Sake Square Moves to Namba
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE returns for its fourth edition with two days of sake tasting, food and music in a new home at Namba Carnival Mall. Meet brewers, explore sake from Osaka and beyond, and build your own tasting tour one cup at a time.
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE is moving into the heart of Minami. After previous editions at Ōgimachi Park, the annual sake festival heads to Namba Carnival Mall for its fourth edition on October 17–18, bringing breweries, food and music within steps of one of Osaka’s busiest entertainment districts.
The festival is built for tasting. Visitors purchase a Starter Set containing an original sake cup, wristband and tasting coins, then use the coins to choose their way through the participating breweries. Brewers pour at their own booths, giving visitors a chance to compare styles, discover unfamiliar labels and talk directly with the people behind the bottles. Admission to the festival area itself is free; a Starter Set is required to sample sake.
For 2026, 25 breweries from Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara and Shiga are taking part, led by 10 producers from Osaka. Three Hyogo breweries — Ozeki, Sennenichi Shuzo and Nihonsakari — make their first SAKE SQUARE appearances, while Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo joins on Saturday only. Individual sake labels are still being announced and will be added when the organizers release the full tasting list.
Food is part of the experience, giving visitors something to pair with their pours throughout the afternoon and evening. Favorite bottles can also continue beyond the tasting: the festival operates a dedicated takeaway sales booth with selected sake available to purchase for home.
Music gives SAKE SQUARE another dimension through its Kakuuchi DJ program, creating a relaxed soundtrack around the tasting area. The 2026 DJ lineup has not yet been announced and will be added when confirmed.
The move to Namba Carnival Mall changes how visitors can make a day of it. The outdoor event space sits beside the Nankai-Namba area, surrounded by restaurants, shopping and nightlife and only minutes from Osaka Metro Namba. Saturday runs until 21:00, making SAKE SQUARE an easy starting point for an evening in Minami, while Sunday offers an afternoon-to-early-evening tasting session.
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE began in 2023 as a collaboration between the Osaka Prefecture Sake Brewers Association, FM COCOLO, FM802 and ZIP-FM, creating a casual showcase for Kansai sake culture with brewers, food and music sharing the same space. Its coin system encourages exploration: try something unfamiliar, compare breweries and return to the pours that stand out.
Four editions in, that formula remains the heart of the festival. In 2026, the cups are heading south to Namba, putting two days of sake discovery directly into the middle of Osaka’s nightlife district.
70+ Sake to Discover — Taste your way through more than 70 labels from breweries across the Kansai region.
Osaka Leads the Pour — Ten Osaka breweries join producers from Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara and Shiga.
Three New Breweries — Hyogo’s Ozeki, Sennenichi Shuzo and Nihonsakari make their SAKE SQUARE debuts.
Sip, Eat & Listen — Pair sake with festival food while music provides the soundtrack throughout the event.
New Home in Namba — SAKE SQUARE moves to Carnival Mall, putting the festival in the heart of Osaka Minami.
Photos: Official SAKE SQUARE Event Website
Opening Hours
THE SCENE: FAQ’s
ACCESS
Venue: Namba Carnival Mall
Address: 2-10 Nambanaka, Naniwa-ku, Osaka 556-0011
Nearest Stations: Nankai-Namba Station / Osaka Metro Namba Station
Trains
Nankai Lines → Nankai-Namba Station
Use the South Exit on the 1F of the Nankai Namba South Building. Namba Carnival Mall is immediately outside, making Nankai-Namba the easiest train route to the festival.
JR Yamatoji Line → JR Namba Station
From JR Namba Station, walk east through the Namba area toward Nankai-Namba. Allow approximately 15 minutes to reach Carnival Mall.
Kintetsu Namba / Hanshin Namba Lines → Osaka-Namba Station
From Osaka-Namba Station, follow signs toward Nankai-Namba and the south side of the Namba district. Allow approximately 10 minutes on foot.
Subways
Metro Midosuji / Yotsubashi / Sennichimae Lines → Namba Station
From Osaka Metro Namba Station, follow signs toward Nankai-Namba Station and continue south through the underground Namba complex. Exit near the Nankai Namba South Building; Carnival Mall is approximately 5 minutes from the Metro station.
SCHEDULE
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE runs for two days, with sake tasting, food and music throughout each session.
Saturday, October 17
13:00–21:00
Last order: 20:30
Sunday, October 18
13:00–19:30
Last order: 19:00
Twenty-five breweries from Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara and Shiga are scheduled to participate. Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo appears Saturday only.
Sake labels, food vendors and the 2026 Kakuuchi DJ schedule are still being announced by organizers - check official website for the current lineups.
TICKETS
Entry to OSAKA SAKE SQUARE is free, but a Starter Set is required to sample sake.
Standard Starter Set — Advance ¥3,200
Original ochoko sake cup + wristband + 10 coins
Standard Starter Set — Same Day ¥3,800
Original ochoko sake cup + wristband + 10 coins
App-Only 20-Coin Set — ¥4,700
Original ochoko sake cup + wristband + 20 coins
App-Only Small Starter Set — Advance ¥1,200 / Same Day ¥1,800
Original ochoko sake cup + wristband; tasting coins purchased separately
Additional Coins — ¥200 each
The number of coins required varies by sake. Food purchases also use festival coins.
Tickets are not tied to a specific day or time. Visitors attending both days should keep their original ochoko and required proof of purchase/wristband for re-entry.
Advance tickets are available through the official SAKE SQUARE app and participating ticket services.
Official Tickets:
https://zip-fm.co.jp/osaka-sakesquare26/
THE EXPERIENCE
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE is designed for discovering and comparing sake at your own pace while meeting the breweries behind each pour.
- Taste sake from 25 breweries across five Kansai prefectures.
- Meet brewers and ask about different styles, brewing methods and recommended pours.
- Use festival coins to build your own tasting route through the brewery booths.
- Pair your sake with food from festival vendors.
- Listen to Kakuuchi DJs while eating and drinking around the venue.
- Purchase selected bottles to take home from the festival sales area.
- Continue the evening in Namba after Saturday's 21:00 finish.
With 25 breweries in one place, trying smaller pours across several producers is the best way to experience the range.
INFO & TIPS
A little planning makes it easier to explore more breweries without rushing your tasting.
- Admission to the festival area is free; sake tasting requires an official Starter Set.
- Bring your Starter Set ochoko back if attending on both days.
- Additional tasting coins cost ¥200 each.
- Coin requirements vary between sake, so check the price before ordering.
- Hamafukutsuru Ginjo Kobo participates on Saturday only.
- Take breaks for food and water throughout your tasting.
- Nankai-Namba is the easiest station; the venue is immediately outside the South Exit.
- The event is held outdoors, so check the official site for weather-related announcements.
- Alcohol is only available to visitors age 20 and older.
- Do not drink and drive.
OSAKA SAKE SQUARE Executive Committee
Official Website: https://zip-fm.co.jp/osaka-sakesquare26/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sake_fes/
