As October ushers out typhoon season along with high temps and muggy summer weather, it’s the perfect time to take a trip to Osaka. The pleasantly sunny days and cool evenings are the perfect conditions for outdoor events in Osaka, with festivals for ramen lovers, Japanese craft beer enthusiasts, and kitchen gadget geeks alike taking place during October. And with Halloween looming, Osaka events in October include spooky haunted attractions and sweet treats that lurk just around the corner.
While you’re in Osaka, known as “The Nation’s Kitchen,” find out about the not-to-be-missed Osaka food in What to Eat in Osaka: The Kitchen of Japan. Or browse food experiences in Osaka for food tours, cooking classes, and dining experiences!
Osaka Events in October 2019
- Conrad Osaka Halloween Sweets Buffet
- Hilton Osaka Halloween Sweets Buffet
- Universal Surprise Halloween at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka
- Ramen Girls Festival Osaka
- Nagai Botanical Garden Autumn Rose Week
- Osaka Kitchen Street (Sennichimae Doguyasuji) Festival
- Osaka Castle Craft Beer Holiday
- Dotonbori Cosplay Festival Halloween Special
- Osaka Mecha Happy Festival
- Kilorun Osaka
1. Conrad Osaka Halloween Sweets Buffet 2019
The annual Halloween Sweets Buffet at Conrad Hotel is pouncing back on the scene this October in Osaka with a spooktacular leopard theme in collaboration with fashion designer Teruaki Takahashi. Guests who come wearing the fierce print will receive a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne. The roster of 20 decadent desserts includes banana and chocolate leopard pound cake, chocolate cream and hazelnut praline choux cream, raspberry and strawberry “blood shots,” pumpkin cake with pumpkin cream, and lime tarts with ghost meringue. For those who aren’t too keen on sweets, there are also 10 types of savory items, along with tea and coffee to enjoy.
Dates: September 1 – October 31, 2019
Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Price: Adult ¥4700, Child (6-12 years old) ¥2350
Location: Conrad Osaka Atmos Dining 40F
Website: https://www.conradosaka.jp/plans/restaurants/sweets/atmos_1909
2. Hilton Osaka Halloween Sweets Buffet
Jump down the rabbit hole and join the Mad Tea Party at the Hilton Osaka in October. This Alice in Wonderland-themed Halloween dessert buffet features delights like the Mad Hatter's Hat Cake with chestnut cream and pear compote, "Drink Me" Tapioca Soup, and fudgy Nightmare Brownies with walnuts and berry sauce. The best dressed guest will receive a special gift, so come in costume as your favorite Alice in Wonderland character. Let loose, we're all mad here!
Dates: September 4 – October 31, 2019
Time:
Monday-Friday 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Weekends & Holidays: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm or 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Price:
Monday-Friday: Adults ¥3900, Child (4-11 years) ¥1950
Weekends & Holidays: Adults ¥4200, Child (4-11 years) ¥2100
Location: Hilton Osaka Folk Kitchen 2F
Website: https://www.hiltonosaka.com/plans/restaurants/sweets/folkkitchen_1909
3. Universal Surprise Halloween at Universal Studios Japan (USJ) in Osaka
Visit Universal Studios Japan and choose from three very different themes: Halloween Horror Nights, Otona Halloween for adults, and Kowa Kawa (“scary and cute”) Halloween for kids.
Halloween Horror Nights offers heart-pounding experiences. Enter Area 51 and be transported to an alien-invested dimension, face the Cult of Chucky, join a supernatural dance party, survive a biohazard, and get chased by a horde of zombies out for brainsss! For a more sophisticated evening, Otona Halloween includes a spooky stroll through the labyrinthine cursed rose garden, specialty cocktails in Albert Lounge, a gourmet dinner party at a haunted mansion, and a blood-soaked theater experience. The kids will have just as much fun during the Kowa Kawa Halloween, which includes trick-or-treating in the park, a colorful parade featuring their favorite characters, candy showers, and entertainers with a few tricks (and treats) up their sleeves!
Dates: September – November 4, 2019
Time/Price: See website for event start times and prices
Location: Universal Studios Japan
Website: https://www.usj.co.jp/e/halloween2019/
4. Ramen Girls Festival Osaka
The Ramen Girls Festival takes the intimidation out of ramen shops, usually perceived as male-dominated spaces (like the notorious Ramen Jiro), and encourages women to feel comfortable going out for a solo bowl of ramen. But if you don't identify as female, don’t be dissuaded by the name. While there is a women-only area, the festival welcomes people of all genders to come and slurp down some noodles. Twenty famous ramen shops from all across Japan have been selected, many with original menus and limited toppings just for this event, so you can get a taste of gotochi ramen (Japan’s regional ramen) without even splurging on a Shinkansen ticket.
Dates: October 3-14, 2019
Time: 11:00 am – 10:00 pm
Price: Free admission. All ramen are ¥900 (extra for toppings) and a ¥500 fast pass lets you skip the lines.
Location: Nagai Park Free Space
Website: http://www.ramengirls-fes.com/
5. Nagai Botanical Garden Autumn Rose Week
Envelop your senses at Nagai Botanical Garden during Autumn Rose Week, featuring around 200 varieties of blooming roses. Appreciate these elegant blossoms as the delicate scent of rose wafts over you, then visit the Log House for a free Rose Hip Tea Service, held on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Various other events are held around the garden, like a workshop with a rose cultivation researcher and guided tours. With tunes from local brass bands drifting through the rose gardens, spend a relaxing day at Nagai Botanical Garden, seeing, smelling, and tasting autumn roses.
Dates: October 5-20, 2019
Time: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Price: Free for junior high students and younger, and Osaka residents of 65 years or older; ¥200 for adults
Location: Nagai Botanical Garden
Website: https://www.nagai-park.jp/events/22851
6. Osaka Kitchen Street (Sennichimae Doguyasuji) Festival
The shops of Sennichimae Doguyasuji are opening their doors and showing off their kitchenware during this cutting-edge (literally, the area has a history of samurai swordsmiths-turned-knifemakers) festival. The spectacles of the day include 3D printing demonstrations, matcha and houjicha latte art, and the world’s largest taiyaki, a fish-shaped cake filled with sweet red bean. Children, too, have lots to enjoy, from being wowed by realistic food samples to trying their hand at glass art. With lots of kitchen tools on sale at Osaka Kitchen Street, come and grab a bargain!
Date: October 6, 2019
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Price: Free
Location: Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai
Website: https://www.doguyasuji.or.jp/
7. Osaka Castle Craft Beer Holiday
This selection of craft beer from 21 Japanese beer breweries will make you feel like Christmas came early! The Osaka Castle Craft Beer Holiday features beers from Far Yeast Brewing Co., Shiroyama Brewery, Baird Brewing, North Island Beer, and Kyoto Brewing, to name a few. Enjoy full-size glasses of your favorite craft beer, or half-size glasses if you’d like to try a little bit of everything. To accompany a refreshing cold one, fuel up with something crunchy and deep-fried, smokey and grilled, or a sweet treat! With over a dozen food stands selling dishes like miso sausage, fish and chips, kushikatsu, korokke, fried shrimp, and gumbo, you can find the perfect pairing for your beer.
Dates: October 11-14, 2019
Time: (10/11) 2:00 – 9:00 pm, (10/12-10/13) 11:00 am – 9:00 pm, (10/14) 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Price: ¥3200 (advance ticket), ¥3600 (same-day ticket)*
Location: Osakajo Koenmae Plaza
Website: https://www.yte.co.jp/beerholiday/
*The advance ticket and same-day ticket both include 7 food and drink tickets and the original beer glass, which guests may take home. Guests may also purchase additional food and drink tickets for ¥1100. 1 ticket purchases a half-size glass, while 2 tickets purchases a full-size.
8. Dotonbori Cosplay Festival Halloween Special 2019
While the Dotonbori Cosplay Festival is held in Osaka in October, December, and March every year, Halloween lends this one a particularly festive and spooky atmosphere. Acosta facilitates the event, providing changing rooms, photographers, and photo backdrops, as well as discounts and freebies from local affiliated businesses. The Tombori Riverwalk also provides a scenic photo taking spot for cosplayers, while the Tombori River Cruise glides along the Dotonbori canal, giving a 20-minute crash course on the landmarks and hidden gems in the area. There will also be various performances during the Cosplay Dance Entertainment Festival on October 12th. So, don the garb of your favorite character, hop in on the action at game centers, and grab some local Osaka street food!
Dates: October 12-13, 2019
Time: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm
Price: ¥1800 (advance ticket), ¥2000 (same-day ticket)
Location: Dotonbori
Website: http://acosta.jp/event/19101213dotonbori/
9. Osaka Mecha Happy Festival
The Osaka Mecha Happy Festival is an annual event in Osaka, a dance festival that takes place all over the city, with performances ranging from hip hop to traditional yosakoi. Now in its 20th year, the festival was started with the aim of encouraging Osaka’s youth to experience group collaboration through dancing. This year, around 60 brightly costumed dance teams will compete with spectacular and spirited performances of contemporary and traditional dance. Taking place at 5 locations across Osaka, street performances can be enjoyed at no charge, while the main venue at Osaka Castle Hall has an admission fee of ¥300 yen for unreserved seats and ¥1000 for reserved.
https://japancheapo.com/events/osaka-mecha-happy-festival/
Date: October 14, 2019
Time: 10 am – 8:30 pm (varies by venue)
Price: Free at most venues except Osaka Castle Hall - ¥300 (unreserved seats) ¥1000 (reserved seats)
Location: Locations across Osaka, with the main venue at Osaka Castle Hall
Website: http://mechahappi.com/
10. Kilorun Osaka 2019
An event for competitive runners and eaters alike, the success of the Kilorun is measured by kilograms as well as kilometers! During this running festival that originated in Thailand, the apron-clad Kilorun participants try to pack on weight, eating tasty local dishes as they dash between landmarks, wearing red aprons.
The Kilorun includes two events: the Breakfast Run (measured by kilometers) and the Delicious Run (measured by kilograms), both taking place around Osaka Castle its neighboring attractions. The Breakfast Run has two routes, the 5 km “M Run” and the 10 km “L Run,” at the end of which participants will be treated to Thai gapao rice. For those who are more keen on straining their bellies than their legs, the 3 km Delicious Run includes a scenic route around the city and several food stops, culminating in a final weigh in where the runners who gain the most weight will receive a medal. The winners of the events will be awarded round trip tickets between Osaka and Bangkok.
Date: October 22, 2019
Time: 7:00 am – 3:10 pm (L Run starts at 9:00 am, M Run at 8:00 am, & Delicious Run at 12:30 pm)
Price: M Run ¥3100, L Run ¥3400, Delicious Run ¥6800, M Run + Delicious Run ¥8900, L Run + Delicious Run ¥9200
Location: Osaka Castle Park
Website: https://www.eventpop.me/e/5767-kilorunosaka2019
So, if you’re looking for Osaka events in October 2019, fill your calendar with these Halloween-themed sweets buffets, food festivals, dance performances, cosplay events, and haunted attractions. Get spooked at Universal Studios, eat your way around Osaka during the Kilorun, or meditate on the fragrance of rose hip tea in a charming garden. During October in Osaka, there’s something for everyone.
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