Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Experience autumn at Naniwa Palace with traditional music and dance, Chinese acrobatics, food stalls and cultural experiences at Chūshū Meigetsusai Osaka, a free festival celebrating Sino-Japanese culture.
When autumn moonlight stretches across the ruins of Naniwa no Miya, Osaka becomes a stage of shared culture.
Chinese acrobatics, traditional music and dance, tai chi, food stalls and hands-on cultural experiences fill the grounds of ancient Naniwa Palace for one of Osaka’s longest-running celebrations of Chinese culture.
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, known officially as Chūshū Meigetsusai Osaka, returns to the Naniwa Palace Site on October 10 and 11, bringing two days of Chinese and Japanese culture to the broad lawns just south of Osaka Castle.
The stage is one of the main attractions. Chinese and Japanese folk music and dance share the program with tai chi and Chinese acrobatics, giving visitors plenty to stop and watch as they explore the festival grounds. Around it, stalls serve Chinese and Japanese food and sell regional products and goods, while tourism displays and free experience booths add opportunities to do more than simply watch. Admission is free, so there is no need to commit an entire day to make the trip worthwhile.
The festival has deep roots in Osaka’s Chinese community. The first Chūshū Meigetsusai Osaka was held at Naniwa Palace in 2009, bringing together Chinese community organizations, students and local residents for a large outdoor celebration.
Its setting makes the festival particularly easy to turn into a larger Osaka outing. Naniwa Palace was once the site of imperial palace complexes built here during the seventh and eighth centuries. Today the enormous open site sits beside the Osaka Museum of History and the newer Naniwa Palace Park development.
To make more of the visit, start at the Osaka Museum of History before heading into the festival. Its exhibits put the ancient palace and Osaka’s development into context before you step outside onto the actual archaeological site. Alternatively, wander through the festival first and stay in the area afterward: the adjacent Nanoniwa area adds cafés and restaurants around the park, making it easy to stop for coffee, drinks or dinner.
Chinese Acrobatics — See traditional Chinese acrobatic performances alongside the festival’s music and dance program.
Music & Dance — Chinese and Japanese folk performances run throughout the weekend.
Food & Culture — Browse Chinese and Japanese food stalls, regional products, goods and cultural displays.
Try Something Yourself — Free experience corners give visitors another way to engage with the cultures represented at the festival.
Make a Day of It — Pair the festival with the Osaka Museum of History, explore the Naniwa Palace Site, or stay for food and drinks around なノにわ.
Photos: Moon Festival Official Website
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING IN OSAKA?
Discover events, exhibitions, festivals, concerts, culture & more.
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
Venue: Naniwa Palace Site (Naniwa-no-Miya Ato)
Address: 1 Hoenzaka, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Trains
JR Osaka Loop Line → Morinomiya Station → North Gate → about 15 min. walk
Subways
Metro Tanimachi / Chuo Lines → Tanimachi 4-chome Station → Exit 9 → about 1 min. walk
Walking Directions
Tanimachi 4-chome is the easiest approach. From Exit 9, the Naniwa Palace Park and Nanoniwa area is immediately to the east along Chuo Odori. Continue into the open Naniwa Palace grounds for the festival area. The adjacent Osaka Museum of History is also directly accessible from the same station.
From JR Morinomiya Station, use the North Gate and walk west toward Naniwa Palace Park, approximately 15 minutes.
SCHEDULE
Dates & Hours
Saturday, October 10, 2026
10:00–19:00
Sunday, October 11, 2026
10:00–18:00
Special Events
Chinese and Japanese folk music and dance, tai chi and Chinese acrobatics are scheduled for the festival stage.
Daily Activities
Food stalls, food and regional-product sales, merchandise, tourism information, free experience booths and sponsor booths will operate around the festival grounds.
Notes
The detailed 2026 stage timetable, individual performers, vendors and specific hands-on experiences have not yet been released. We’ll update this page when additional program information becomes available.
TICKETS
Free. No ticket required.
Admission is free on both days for all performances, cultural booths, and food stalls (pay-as-you-go).
THE EXPERIENCE
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is an easy event to explore casually, with performances, food and activities spread across the open Naniwa Palace grounds.
- Watch Chinese and Japanese folk music and dance on the festival stage.
- See Chinese acrobatics and tai chi demonstrations.
- Browse Chinese and Japanese food stalls, regional products and merchandise.
- Try free cultural experiences at participating booths; specific 2026 activities have not yet been announced.
- Pair the festival with the Osaka Museum of History or stay for coffee, food or drinks at neighboring Nanoniwa.
Come for an hour or two, or combine the festival with the surrounding historic district for an easy half-day in central Osaka.
INFO & TIPS
Make More of the Visit
The Osaka Museum of History is immediately beside Naniwa Palace and makes an especially good pairing. It traces Osaka from ancient Naniwa through the modern city, giving context to the archaeological site outside. It is open 9:30–17:00, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Permanent exhibition admission is ¥600 for adults, ¥400 for high school and university students, and free for junior-high-school-age children and younger.
A particularly timely bonus for this year’s festival: the museum’s New Discoveries! Naniwa Archaeology 2026exhibition runs September 9–November 23, so it will be open during Moon Festival weekend.
Food & Facilities
The adjoining Nanoniwa development has cafés and restaurants if you want something beyond the festival stalls. Park toilets, including accessible multipurpose toilets, are available from 8:00–22:00. Vending machines and an AED are also available.
Accessibility
Nanoniwa/Naniwa Palace Park has accessible toilets and designated accessible parking. The festival itself takes place across an outdoor park and archaeological site, so visitors with mobility concerns should allow additional time to move around the grounds.
Weather
This is an outdoor event. A specific 2026 rain or severe-weather policy has not yet been published, so check the official festival website before leaving if poor weather is expected.
Parking
Nanoniwa has a 97-space paid parking lot, including two EV charging spaces, but public transportation is considerably easier for this event. Bicycle and motorcycle parking is also available.
Official Contact
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival Osaka 2026 Executive Committee
TEL: 06-6445-8191
FAX: 06-6445-8191
Official Site:
https://moon-osaka.mixh.jp/
The Executive Committee’s published office address is 3-9-18 Utsubohonmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka.
