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Festivals and Events
Wearable Art for Osaka Art and Design 2025 by Polish fashion designer Joanna Hawrot, whose characteristic style is a combination of futuristic and style elements. Image supplied.
Osaka Art and Design 2025
By Geoffrey Williams and Wires
As World Expo 2025 in Osaka draws the world's attention to Japan’s second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo, the city is poised to reveal even more of its celebrated and innovative spirit. Between 28 May and 24 June 2025, Osaka Art and Design 2025 (OAD2025) will run parallel to the Expo, transforming the city's urban space into an art gallery.
Under the theme ‘Overlaps – Converging Passions’, OAD2025 – a collaboration of major Japanese department stores and railway companies – will see more than 60 venues across the city's neighbourhoods of Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba, and Abeno host more than 600 creators from Japan and around the world. 650,000 locals and international visitors are expected to visit and interact with the art, design, and innovation that OAD2025 has woven into everyday spaces.
Osaka Art and Design 2025 will transform the city's urban spaces into an art gallery. Image supplied.
OAD2025 is a citywide event where you can stroll through the streets of Osaka and encounter art and design unlike anything you’ve seen before. Visitors will experience a diverse world of creativity, ranging from thought-provoking pieces that stir the imagination to enthralling design objects that beautifully combine function and aesthetics. In this city – alive with people forming bonds through vivid and dynamic exchanges – a new creative movement is taking shape.
Produced by the event’s founder, Akio Aoki, OAD2025 will showcase Osaka's energy, ingenuity, and creativity to the world and inspire visitors to discover art in unexpected places. Even Osaka's famous nightlife will benefit from the festival, with bar exhibitions and talks planned across the city. “It's an incredible honour to bring this citywide event to life”, Aoki tells The Solo Traveller. “Through OAD2025, I hope visitors from around the globe will find excitement and inspiration in Osaka's creativity and find reasons to return and continue their discovery of the city's art and design scene.”
Geoffrey Williams is the Founder and Publishing Curator of The Solo Traveller. Wires include international news agencies and public relations representatives, published here with The Solo Traveller editorial oversight.
Osaka at a glance
Our quick-and-cheeky solo traveller’s guide to Japan’s friendliest big city.
Nickname: The Nation’s Kitchen
Translation: If it’s edible, grilled or skewered, it’s probably delicious here.
Solo tip: Don’t be shy about eating alone – Osaka is famous for its food-loving culture, and many restaurants are designed for solo diners. Pull up a stool at a takoyaki stand or okonomiyaki grill and dive in.
Language: Kansai-ben (aka, Japan’s sassiest dialect)
Solo tip: Don’t worry if you don’t understand the punchlines, just laugh along. People here are warm, witty, and often louder than Tokyo folk. Locals are famously friendly and open to conversation – even with a language barrier. A smile and a simple “sumimasen” (excuse me) can spark a connection on a train or in a queue.
Vibe: Less Tokyo chic, more “grab a beer and let’s talk about life”.
Solo tip: You can exhale here. Osaka is a city where you can show up as you are. It’s less formal than Tokyo, a great place to build confidence navigating Japan independently, and it’s one of the easiest places in Japan to relax, so go with the flow.
Landmark: Osaka Castle – all glamour and no ego
Solo tip: Take the long walk through the park to get there. It’s like a meditation disguised as sightseeing. Go early or late to enjoy the grounds in relative quiet. Bring a snack, sit by the moat, and people-watch with a sense of calm amid the city bustle.
Nightlife: Big, bold, bright. Welcome to Dotonbori.
Solo tip: You might feel like a glowing noodle in a neon soup, but that’s part of the charm. You’re not lost; you’re just exploring with flair. Dotonbori can feel overwhelming alone, but it’s also one of the safest places to wander after dark. Stick to well-lit areas and follow the food.
Recharge zone: Osaka’s underground malls (yes, really!)
Solo tip: If crowds or weather get too much, retreat into Osaka’s extensive underground shopping arcades. Great for regrouping without giving up your spirit for exploring. Escape the sun, rain, or your own overthinking with an air-conditioned wander beneath the city. Bonus: lots of snacks.
Wild card: Universal Studios Japan – childhood joy, unlocked!
Solo tip: Go solo, ride everything with zero guilt, and skip the queues like a legend using the single-rider line. It’s one of the few theme parks in the world where going solo doesn’t feel strange – many locals do it, and the single-rider lines are blissfully short.