A Spicy Tour Through Osaka
Ride the Metro and discover Osaka one bowl at a time. SPICE DIVE! OSAKA transforms the city into a culinary adventure with 21 participating restaurants, exclusive katsu-inspired spice curry, and a digital stamp rally running throughout the summer.
Osaka is widely regarded as Japan’s spice curry capital, and this summer SPICE DIVE! OSAKA invites visitors to discover the city one plate at a time. Created by Osaka Metro as part of its ongoing city discovery events, the annual campaign encourages people to use the subway network to explore Osaka’s neighborhoods through one of the city’s signature foods. Rather than gathering in a single venue, SPICE DIVE! transforms neighborhoods across Osaka into one giant culinary trail, inviting diners to ride the Metro between participating restaurants while discovering districts they might otherwise never visit. Like the Osaka Metro discovery campaigns we’ve featured previously, the journey becomes just as rewarding as the destination.
This year’s campaign runs from June 15 through August 16 and features 21 restaurants serving exclusive katsu-inspired spice curry creations. Part culinary adventure and part digital stamp rally, SPICE DIVE! OSAKA invites visitors to explore Osaka one Metro stop at a time using the free e METRO app. Along the way, they collect digital stamps at participating restaurants, earn prize entries, and discover neighborhoods they might otherwise never have explored.
Restaurants are divided into three participation styles—Always Available, Weekly Limited, and the rotating Katsu Curry Ekiden—ensuring that every Metro ride offers another opportunity to discover a different neighborhood and another unique take on Osaka’s signature dish.
Unlike traditional Japanese curry, Osaka’s spice curry is lighter, more aromatic, and built around layers of carefully balanced spices rather than a thick roux. Many restaurants offer aigake—two or more curries served on the same plate—allowing diners to compare different flavors in a single meal. Others create their own signature blends featuring keema, seasonal vegetables, seafood, or, for this year’s campaign, inventive katsu curry combinations that showcase each chef’s individual style.
SPICE DIVE! works because Osaka is remarkably easy to explore. Within just a few Metro stops, visitors can move from bustling commercial districts to quiet residential neighborhoods, discovering independent cafés and curry shops tucked into side streets that many tourists never encounter. The digital stamp rally adds another layer of fun, turning every meal into part of a citywide scavenger hunt while rewarding participants with prize drawings and exclusive campaign merchandise.
Whether you’re chasing every digital stamp or simply looking for an excuse to try a few new restaurants, SPICE DIVE! OSAKA offers one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the city. It’s a celebration of Osaka’s creativity, neighborhood culture, and love of spice curry—one station, one neighborhood, and one unforgettable plate at a time.
A Citywide Curry Adventure – Explore 21 restaurants across Osaka by Metro, discovering neighborhoods one stop at a time.
Exclusive Katsu Curry Creations – Sample limited-edition spice curry dishes created especially for the 2026 campaign.
Digital Stamp Rally – Collect stamps through the e METRO app, earn prize entries, and turn every meal into part of the adventure.
Osaka’s Spice Curry Culture – Experience the city that helped define Japan’s modern spice curry movement through its independent restaurants.
Discover the City Like a Local – Ride the subway beyond the usual sightseeing districts and uncover hidden cafés, local neighborhoods, and unforgettable flavors.
Photos: Osaka Metro, Osaka Scene
Maps
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
PICE DIVE! OSAKA is a citywide event connected by the Osaka Metro network rather than a single festival venue. Participants can begin their culinary adventure from virtually any Metro line or station, making it easy to join whether you’re staying in Umeda, Namba, Shinsaibashi, Tennoji, or elsewhere in the city.
The 21 participating restaurants are spread across Osaka, encouraging visitors to ride the Metro between neighborhoods while discovering new cafés, local districts, and some of the city’s best spice curry restaurants. There is no required route—simply choose your first stop and let the city guide the rest of your journey.
An interactive map showing participating restaurants and the nearest stations is available on the official campaign website:
https://metro9.osaka/lp/spicecurry26/
SCHEDULE
The 2026 campaign runs from June 15 through August 16, 2026, allowing participants to complete the stamp rally over two months at their own pace.
Restaurants participate in one of three ways:
- Always Available – Nine restaurants serve their campaign curry throughout the event.
- Weekly Limited – Three restaurants offer their special menu only on designated days of the week.
- Katsu Curry Ekiden – Nine restaurants rotate weekly, creating new opportunities to explore different neighborhoods throughout the campaign.
Restaurant opening hours vary by location. Check the official campaign website before visiting.
TICKETS
Participation in SPICE DIVE! OSAKA is free.
Visitors simply purchase food and drinks at each participating restaurant while collecting digital stamps through the free e METRO app or the campaign website.
Every two stamps earned qualify participants for a prize drawing, while a separate Instagram campaign offers additional limited-edition prizes.
Official campaign website:
https://metro9.osaka/lp/spicecurry26/
e METRO:
https://emetroapp.osakametro.co.jp/
THE EXPERIENCE
SPICE DIVE! OSAKA turns one of the city’s favorite foods into a summer-long adventure. Instead of visiting a single festival venue, participants explore Osaka neighborhood by neighborhood, discovering independent curry shops while traveling across the city by Metro.
- Visit 21 participating spice curry restaurants across Osaka.
- Sample exclusive katsu-inspired dishes created for the 2026 campaign.
- Collect digital stamps and earn prize entries through the e METRO app.
- Discover neighborhoods and local cafés beyond the usual tourist routes.
- Experience why Osaka is widely regarded as Japan’s spice curry capital.
Whether you complete the entire stamp rally or simply visit a few featured restaurants, SPICE DIVE! OSAKA offers a delicious excuse to see more of the city—one Metro stop and one unforgettable plate at a time.
INFO & TIPS
Many participating restaurants are small independent establishments, so arriving outside peak lunch and dinner hours may mean shorter waits. Because some campaign restaurants operate only on selected days or rotate weekly, it’s worth checking the official campaign map before planning your route.
- Download the free e METRO app before your first stop.
- Review restaurant schedules, as participation varies throughout the campaign.
- Bring an IC card or Metro pass for convenient travel between neighborhoods.
- Many restaurants have limited seating and may sell out of popular menu items.
- Consider spreading your visits over multiple days to experience different parts of Osaka at a relaxed pace.
SPICE DIVE! OSAKA rewards curiosity as much as appetite, making it one of the most enjoyable ways to discover the city’s neighborhoods through food.
