Osaka
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. With an estimated population of 2,816,247 as of October 1, 2025, it is the largest component of the Keihanshin metropolitan area, the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th-largest urban area in the world with more than 19 million inhabitants.
Typical weather
1981–presentCity Rhythm
measuredOpening hours, by kind of place
median across mapped venuesVital absurdities
measured · the Anti-AwardsSame time system
by rhythmWhat to do each season
4winter
mild and relatively dry; openmeteo mean 2.5-5.0 °C (Wikipedia January average high 9.7 °C); the driest months (Jan-Feb ~1.9-2.6 mm/day); snow rare
- the mild dry winter — the Osaka International Ladies Marathon (late January) and the Tōka-Ebisu festival (Jan 9-10)
- the underground arcades (Tenjinbashi-suji, the Umeda subterranean network) carry daytime life out of the cold
spring
warming; openmeteo mean 6.8-16.9 °C; relatively dry before the tsuyu; the cherry-blossom window
- the blossom season and the Shōryō-e festival (April 22); the comfortable window for Osaka Castle Park and the riverbanks
- the lead-in to the tsuyu rainy season (avg start June 7)
summer
hot and very humid; openmeteo mean 20.9-25.7 °C (Wikipedia August average high 33.7 °C, nighttime low ~25.8); the tsuyu rainy season (early Jun–late Jul, Jun wettest 7.8 mm/day), then oppressive August heat
- the Tenjin Matsuri (July 24-25), Aizen Matsuri (Jun 30-Jul 2) and Sumiyoshi Matsuri (Jul 30-Aug 1) — the summer festival cluster around the rivers and shrines
- life shifts after dark and into the air-conditioned arcades; the Haru Basho spring sumo aside, summer is the outdoor-festival season
autumn
cooling; openmeteo mean 10.4-22.2 °C; a second rainy period in Sep–early Oct (Sep 7.5 mm/day) from typhoons; clear mild weather into November
- typhoon-season rain in Sep–early Oct; then the clear mild autumn — the Midosuji Parade (October) and the autumn foliage along the Midōsuji boulevard
What it is known for
Important moments in a year
Tenjin Matsuri
- the Tenjin Matsuri at Osaka Tenmangū — one of Japan's most famous festivals
- a river procession and fireworks
Haru Basho Sumo
- the Haru Basho (Spring Tournament) — one of professional sumo's six annual tournaments, at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Osaka Ladies Marathon
- the Osaka International Ladies Marathon — from Nagai Stadium through Nakanoshima, Midōsuji and Osaka Castle park
Aizen Matsuri
- the Aizen Matsuri at Shōman-in Temple — Japan's 'first summer festival'
On the record
source-trackedOsaka is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons.
Summers are very hot and humid. In August, the hottest month, the average daily high temperature reaches 33.7 °C. Average nighttime low temperatures typically hover around 25.8 °C.
Osaka has a second rainy period in September and early October, when tropical weather systems, including typhoons, coming from the south or southwest are possible.
Author Michael Booth and food critic François Simon of Le Figaro have suggested that Osaka is the food capital of the world.
Osakans' love for the culinary is made apparent in the old saying 'Kyotoites are financially ruined by overspending on clothing, Osakans are ruined by spending on food.'
Osaka has the longest [shōtengai arcade] in the country. The Tenjinbashi-suji arcade stretches … for 2.6 km going north to south.
Ikuno, with its Tsuruhashi district, is the home to one of the largest population of Korean residents in Japan, with 20,397 registered Zainichi Koreans.
The Osaka Metro system alone ranks 8th in the world by annual passenger ridership, serving over 912 million people annually.
Greater Osaka has an extensive network of railway lines, comparable to that of Greater Tokyo.
Osaka is home to the Osaka Exchange and the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp.
The Kamagasaki slums are the largest slum in Japan.
The method behind this atlas — 196 pp. Not published yet.