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Promoting culture and sports

Achieving Osaka as a "City of Cultural Co-Creation"

Since the 17th century, Osaka has adopted many elements from diverse cultures through international trade. As trading activities became more prosperous, merchants who were economically independent held a key role in developing literature and traditional performing arts such as Noh, Kyogen, Kabuki and Ningyo Johruri Bunraku (puppet theatre) which are all registered under the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The cultural atmosphere of literature and traditional performing arts are successfully inherited even to this day.

Osaka City has established "Culture Co-Creation City Osaka: Culture and the Arts Open Up the Future" as its aspirational vision for the future, with the purpose of improving a bright and vibrant future through the power of culture and the arts while respecting the diverse values of each individual. Individuals from various fields, not just local authorities, can create, support, nurture, and enhance the value of culture and the arts in Osaka. Through cultural and artistic activities, we strive to be a city where everyone can live a unique and vibrant lifestyle.

Osaka Classic, an event held primarily in the Midosuji and Nakanoshima areas for one week in early autumn, provides opportunities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy first-rate art while bringing the community to life with large numbers of attendees.

In addition, the Administrative Agency for Osaka City Museums was founded in April 2019 to operate museums including the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, which collectively represent one of Osaka’s major urban attractions. The Osaka Nakanoshima Museum of Art, which opened on February 2, 2022, is a new and alluring museum that showcases a world-class collection that includes Amedeo Modigliani's "Nu Couché aux Cheveux Dénoués" (Reclining Nude with Loose Hair).

For more information on city museums, visit “Osaka Museums”
URL: https://museums.ocm.osaka/museums-info/museums-info-en/

  • Osaka Classic ©Takashi Iijima
  • Reclining Nude with Loose Hair (1917)
    by Amedeo Modigliani
    From the collection by Planning Office, Osaka City Museum of Modern Art
  • Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka

Making Osaka a vibrant city where everyone can enjoy sports

The Osaka City Government aims to make Osaka a vibrant city where everyone can enjoy doing sports. By making the city more attractive through sports, such as hosting major international competitions for world-class athletes, and providing opportunities to enjoy watching professional sports, we hope to motivate residents to try sports themselves, increase the number of people involved in sports, including volunteers who support sports events, and promote their interactions.

The Osaka Marathon and Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon merged in 2021 (from the 10th race). It is one of the largest city community marathons in Japan with 29,000 runners (including 700 from overseas), 7,000 volunteer staff, and 1.1 million spectators along the route in 2022. This major sporting event highlights the appeal of the city of Osaka.

Figures for 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic)
  • 32,000 runners (including 5,000 from overseas)
  • 10,000 volunteer staff
  • 1.13 million spectators along the route

In collaboration with professional sports teams based in Maishima (Osaka Evessa basketball team, ORIX Buffaloes baseball team and Cerezo Osaka football team), the Osaka City Government is carrying out sports related measures such as organizing various sports events, training human resources, developing products and technologies, and using sports stadiums as central venues that support community development.

  • Osaka Marathon
  • Osaka Marathon

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