Art & craft · Osaka and Kyoto
Japan, made by hand.
Puppets moved by three people at once. A thousand golden statues in one hall. Knife forges at the end of a tram line. Here is the art and craft you can walk to from our homes.
Museums美術館 · 8
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
大阪中之島美術館A giant black cube that opened in 2022. Modern and contemporary art and design by the river.
National Museum of Art, Osaka
国立国際美術館Almost entirely underground, entered through a sculpture of silver steel tubes. Contemporary art from Japan and abroad.
Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
大阪市立美術館Opened in 1936 inside Tennoji Park. Japanese and Chinese art in a landmark east-meets-west building.
掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsMuseum of Oriental Ceramics
大阪市立東洋陶磁美術館One of the world’s great collections of Korean and Chinese ceramics, on the island of Nakanoshima.
Abeno Harukas Art Museum
あべのハルカス美術館An art museum on the 16th floor of one of Japan’s tallest buildings, with changing exhibitions.
663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsFujita Museum
藤田美術館Home to a Yohen Tenmoku tea bowl, a starry glaze so rare only three are known to survive. Rebuilt and reopened in 2022.
Kosetsu Museum of Art
香雪美術館Tea utensils, painting and calligraphy collected by a newspaper founder, in a quiet gallery on Nakanoshima.
Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOsaka Museum of Housing and Living
大阪くらしの今昔館A full-size Edo-period Osaka street rebuilt indoors. Walk into the shops and houses, and try on a kimono.
Stage舞台 · 5
Mc681 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNational Bunraku Theatre
国立文楽劇場Bunraku puppet theatre was born in Osaka and is on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage list. Three puppeteers move each puppet together.
＋－ · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTenma Tenjin Hanjotei
天満天神繁昌亭A theatre just for rakugo, Japanese sit-down storytelling. One performer, a fan and a cloth play every role.
Tokumeigakarinoaoshima · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsOsaka Shochikuza
大阪松竹座Kabuki and big stage shows on Dotonbori, behind a 1923 arched facade.
Miyuki Meinaka · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNamba Grand Kagetsu
なんばグランド花月The home stage of Osaka comedy. Manzai double acts and slapstick shows, every day.
聖石大戦ぶぅぶぅ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsYamamoto Noh Theater
山本能楽堂A wooden Noh theatre listed as a Registered Cultural Property, known for shows made for first-timers.
Temples & shrines寺社 · 4
Shitennoji
四天王寺Founded in 593. Gate, pagoda and main hall stand in one straight line, a layout named after this temple.
Saigen Jiro · CC0 · Wikimedia CommonsSumiyoshi Taisha
住吉大社National Treasure halls in one of the oldest shrine styles in Japan, and a steep arched bridge you climb over.
KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsIsshin-ji
一心寺Buddha statues made from the ashes of devotees, and a modern gate guarded by bronze warriors. A short walk from Tsutenkaku.
Hozenji Yokocho
法善寺横丁A stone alley with a Fudo statue so often splashed with water that it is covered head to toe in moss.
Gardens庭園 · 1
Craft工芸 · 2
KENPEI · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsSakai knives
堺打刃物Sakai has forged blades since the 1500s, and many chefs in Japan still cut with them. The Hankai tram runs there.
Mc681 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDoguyasuji kitchen street
千日前道具屋筋A covered street of chef’s tools, lanterns and the plastic food samples you see in every restaurant window.
Tea & taste茶・菓 · 1
Architecture建築 · 7
Osaka Central Public Hall
大阪市中央公会堂A red-brick civic hall from 1918, now an Important Cultural Property.
Tower of the Sun
太陽の塔Taro Okamoto’s 70-metre figure from the 1970 World Expo. You can go inside.
Bergmann · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsChurch of the Light
光の教会Tadao Ando’s concrete chapel with a cross of light cut into the wall. Visits by reservation.
Osaka Castle
大坂城Hideyoshi built it in 1583. Today’s main tower dates from 1931, gold fish ornaments and all.
Umeda Sky Building
梅田スカイビルTwo towers joined at the top by a floating ring, with a recreated Showa-era street in the basement.
Mc681 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsNakanoshima Library
大阪府立中之島図書館A domed library from 1904 with a columned front, an Important Cultural Property still open for reading.
聖石大戦ぶぅぶぅ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsCreative Center Osaka
クリエイティブセンター大阪Former shipyard buildings on the waterfront, now used for art events and studios.
Festivals祭 · 2
Streets街 · 4
Dotonbori signs
道頓堀の看板The Glico Running Man has glowed here since 1935, next to giant crabs and pufferfish. Advertising as folk art.
Shinsekai retro
新世界Hand-painted signs, neon and oversized food models at the foot of Tsutenkaku.
Ogiyoshisan · Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsKitakagaya
北加賀屋A former shipbuilding district where warehouses became studios and walls became murals.
Nakazakicho
中崎町Old row houses turned into tiny galleries, cafés and vintage shops, a walk from Umeda.
Pop cultureポップカルチャー · 2
Sakai Yayoi · CC0 · Wikimedia CommonsDen Den Town
でんでんタウンOsaka’s anime, figure and retro-game street in Nipponbashi. Maid cafés included.
Mr.ちゅらさん · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsKuidaore Taro
くいだおれ太郎A drumming clown mannequin in a striped suit, Dotonbori’s most photographed resident since 1950.