What to Do in Osaka & Kyoto in August 2024: Discover the Best of Kansai This Summer

Top Theme Parks & Attractions: Events Featuring Popular Characters & Anime like Mario, Pokémon, and NARUTO

NO LIMIT! Summer Splash Parade (Konohana Ward, Osaka)

Universal Studios Japan hosts a summer splash parade featuring Mario and his friends, Gyarados and other water-type Pokémon, Hello Kitty, Peanuts, Minions, Sesame Street, and more. The parade sees these beloved characters dousing the park with water using water guns and buckets.

This year, for the first time, entertainers will splash water even while moving, creating an even more thrilling experience. The event also includes various water effects like sprinklers and water cannons, and performances with float rings, parasols, and hula hoops.

Additionally, the “360° Soaking! Special Area” (entrance fee 1,700–2,100 yen depending on the day) allows guests to be surrounded by all the parade floats and get drenched from every direction. Be sure to wear clothes that can get wet and bring towels or raincoats.

Event Details
・Venue: Universal Studios Japan
・Dates: July 3–September 1, 2024 (subject to change)
“360° Soaking! Special Area” available until August 22
・Time: Starts at 2 PM (approx. 40 minutes)
・Cost: Participation in the event is free; USJ admission ticket required (price varies by day)
・Phone: 0570-20-0606

WIZARDING WORLD and all related trademarks, characters, names, and indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Publishing Rights © JKR.
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2024 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
© Nintendo
©2024 Pokémon. ©1995-2024 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.
TM and © 2024 Sesame Workshop
© 2024 Peanuts Worldwide LLC
© 2024 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
TM & © Universal Studios. All rights reserved.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Pokémon Extracurricular Lessons in Shima Spain Village (Shima City, Mie Prefecture)

Shima Spain Village is hosting a special event, “Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Pokémon Extracurricular Lessons in Shima Spain Village.” This event is inspired by the Nintendo Switch game “Pokémon Scarlet & Violet” (Pokémon S&V), as the game’s Paldea region resembles the ambiance of Shima Spain Village. At the Mayo Plaza, surrounded by orange walls, you’ll find the Battle Court from the in-game city of Mesagoza. Additionally, over 70 Pokémon, including Pikachu and Sprigatito, will appear throughout the park.

Visitors can purchase the “Gimmighoul Search Book” for 1,500 yen at Maestro in Mayo Plaza, which provides clues to find hidden Pokémon “Gimmighoul” around the park and earn special goods.

Event Details
・Venue: Shima Spain Village
・Dates: June 29–September 23, 2024
・Times: Shima Spain Village opening hours vary by date
・Cost: Free (Park admission fee required: Adults 5,700 yen; check the website for details)
・Phone: 0599-57-3333 (9:30 AM–5:00 PM, until 8:00 PM during night operations)

Nijigen no Mori Summer Water Style Festival 2024: Activate the Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu (Awaji City, Hyogo)

At “Nijigen no Mori,” a unique theme park in Hyogo Prefectural Awajishima Park that combines anime, technology, and nature, the popular attraction “NARUTO & BORUTO Shinobizato” is hosting a special summer event where you can get soaked. Participants will be taught the hand signs needed to activate the “Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu” in a designated area in front of the Hokage Rock. This interactive event requires cooperation with the staff to perform 44 hand signs, aiming to activate the jutsu and unleash a 50-liter splash of water, giving participants a real ninja experience. Successful participants will receive an original Suiryu Water Festival sticker as a memento. Be sure to bring a change of clothes, as you will get wet, and inform the staff if you wish to participate.

Event Details
・Venue: Nijigen no Mori
・Dates: July 6–September 1, 2024
・Times: 10 AM–10 PM (last entry at 8 PM)
・Cost: Free (separate attraction admission ticket required)

Fireworks, Bonfires, and Lantern Festivals: Enjoy Summer Nights with Traditional Events

36th Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival (Yodogawa Ward, Osaka)

(Photo: PIXTA)

The Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival, an iconic summer event in Osaka, is held along the Yodogawa River. Attracting about 450,000 visitors last year, this year’s 36th edition promises to be just as spectacular.

The 2024 theme is “RISE: Soaring Fireworks to the World,” featuring a program divided into five scenes. The event kicks off with the “Sunrise: Rising Up” scene, showcasing kaleidoscope and mirror ball-inspired fireworks. The finale, themed “Leap: Jumping Up,” will feature impressive underwater fireworks blooming on the river’s surface. There are various paid viewing options, including seats with bento boxes and seats on a summer night cruise. Food stalls will be located near Juso Station (upstream of Yodogawa: between Juso Bypass and Nishi-Nakajima Station/Shin-Midousuji area) and Tsukamoto Station (downstream of Yodogawa: between JR Kobe Line Shin-Yodogawa Bridge and National Route 2). Additional stalls will be available in the paid viewing area.

Event Details
・Venue: Yodogawa Riverside
・Date: August 3, 2024 (Saturday) *Held in light rain; canceled in heavy rain
・Time: 7:30 PM–8:30 PM
・Cost: Free (all paid viewing seats are sold out)

2024 Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival (Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture)

The Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival, held over the waters of Otsu Port in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, offers a breathtaking display as fireworks burst over Lake Biwa, illuminating both the night sky and the lake’s surface.

This year’s theme, “The Unchanging Seasons of Omi from Time Immemorial,” showcases the beauty of Shiga’s four seasons. The event begins with a prologue featuring 3-shaku dama (8.5 cm diameter) fireworks soaring 120 meters above the lake. Subsequent displays represent Shiga’s vibrant seasons, such as “Spring ~Awakening Mist~,” vividly depicting the essence of spring. The grand finale features the festival’s signature underwater starmine fireworks.

With around 10,000 fireworks launched, the 2023 festival attracted approximately 300,000 visitors. The venue includes the lakeside area around Otsu Bay, Nagisa Park, and is a 15-minute walk from JR Otsu Station or a 5-minute walk from Keihan Electric Railway’s Biwako-Hamaotsu Station.

Event Details
・Venue: Waters around Otsu Port, Shiga Prefecture
・Date: August 8, 2024; held in light rain, canceled in severe weather
・Time: 7:30 PM–8:30 PM
・Cost: Tickets for the lakeside green space near Piazza Omi are 4,800 yen; other options available

Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi (Daimonji) (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto)

(Photo: PIXTA)

Held annually on August 16, Kyoto’s Gozan no Okuribi (Daimonji) is a traditional summer event where the spirits of ancestors, welcomed back during Obon, are sent off. Five mountains in Kyoto are lit up with predetermined characters or shapes, starting at 8 PM. The flames form “Dai” on Nyoigatake (Daimonji-yama) in the Higashiyama area, followed by “Myo” on Nishiyama in the Matsugasaki area, “Ho” on Higashiyama, a boat shape on Funayama in the Nishigamo area, “Dai” (left-side Daimonji) on Nyoigatake in the Okitayama area, and finally, a torii shape on Mandara-yama in the Saga area. These bonfires symbolize sending the spirits back to the afterlife. All five fires are registered as intangible folk cultural assets of Kyoto City.

Event Details
・Venue: Five locations in Kyoto City, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto Prefecture
・Date: August 16, 2024
・Time: Starts at 8 PM (lighting in sequence) *Time may change due to weather conditions
・Cost: Free

Dotonbori River Lantern Festival 2024 (Chuo Ward, Osaka)

Lanterns will be installed along the Tonbori Riverwalk, a 800-meter promenade along the Dotonbori River, from Fukari Bridge (Yotsubashi-suji) to Nipponbashi (Sakai-suji). The Dotonbori River Lantern Festival, which began in 1999 to revitalize Osaka Minami, features 1,629 lanterns this year, collected from local shops, businesses, and public submissions via the internet. The lanterns display names of local businesses and stores, as well as personalized messages like favorite idol group names and supportive messages for the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

The reflections of neon lights from the stores and the glow of the lanterns create an especially festive atmosphere. Besides strolling along the promenade, consider taking the Tonbori River Cruise, a 20-minute guided mini-cruise passing under nine bridges along the Dotonbori River.

Event Details
・Venue: Tonbori Riverwalk, Dotonbori River (between Fukari Bridge and Nipponbashi)
・Dates: July 1–August 31, 2024
・Times: 7 PM–2 AM
・Cost: Free

Seasonal Flower Events: Hydrangeas, Roses & Sunflowers

SIKI Garden Summer Season (Kobe City, Hyogo)

The SIKI Garden Flower Event is held at the ROKKO Forest Sound Museum on Mt. Rokko in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. The garden features early summer flowers such as hydrangeas, roses, and lilies. Located on Mt. Rokko, the temperature is about 5°C (9°F) cooler than the city, allowing the hydrangeas to bloom about a month later than in the city. Due to frequent rain and fog on Mt. Rokko, the flowers exhibit more vibrant colors.

During the event, over 20 varieties and 350 bushes of hydrangeas, as well as more than 1,000 lilies, will be in bloom. Roses planted to blend with the surrounding landscape will also be in full bloom, similarly blooming about a month later than those in the city.

*Please note that blooming conditions may vary depending on the weather. For the latest updates, check the event’s social media.

Event Details
・Venue: SIKI Garden, ROKKO Forest Sound Museum
・Dates: June 22–August 23, 2024
・Times: 10 AM–5 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM); August 11–15: 9 AM–5 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM)
・Closed: Thursdays from June 27–July 18, 2024, during the event period
・Cost: Adults (junior high school students and older) 1,500 yen; Children (ages 4 to elementary school) 750 yen

Kobe Rokko Meets Art 2024 Beyond (Rokko Town, Hyogo)

Misa FUNAI, ‘Peeking into the Forest, the Mountain Hole,’ 2023 / Photo: Kiyotoshi TAKASHIMA

Tourist facilities on top of Mt. Rokko serve as the main venues for the Kobe Rokko Meets Art festival, where visitors can enjoy art in an open-air environment. Since the first event in 2010, over 520 artists have participated. The theme of this year’s festival, which will be the 15th iteration, is “Find new perspectives.” By taking guests on a journey out of the confines of their daily lives, the festival aims to immerse them in new perspectives and vistas untethered by conventional thinking.

Works from more than 60 artists, the festival’s largest number ever, are scheduled to go on display. These truly unique artworks represent a diverse array of worldviews. In addition, artists from overseas have also been invited to broaden the festival’s perspective to a global scale. Three artists from Asia, a hot spot for contemporary art, will participate: Hyunmin WOO from South Korea, Khvay Samnang from Cambodia, and Waft Lab from Indonesia.

Event Details
・Period: August 24 to November 24, 2024 (*Rokkosan Silence Resort will be closed every Monday from August to October. When a holiday falls on a Monday, the resort will be closed on the following Tuesday instead.)
・Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM (*Varies depending on the venue)
・Venues: Rokko Musical Box Museum & Gardens MORINONE, Rokko Alpine Botanical Garden, Rokko Garden Terrace Area, Trail Area, Chapel of the Wind area, Rokko Cable Car (Rokko Cable Shita Station, Rokko Sanjo Station, Tenran Observatory), Rokko Arima Ropeway Rokko Sancho Station, Hyogo Prefectural Mt. Rokko Visitor Center (Memorial Monument), Rokkosan Silence Resort (formerly Rokkosan Hotel)

England Hill Sunflower Operation 2024! (Awaji City, Hyogo)

At Awaji Farm Park England Hill, located on Awaji Island, the annual “England Hill Sunflower Operation 2024!” takes place from mid-July to late August. With staggered planting across numerous locations, visitors can enjoy sunflowers throughout the event period. The main sunflower field features around 50,000 hybrid sunflowers, expected to be in full bloom by mid-August. Sunflowers will also flourish in the large flower field around the lake, the monument flower garden, and the central flowerbed.

Visitors can stroll through the sunflower road, enjoy views from the observation deck, and find various photo opportunities with heart-shaped sunflowers, swing benches, sunflower-themed photo boards, and face cut-out panels.

Event Details
・Venue: Awaji Farm Park England Hill
・Dates: Mid-July to Late August 2024 (blooming times may vary due to weather)
・Times: Weekdays 9:30 AM–5:00 PM, weekends and holidays 9:30 AM–5:30 PM (hours may vary by season; last entry 30 minutes before closing)
・Closed: Tuesdays (open during Golden Week and holidays)
・Cost: Adults (high school students and older) 1,200 yen; Children (ages 4 to junior high school) 400 yen

Projection Mapping Events

NAKED Summer Festival 2024 at World Heritage Site Nijo Castle (Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto)

Creative company NAKED, INC. presents a nighttime summer festival event at Nijo Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Kyoto. This event combines cutting-edge technology with various art experiences to offer an immersive celebration of Japanese summer. Highlights include a projection mapping display of fireworks on the 75-meter stone wall of the inner moat and a special announcement video about the recently reopened Honmaru Goten, which is being publicly displayed for the first time in 18 years.

Additionally, there will be digital-integrated festival stalls in the front garden of the Kitchen (a designated Important Cultural Property), offering activities like shooting games, super ball scooping, and yo-yo fishing. A collaboration area with the movie “Summer Wars,” celebrating its 15th anniversary, will also be featured. The Ninomaru Goten (a National Treasure), Karamon Gate (an Important Cultural Property), and Ninomaru Garden (a Special Place of Scenic Beauty) will be illuminated as well.

Event Details
・Venue: Former Imperial Villa Nijo Castle, Kyoto
・Dates: July 26–August 25, 2024
・Times: 6:30 PM–10:00 PM (last entry at 9:20 PM)
・Cost: Early bird tickets: 1,400 yen (Fri, Sat, Sun, holidays: 1,800 yen) for middle school students and above, 600 yen (Fri, Sat, Sun, holidays: 1,000 yen) for elementary school students;
Same-day tickets: 1,800 yen (Fri, Sat, Sun, holidays: 2,200 yen) for middle school students and above, 1,000 yen (Fri, Sat, Sun, holidays: 1,400 yen) for elementary school students

Kyoto’s traditional event, “Kyoto Gozan no Okuribi (Daimonji),” sends off the spirits of ancestors who returned during Obon, while the “2024 Lake Biwa Great Fireworks Festival” lights up Japan’s largest lake. There are plenty of events and festivities to enjoy summer nights in Kansai. Make the most of this unique summer experience, both day and night.

(The information in this article is current as of July 2024. Please check official websites for the latest updates.)

Written by:

Kaori Kimura

Kaori Kimura is a Japanese travel writer with roughly 20 years of experience in editing and publishing travel guides. After graduating from university, she worked at a publishing company for about 10 years, specializing in travel guides. She has undertaken numerous assignments both internationally, including in places like Paris, France, and Taiwan, as well as domestically in areas such as Hokkaido and Kyushu. Following this, she lived in Guangzhou, China for about two years as an expatriate spouse and contributed to local media, writing on economics and travel guides. Upon returning to Japan, she gained experience in editing and writing for web media. A key strength of hers is her involvement in creating travel guide articles for both inbound and outbound tourism. She possesses the highest level (HSK-6) of the standardized Chinese language proficiency test, level 2 in Japan’s French language test, and EIKEN Grade Pre-1.