OSAKA—As Osaka prepares to host the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo, local authorities and businesses are stepping up efforts to attract foreign tourists and tap into the city’s vibrant nightlife.
With the world’s fair expected to draw 28.2 million visitors, including 3.5 million international travelers, over its six-month run starting in April, Osaka is aiming to provide a more engaging and authentic experience for foreign guests.
One such initiative is being spearheaded by Osaka Metro Adera Co.
In March, the company launched Osaka Joiner, a new service that offers guided tours tailored to individual tourists’ preferences.
These tours often take visitors to local “izakaya,” or traditional Japanese pubs, where they can enjoy food and drinks alongside locals.
“I wanted to visit a local place that typical tours don’t go to,” said a tourist from Florida who joined a tour on the program in early October. He found the bar-hopping tour on social media and booked it just hours beforehand.
The tourist expressed his satisfaction with the variety of sake and pickles he enjoyed at a standing bar in the city’s bustling Minami district.
With rates starting at 6,000 yen ($39) for a two-hour tour, the service has attracted around 400 customers in peak months.
According to tour organizers, there is a growing demand among foreign tourists for authentic interactions with locals in casual settings.
“Nighttime food tours and izakaya experiences are expected to remain in high demand,” said a company spokesperson.
A 2017 survey by the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau revealed that foreign tourists were significantly less active between 10 p.m. and midnight than Japanese tourists were.
Language barriers were often cited as a major obstacle, leading many foreign visitors to spend their evenings in their hotels.
The Osaka prefectural and municipal governments, along with the local business community, are also joining forces to promote nighttime activities.
The iconic illumination of Midosuji, the city’s main street, will be extended from its usual November-December period to April-December next year.
Additionally, officials are considering extending the daily illumination hours to further enhance the city’s nighttime appeal.
Ahead of the world’s fair, Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura has requested Osaka Metro Co. to extend subway operating hours later into the night.
“I believe there is a strong demand for the nighttime economy,” Yoshimura said.
“We hope to utilize the expo as an opportunity to showcase Osaka’s nightlife and make it more enjoyable for visitors,” he said.
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