This Halloween in Namba, it is the town that wears the costume. CHIMNEY TOWN HALLOWEEN 2026 in NAMBA — an event that goes all out in a very Osaka way, covering the station, a train and the plaza in eyeballs — takes place for four days, from Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 2026, at Namba Hiroba, the plaza in front of Nankai Namba Station. It is organized by NANKAI and co-organized by CHIMNEY TOWN and Meta Osaka. Admission is free.
About 5,000 lanterns in an art space supervised by Akihiro Nishino
At the heart of the venue is “CHIMNEY TOWN”, an immersive art space supervised by Akihiro Nishino of the comedy duo King Kong, known for the picture book and film “Poupelle of Chimney Town”. About 5,000 lanterns and eyeball objects decorate the plaza, turning it into another world just for the Halloween season. The lanterns are lit from 16:00 to 21:00, so if you can, go after dark and walk beneath them while they glow.
The symbolic “eyes” stand for the moment a sleeping town comes to life and wakes up. The idea comes from the ancient Japanese belief that everything has a spirit. Inspired by the worldview of yaoyorozu no kami (the myriad gods) and tsukumogami (objects that gain a spirit), Nishino says he wanted to create a “Japanese Halloween” landscape by putting eyes on buildings, trains, stairs and trees. He admits it is “a little creepy”, adding that only Osaka would take on a challenge like this.
Eyes on the train and the station’s grand staircase
It is not only the plaza in costume. Since Monday, October 5, one four-car Nankai 8300 series train running on the Nankai Line (Namba–Wakayamako / Kansai Airport) has been operating with a special eyeball-themed wrap, for the time being. If you ride the line, you might run into it on an ordinary trip.
The grand staircase at Namba Station has also been covered with an eyeball wrap since the same day, planned to stay until Sunday, October 18. During the event, a free XR experience using MR goggles is offered at Namba Hiroba from 13:00 to 21:00 (a survey must be answered; no age limit). It overlays a virtual world on the real streetscape in front of you, and details will be announced later.
Image: artist’s impression (partly created with generative AI)
The venue will also host a trial using AI cameras to read visitors’ facial expressions and analyze their emotions and satisfaction. The footage will be processed statistically in a way that does not identify individuals.
Aiming for a Halloween of 10 million people
The project is also part of “Digital Entertainment City Concept NAMBA”, promoted by NANKAI and Meta Osaka, and is positioned as the first step toward a future goal: the world’s largest Halloween event, on the scale of 10 million people. NANKAI President Nobuyuki Okajima says he wants to build a town where people head home smiling and thinking, “Not sure why, but that was a fun day.” Meta Osaka’s 毛利英昭 says he wanted to create a place in Osaka that people would name first when they think of Halloween.
Event details
- Name: CHIMNEY TOWN HALLOWEEN 2026 in NAMBA
- Dates: Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 2026
- Hours: 12:00–21:00 (lanterns lit 16:00–21:00)
- Venue: Namba Hiroba (in front of Nankai Namba Station)
- Admission: Free
- XR experience: Thursday, October 15 to Sunday, October 18, 13:00–21:00 (planned), Namba Hiroba, free (survey required)
- Wrapped train: from Monday, October 5 for the time being; one Nankai 8300 series train on the Nankai Line (Namba–Wakayamako / Kansai Airport)
- Namba Station grand staircase wrap: Monday, October 5 to Sunday, October 18 (planned)
- Organizer: NANKAI Co., Ltd. / Co-organizers: CHIMNEY TOWN Co., Ltd., Meta Osaka Co., Ltd. / Supported by: Osaka City
