Rainy Season in Osaka—What to Expect

Osaka’s climate, and in fact most of Japan, means heavy rains hit the archipelago in early summer. Rainy season sounds kind of horrible. It sounds wet and mushy and generally unpleasant. And while, yes, it does rain, it absolutely doesn’t have to be horrible!

Despite its bad reputation, rainy season is still a great season to visit Japan. Surprisingly, rainy season gives you a chance to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather. It’s the first taste of summer before the heat really kicks in. It will rain sometimes, but don’t let that ruin your day! And definitely don’t let the drizzly weather ruin your trip to Osaka. Just plan accordingly. Bring the appropriate gear to stay dry and have a few alternative indoor itineraries in mind for when the rain just won’t let up.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your Osaka rainy season…

■Rainy Season in Kansai

Osaka’s rainy season starts in early June and lasts for about 6 weeks. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, Osaka’s rainy season averages from June 6 to July 19. But keep in mind the timing varies from year to year so these dates can differ by up to a couple of weeks. The 2023 rainy season started early on May 29. The rains have already started and the air has grown noticeably more humid.

The long-lasting rains are a result of warm high-pressure systems moving in from the Pacific Ocean colliding with cold high-pressure systems from the Sea of Okhotsk in the North. This means high humidity and approximately 200 mm (7 inches) of rain in the month of June.

■The Many Ways to Describe Rain in Japanese

My first introduction to the idea of rainy season came when I watched that 1994 movie Forrest Gump. You might know the scene where he is trudging through the Vietnam jungle describing the intensity and kinds of rain “Little bitty stingin’ rain.., and big old fat rain. Rain that flew in sideways. And sometimes rain even seemed to come straight up from underneath.” While I’ve never seen rain flying against the forces of gravity on Osaka’s streets, there are a few different kinds of rain you may experience here. And much like Forrest I was surprised that sometimes when it starts to rain, it doesn’t let up for few days.

Forrest Gump aside, here are a few words to describe the rain in Japanese and some more vocabulary that might be useful during rainy season in Japan.

■Tips to make your rainy season more tolerable

Forgive me for stating the obvious, but get a good umbrella. Folding umbrellas are nice for a day when you aren’t sure if it will rain and you want to throw something small in your bag. But for a proper day out during the rainiest time of year, you’ll want a proper umbrella.

Some nicer hotels offer them to guests and I’ve even seen rental umbrellas in some stations. Malls and department stores of course sell umbrellas and you can get a cheap one from a convenience store in a pinch.

When you close up your umbrella be sure to give it a good shake to drain off any excess rain. And look for the umbrella lockers or plastic umbrella sleeves when you enter an establishment. Keeping the indoors dry is a general courtesy that makes your local shopping mall, museum, or other business more comfortable for everyone and keeps the floor dry.

If you are planning to do any amount of serious trekking it’s wise to invest in a pair of rain boots, especially if your rainy season trip will be longer than a week. Hopefully you won’t need them, but my feet are always happy walking blissfully through rain puddles without a care in the world.

Get yourself a solid hand towel or handkerchief. Occasionally you run into the public bathroom that doesn’t have a hand dryer or paper towels, so this is a convenient item in Japan, anyway. But on a really rainy day, you’re going to get wet outdoors unless you’ve covered yourself in goretex. I always bring a hand towel in my bag on rainy days just to wipe off my hands or jacket.

Advanced rainy season travelers who love the outdoors should have a raincoat (aka kappa in Japanese). If you’re headed up to the mountains for a look at Minoh Falls while the water flow is at peak, that’s great! You’ll want this extra layer of rain gear! But if you’re sticking to the city streets and staying out of the rain as much as possible, you’re probably safe without it.

■Indoor Facilities & Places To Go During Rainy Season in Osaka

Here are a few ideas of Osaka’s best sightseeing places for a rainy day…

The Museum of Housing and Living

The Museum of Housing and Living near Tenjinbashisuji 6-chome Station is a fun destination for exploring Osaka’s history and past. Take a stroll down the streets of a replica town modeled after Osaka from the past circa (1830–1844).

There is direct access to the museum from the Osaka Metro station, so there is no chance of getting wet. After the museum, take a walk down Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Arcade and visit one fo the many unique stores or grab lunch at one of the local restaurants, all under the protective cover of this very long arched roof.

Shinsaibashi PARCO

Shinsaibashi PARCO is one of a handful of department stores in Osaka where you could shop yourself silly. This is another location with entrances straight into a shopping arcade, so you don’t even need an umbrella. Shinsaibashisuji Shopping Arcade is a hugely popular street, so be prepared—it can get crowded.

This PARCO building was remodeled in 2020 and holds a variety of internationally famous brands including Tiffany & Co, COACH, and The North Face. Plus the 6th floor features pop culture favorites like Godzilla, Capcom, LEGO®, and the official Ghibli Store. The lifestyle and craft store Tokyu Hands relocated here from its previous location and now Hands occupies floors 9–11. So if you’re looking for bento boxes, stationary, or your banana case, head to the upper floors. Downstairs you’ll find trendy drinking and eating establishments and more neon signs than you could possibly photograph in an hour.

After PARCO, head to the ground floor to explore the shopping arcade, or alternatively head to the basement to stroll through CRYSTA Nagahori, a 730 meter long underground shopping mall that connects Shinsaibashi Station and Yotsubashi Station on the Osaka Metro. The mall is filled with natural light from overhead windows and since it only goes in a straight line so it’s much easier to navigate than the underground labyrinths of Umeda.

Osaka Dome

Also known as Kyocera Dome, this stadium is home to Osaka’s 2022 Japan Series Champions, the Orix Buffaloes. It is also topped in a beautiful, sprawling ceiling so when you book tickets to your favorite concert or an exciting baseball game, the dome literally has you covered. Enjoy the game with zero chance of a rain check and cheer on the Buffaloes to their next victory. The Dome also has direct access from Hanshin’s Dome-mae Station or Chiyozaki Dome-mae Station on the Osaka Metro, so again you don’t need an umbrella .

Tempozan Harbor Village (Kaiyukan, LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, Tempozan Marketplace, Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho & Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel)

Osaka Bay Area’s Tempozan offers a handful of indoor amusements. While you will have to walk a short distance—about 7 minutes—from Osaka Metro’s Osakako Station to reach Tempozan Harbor Village, once inside you can stay dry since everything is either inside or connected by passages with overhead shelter.

Most notably you’ll find Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, a massive 8-floor aquarium that features sea-life from the Pacific Rim, including everything from the resident whale sharks, to jellyfish, to 3 types of penguins.

Inside the Marketplace there’s a large food court and variety of stores that are perfect for souvenir shopping. If you like retro, head over to the Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho corner for a selection of classic Osaka foods and a look at a recreated model of a retro 1960s Osaka street.

LEGOLAND® Osaka Discovery Center is a great place for families to spend the day, located on the third floor of the marketplace. And the adjacent Giant Tempozan Ferris Wheel offers amazing views of Osaka Bay from a maximum height of approximately 100 meters above ground.

Nifrel

Located up in Suita, just steps away from Banpaku-kinen-koen Station and Expo Park, Nifrel will take your breath away.

This interactive aquazoo is as beautiful as it is exotic and fun. Artistic exhibits remind us of the natural wonders of the world. Interactive exhibits will bring you closer to nature and hopefully give you new perspective into the world of animals.

As you work your way through the building, you’ll find captivating surprises around every corner. There is a small cafe inside as well.

Osaka Museum of History

Finally, for history lovers and those curious about the city’s past, Osaka Museum of History is another good rainy day destination. The entrance is located just a few steps away from Tanimachi 4-chome Station on the Osaka Metro. This museum will keep you busy for hours exploring exhibits on ancient Osaka all the way through to the modern age. There’s also a great view of Osaka Castle, so even if you decide not to trek up to the castle in the rain, you can still see the castle and its grounds all with the comfort of a roof over your head.

■Rainy season’s seasonal flowers

Hydrangeas of Kyuanji Temple

Kyuanji Temple is also known by its nickname, The Flower Temple, and will delight visitors year-round with azaleas and tree peonies in spring, rhododendrons in summer, gorgeous fall foliage, and camellia in the winter months. Perhaps the most impressive are the showy hydrangea bushes in early summer that are scattered across the temple grounds. The temple caretakers extend the season by clipping those big balls of flowers and floating them in a central pond which is oh-so-picturesque. The hydrangea can be seen mid-June through early July.

Water Lillies of Nagai Botanical Gardens

This outdoor botanical garden gives you plenty of reason to visit and stroll among the flowers. Something is always in bloom and the grounds are huge. Plus the ongoing teamLab evening art project will give you a brighter perspective on nighttime flowerscapes. Nagai Botanical Garden features a series of paths that wind around a large central pond. And in this pond, are hundreds of water lilies in a myriad of colors that begin blooming in June and reach their peak in July. If you want to see these uniquely beautiful water-dwelling blossoms, visit early in the day as they tend to close up around noon.

Irises at Shirokita Park

Although Shirokita Park is not near a train station, you can access it by city bus, and the irises are well worth the trip. So many shades of deep purple, fuchsia, and white bloom from the marshy gardens near the banks of the Yodo River. Wooden walkways will guide you deep into the flower gardens to see the irises up close. Flowers bloom late May through mid-June.

A whole world of flowers at Sakuya Konohana Kan

This gorgeous botanical garden is primarily housed inside the glass house, so while you will need an umbrella to get you from the station, you can take in all the green and colorful flowers from all over the globe while staying dry. Sakuya Konohana Kan also has an attractive cafe serving light meals and a large event space that features special exhibits throughout the year.

I hope this list can help you plan out a great rainy season trip in Osaka. Stay dry out there!