pages to improve cross-linking between related content.
N-08Build Log: Week 7
Totally Osaka's week 7 update: a 3-day itinerary, a budget framework, Ise Jingu, and a guide to choosing between the site's day trips.
N-09Build Log: Week 8
Totally Osaka's week 8 update: two new districts, two Stay guides on accessibility and pets, and a Culture guide to Sakai's tea ceremony and cutlery history.
N-10Build Log: Week 9
Totally Osaka's week 9 update: the Sakai kofun tombs day trip promised last week, two rail pass guides, and konbini food.
N-11Build Log: Week 10
Totally Osaka's week 10 update: a rainy-day connector guide, Osaka vs Tokyo culture comparison, hotel check-in norms, and connections beyond Osaka.
N-12Build Log: Week 11
Totally Osaka's week 11 update: Juso's local izakaya district, tachinomi standing bars, Wakayama City, and Japan-specific hotel booking platforms.
N-13Build Log: Week 12
Totally Osaka's week 12 update: emergency and health basics, useful Osaka-ben phrases, a photography spots guide, and the Yamazaki whisky distillery.
N-15Build Log: Week 13
Totally Osaka's week 13 update: the Hanshin Tigers and Koshien Stadium, a Kansai Airport layover guide, and the site's first public roadmap page.
N-16Build Log: Week 14
Totally Osaka's week 14 update: Takarazuka Revue, Abeno district, fugu dining, hotel booking timing, and a technical fix to how the sitemap reports page dates.
N-17Build Log: Week 15
Totally Osaka's week 15 update: Tsuruhashi Koreatown, yakiniku, drone rules, and a new page explaining the site's research and fact-checking approach.
N-18Build Log: Week 16
Totally Osaka's week 16 update: Uji's matcha and Byodo-in Temple, a ryokan etiquette guide, Shinto vs Buddhism explained, and an independence policy page.
N-19Build Log: Week 17
Totally Osaka's week 17 update: the site's first Japanese pages are live at /ja/, plus five new English guides.
N-20Build Log: Week 18
Week 18: keyword data reveals gaps. Five new guides on Shinsaibashi, Osaka weather, the Amazing Pass, nightlife, and shopping.
N-21Build Log: Week 19
Week 19: keyword data drives six new guides — Tengachaya (50k/month, cidx 1), Namba Parks, Kitahama, free things to do, Osaka with kids, and SIM/eSIM.
N-22Build Log: Week 20
Week 20: Lake Biwa day trip, curry udon, machiya guesthouses, and the Japanese preview grows to cover seven departments with translated hub pages.
N-23Build Log: Week 21
Week 21: a Japanese travel term glossary, the site's first accessibility statement, Namba Yasaka Shrine's lion-head stage, tempura, and self-check-in hotels.
N-24Build Log: Week 22
Week 22: Yoshino's mountain of cherry trees, Mount Rokko's night view, a tea ceremony experience guide, and a press page for About.
N-25Build Log: Week 23
Week 23: a night views and illuminations guide, omamori/ema/omikuji explained, Shin-Imamiya district, Japanese breakfast, and hotel service charges.
N-26Build Log: Week 24
Week 24: a dedicated Himeji Castle guide, the Hozugawa river boat ride, Japanese New Year customs, and a translation notes page for the Japanese site.
N-27Build Log: Week 25
Week 25: Horie's design district, the Cup Noodles Museum in Ikeda, taiyaki and imagawayaki street snacks, and a guide for business travellers.
N-28Build Log: Week 26
Week 26: Kinosaki Onsen, Osaka's historical nicknames, beer and craft beer, luggage storage — and a look back at six months of weekly growth.
N-29Build Log: Week 27
Week 27: a Minami vs Kita comparison guide, Osaka Business Park next to the castle, and street performers around Dotonbori.
N-30Build Log: Week 28
Week 28: Mount Kongo hiking, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Osaka, vending machines and gacha culture, and quiet neighbourhoods to base a trip.
N-31Build Log: Week 29
Week 29: kabuki at Shochikuza, tea beyond matcha, a gardens and parks connector, tourist scam awareness — and every travel department now sits at 21 guides.
N-32Build Log: Week 30
Week 30: Tamatsukuri's kimono district, romantic spots for couples, honeymoon stays, fruit parfait culture, and omotenashi hospitality explained.
N-33Build Log: Week 31
Week 31: Hikone Castle, one of Japan's twelve original castle keeps, an overview of Nishi Ward, and how to read an izakaya menu.
N-34Build Log: Week 32
Week 32: Japan's public holiday calendar, currency exchange options, booking for large groups, and the Japanese zodiac cycle.
New news guides are added every week. See the update log →