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2026.11.10
Hokusetsu Area MICE: A Green Destination for Inspiring MICE Events
Area MICE Hokusetsu
Across Osaka’s nine distinct MICE areas, local stakeholders are working together around key venues to showcase each region’s unique appeal, strengthen its competitiveness in attracting events, and enhance its brand value. Through this series, we highlight the characteristics and strengths of each area.
In this seventh installment, we turn our attention to Hokusetsu, one of Osaka’s greenest regions, where abundant natural surroundings, cultural attractions, and urban convenience come together to create a distinctive MICE destination.
Hokusetsu offers exceptional accessibility to Osaka’s key business and tourism districts.
Senri-Chuo Station, the hub of the Hokusetsu area, provides direct subway access to major destinations including Shin-Osaka, Umeda, and Shinsaibashi. Travel times are approximately 15 minutes to Shin-Osaka Station, 20 minutes to Umeda, and 30 minutes to Namba. The area is also conveniently connected to Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) via the Osaka Monorail in around 12 minutes, while the Suita Interchange on the Meishin and Chugoku Expressways can be reached in just 10 minutes by car. These excellent transportation links make Hokusetsu highly accessible from across the Osaka metropolitan area.
The area’s flagship MICE venue, Senri Life Science Center, is located within walking distance of Senri-Chuo Station and is well equipped to host international conferences, academic congresses, and a wide range of business events. Hokusetsu is also home to leading academic institutions, including Osaka University, Kansai University, and Yamato University, making it one of the most active areas for international conferences in Osaka, second only to the city center.
One of Hokusetsu’s greatest attractions is its abundance of green space. Developed as Japan’s first large-scale new town, Senri New Town has dedicated approximately 21% of its 1,160-hectare area to parks and green spaces. The region is home to popular destinations such as Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, famous for the iconic Tower of the Sun, and Hattori Ryokuchi Park, both of which attract visitors throughout the year.
Hokusetsu also offers a variety of opportunities for post-event experiences, including EXPOCITY, one of Japan’s largest entertainment and shopping complexes. For organizers seeking a setting that combines outstanding accessibility with a tranquil environment away from the bustle of the city center, Hokusetsu provides an ideal destination where participants can focus on productive and memorable MICE experiences.
MICE Venues:Senri Life Science Center
Senri Life Science Center is a 21-story intelligent high-rise complex established to promote collaboration, research, and exchange among industry, academia, and government. The facility features a multipurpose hall, exhibition spaces, and 13 meeting rooms of various sizes, providing a versatile setting for a wide range of events. Surrounded by abundant greenery, the center is located in close proximity to leading institutions such as Osaka University and the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, creating a dynamic environment for academic and scientific exchange. With excellent access from Umeda, Shin-Osaka, and Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport), the venue is highly regarded by participants traveling from across Japan and around the world. Equipped with interpretation booths and an audiovisual control room, the center can accommodate international conferences, academic congresses, symposiums, and lectures. Professional interpretation services as well as dedicated audiovisual, sound, and lighting support are available, ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality events.
about Senri Life Science Center
Unique Venue:Banpaku Geihinkan
Geihinkan offers a unique venue experience in a historic setting that once welcomed state guests during Expo ’70 Osaka. Available for exclusive use, this distinctive facility can accommodate a variety of event formats tailored to your needs. The venue features two event spaces, the Reception Hall and WEDDING CAMP, both of which can be utilized for meetings, receptions, banquets, private functions, and photo or video shoots. Combining historical significance with a tranquil park setting, Geihinkan provides a memorable backdrop for special MICE programs and exclusive events.
About Banpaku Geihinkan
Unique Venue:Katsuoji Temple
Katsuoji Temple, located in the heart of Meiji no Mori Minoh Quasi-National Park, has been revered as the “Temple of Victory” for more than 1,300 years. Surrounded by one of Osaka’s most richly preserved natural environments, the temple’s expansive 80,000-tsubo (approximately 26 hectares) grounds offer visitors the beauty of all four seasons, with vibrant flowers, native birdlife, and ever-changing landscapes throughout the year.
Within the temple grounds, Shukubo Ocho-kaku provides a unique venue for meetings and events. The facility features a 135-tatami calligraphy and sutra-copying hall, a variety of training and meeting rooms, and private guest rooms, offering a spacious and tranquil setting immersed in history and nature.
The venue can accommodate a wide range of functions, including receptions, exhibitions, fashion shows, corporate retreats, and incentive programs. By utilizing the temple’s extensive grounds, organizers can also host large-scale MICE events and memorable gatherings in an exclusive setting that combines cultural heritage, spiritual tradition, and the natural beauty of northern Osaka.
In 1970, Expo ’70 Osaka, Asia’s first World Expo, was held at what is now Expo ’70 Commemorative Park in Suita City. Welcoming approximately 64 million visitors, the exposition became a landmark national project that symbolized Japan’s period of rapid economic growth and served as a major catalyst for Osaka’s emergence as an international city.
Building on the legacy of Expo ’70, the Hokusetsu area has evolved into a center of innovation where leading academic and research institutions, including Osaka University, coexist with advanced industries and cutting-edge research facilities. Through close collaboration among industry, academia, and government, the region continues to generate new ideas, technologies, and opportunities for growth.
Combining world-class academic resources, innovation ecosystems, and abundant natural surroundings, Hokusetsu offers an exceptional environment for technical visits, business events, academic meetings, incentive programs, and a wide range of MICE activities. The unique balance between urban convenience and green open spaces provides delegates with an inspiring and productive setting that is distinctively Osaka.
Whether you are planning an international conference, corporate meeting, incentive program, or business event, we invite you to discover the many advantages of hosting your next MICE event in Hokusetsu.
Choose Osaka as your next meeting or event destination!
The Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau provides comprehensive support for meeting and event planners, from bringing events to Osaka until their successful completion, and beyond. We offer assistance with a wide range of services including venue and hotel arrangements, budget planning, and public relations. In addition, we provide unique experiential programs that showcase the best of Osaka, as well as funding programs to support the attraction of international conferences. Throughout Expo 2025 and with the upcoming integrated resort becoming a major catalyst for more organizers to choose Osaka as their next event destination, we actively support the hosting of international convention and working closely with organizers to foster global exchange and create memorable experiences.