Osaka News & Site Updates
A running log of what's changing in Osaka, and what we've just added to Totally Osaka.
Harvest 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 →