Semi Permanent
1–5 November, 2025
Press & Partnership Contact: Miyuki Kanada / miyuki@semipermanent.com
Semi Permanent, the biggest and longest-running creativity and design cultural platform in the Southern Hemisphere, is making its highly anticipated debut in Osaka,...
Press & Partnership Contact: Miyuki Kanada / miyuki@semipermanent.com
Semi Permanent, the biggest and longest-running creativity and design cultural platform in the Southern Hemisphere, is making its highly anticipated debut in Osaka, Japan, from November 1-5, 2025. Since its launch in Sydney in 2002, the festival has been hosted in Europe, Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States, and Australasia, growing into a global platform that unites visionary talent and forward-thinking brands.
For over 20 years, Semi Permanent has produced over 50 events in 13 cities, collaborating with over 800 world-class creatives and cultural leaders. Today, it is the world’s most valuable design community—a global network of over 300,000 curious, culturally-savvy pioneers.
Now, with its first-ever festival in Japan, Semi Permanent is reimagining its legacy. This expansion into Osaka, a city celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and thriving creative industries, marks a bold new chapter in the festival’s history. By bringing together Japan’s brightest minds and international visionaries, Semi Permanent aims to forge new creative connections and position ambitious brands through the lens of contemporary culture.
Speakers
Semi Permanent Festival (November 1–3)
A three-day gathering featuring keynotes, intimate throughline fireside discussions, hands-on workshops, and masterclasses led by industry leaders in culture, design, film, music, art, technology, and innovation. Expect thought-provoking discussions, groundbreaking ideas, and unparalleled networking opportunities with the global creative community.
Nourish「 Osaka 」(November 4–5)
A two-day EAT (Exploration, Art, Technique) Semi Permanent symposium inspired by professional culinary minds from test labs, exploring the intersection of food, culture, and creativity. World-class chefs, food writers, and culinary innovators will share their expertise and vision for the future of gastronomy and innovation.
Friends Of Exhibition (November 1–5)
Curated by renowned designer Stefan Sagmeister, this initial public exhibition will showcase innovative new works from Sagmeister’s “Now is Better” series. Friends Of will become Semi Permanent’s annual exhibition showcasing our alumni of global artists, designers, and visionaries.
Why Osaka?
Known as “The Nation’s Kitchen” (天下の台所, Tenka no Daidokoro), Osaka is a city where culinary excellence, cultural depth, and contemporary innovation collide. From its world-famous street food to neon-lit urban landscapes and historic landmarks, Osaka is a city of contrasts, where tradition meets modernity and creativity thrives. As a hub for cutting-edge design and warm hospitality, it’s the perfect setting for Semi Permanent’s first venture into Japan.
A Vision for the Future
Osaka marks the beginning of Semi Permanent’s deeper engagement with Japan’s thriving cultural and creative scene. The festival will act as a launchpad for long-term collaborations with the team at VS., bringing together diverse creative voices to shape the future of design, art, and culture.
Over the coming years, Semi Permanent will move across Japan, returning to its Osaka basecamp at VS. The next editions will take place in Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) in 2026 and Fukuoka (Fukuoka Prefecture) in 2027. Each new location will build upon fostering community across Japan’s rich creative landscapes while maintaining strong ties to the Semi Permanent community in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo.
Welcome to a once-in-a-lifetime immersive encounter at Semi Permanent's Nightshift Shakedown — a walking tour led by Dino Dalle Carbonare. This end to our first day at the festival is an intimate street-side gathering celebrating Japan's legendary JDM car culture, innovative engineering, and distinct car subcultures. Held under Osaka's glowing neon lights, you'll discover a curated showcase of rare JDM classics, thoughtfully customized street machines, and innovative automotive engineering marvels. Connect with local drivers, creators, and the community who shape Japan's distinctive and influential automotive scene. A perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and forward-thinking innovation, this is your opportunity to genuinely experience Japan's iconic automotive culture firsthand.
*Please be aware that the Workshop & Masterclass schedule is subject to change prior to the festival opening.
*Please be aware that the Workshop & Masterclass schedule is subject to change prior to the festival opening.
Time and location TBA
*Symposium schedule for lab demos and talks may change up until the opening of the festival.
Time and venue TBA
*Symposium schedule for lab demos and talks may change up until the opening of the festival.
Tadao Ando’s VS. Cubes is a testament to his mastery of form, light, and material—a meditation on simplicity that transforms concrete into poetry. Semi Permanent will be nestled within the fabric of Osaka. These geometric volumes are more than mere structures; they interplay void and mass, where natural light sculpts ever-changing patterns across raw, monolithic walls. Ando’s signature use of exposed concrete, punctuated by crisp lines and rhythmic apertures, gives the cubes ethereal weightlessness, inviting introspection and dialogue between space and inhabitant. In true Ando fashion, the architecture serves as both a sanctuary and stage—a minimalist canvas where creativity, commerce, and culture converge in harmonious tension. Within these walls, shadows dance, silence speaks, and every passageway offers a quiet moment of revelation, reminding us that architecture is not just about what is built, but about the emotions it evokes. All of us at Semi Permanent welcome you to experience the VS. Cubes environment for yourselves, to feel the emotional impact of this architectural masterpiece.
Transportation Options for Semi Permanent
VS. (ヴイエス) is located at 6-86 Ofukacho, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0011, within the Grand Green Osaka Umekita Park North Park. This cultural facility, designed under the supervision of architect Tadao Ando, is situated directly across from JR Osaka Station, making it easily accessible for visitors.
VS. to Osaka Station / 6 mins Walking
VS. to Kansai International / Taxi 40 mins, Train 1 hour
VS. to Shin Osaka Station / Taxi 11 mins, Train 13 mins
VS. to Kyoto Station / JR or Hankyu Train 40 mins
VS. to Tokyo Station / JR Shinkansen 2 Hours 50 mins
VS. to Hiroshima Station / JR Shinkansen 1 Hour 50 mins
VS. to Fukuoka Station / JR Shinkansen 2 Hours 50 mins, Plane 1 Hour 20 mins
We want to ensure all cultural nuances translate well, so real-time interpretation services will be an option provided during ticket purchasing. Semi Permanent will provide RF receivers with this option.
VS. is an accessible space with a park-side flat entrance from the street level and easy elevator access to the event's internal cube space. Semi Permanent will also ensure there will be mobility access throughout the event.
Semi Permanent will work with you to ensure we have someone to help describe the festival’s experiences during the event.
The festival will provide signers during the event.
Partner Hotel Accommodation
Alternative Accommodation Options within the Osaka City Area
Before & After SP Excursion Accommodation Options
If you’re planning an adventurers’ getaway before or after Semi Permanent, we recommend the following design-centric accommodations for a rejuvenating retreat.
