A drone show with 500 drones will light up the night sky in front of Osaka Station on Friday, November 20, 2026, to celebrate the opening of Umekita Forest (うめきたの森), an urban forest in the Grand Green Osaka (GRAND GREEN OSAKA) large-scale mixed-use development in Osaka. The show is planned and operated by REDCLIFF, Inc., a company that plans and runs drone shows.
The show is a one-night-only performance that embodies Grand Green Osaka's theme of "the fusion of greenery and innovation." Built around the concept "The forest returns to the city" (都市に、森が還ってくる), it draws a story in animated light across the night sky, from the memory of the land and the development of the city to the regrowth of the forest and a future in which people and nature live together.
REDCLIFF has an Osaka office in JAM BASE, the innovation facility inside Grand Green Osaka, and as a company based in the same neighborhood, it is in charge of the celebration marking the opening.
A New "Urban Forest" Opens in Front of Osaka Station
Grand Green Osaka is a large-scale mixed-use development project that aims to have "encounters in the city create various kinds of value and continue to improve things for everyone and for society as a whole," under the theme of "the fusion of greenery and innovation."
Umekita Forest is being developed on the west side of the North Park of Umekita Park, within the project. Ahead of the full opening of the forest around spring 2027, an area of about 8,400 m² opens early on Friday, November 20, 2026.
The Umekita area sits on low-lying land formed by sediment carried by rivers in the past, and it has a history of changing from wetlands to farmland. The site was then used as Umeda Freight Station (梅田貨物駅) for about 85 years, and it is now being reborn as a new urban forest.
Umekita Forest aims to be more than a place with more greenery. It is envisioned as a "REGENERATIVE" space that restores the natural environment and ecosystems and helps people and nature build a richer relationship. Planting that incorporates native species and the development of waterside areas are intended to rebuild an ecological network, creating a place where people living in the city can touch nature and feel at ease and refreshed.
500 Drones Draw "The Forest Returns to the City"
The staging concept for the commemorative drone show is "The forest returns to the city." Rather than simply restoring the nature of the past, it expresses the hope that nature, people, and the city will build a richer relationship than before while carrying on the history the land has nurtured. The 500 drones convey this vision for the future of Umekita Forest.
The show is divided into four chapters: "Memory of the Land," "Development of the City," "Regeneration of the Forest," and "A Future of Coexistence." Light animation depicts the memory and history of water that are deeply tied to how this place came to be, as well as the greenery that is growing once more.
The animation also features the bull-headed shrike (モズ), a bird whose presence has actually been confirmed at Grand Green Osaka. It appears in the night sky as a motif symbolizing the environment of Umekita Forest, which was created with biodiversity in mind.
Set in the urban space in front of Osaka Station, this one-night-only show brings together cutting-edge drone technology and the hope for restoring nature.
Celebrating the Neighborhood's New Start as a JAM BASE Resident
REDCLIFF opened an Osaka office on July 1, 2025, in JAM BASE, the innovation facility in Grand Green Osaka, as part of its efforts to expand its business and strengthen regional partnerships in Western Japan, centered on the Kansai region.
JAM BASE is a facility where a wide range of people, including companies, startups, universities, local governments, and citizens, gather to interact and collaborate, supporting the creation of new ideas, their application in society, and the challenge of turning them into businesses. Already 400 companies and about 1,800 or more people have gathered there, and innovation activities are taking place among players in a variety of fields.
As one of those residents, REDCLIFF held an indoor drone show demonstration for facility users in March 2026, among other efforts to create new forms of expression and opportunities for exchange using drone technology.
Against the background of these ties with JAM BASE, REDCLIFF will handle the outdoor drone show commemorating the opening of Umekita Forest.
Comment From REDCLIFF's Representative Director
"I am very pleased to take part, as a company based in the same neighborhood, in this milestone when a new 'urban forest' is born in front of Osaka Station, a place where so many people come and go.
Following our drone show at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, I am also deeply honored to have another opportunity to color the night sky of Osaka.
In this drone show, based on the concept 'The forest returns to the city,' we will draw our hope for a future in which nature and the city coexist in the night sky. We hope to give shape to Grand Green Osaka's 'fusion of greenery and innovation' in our own way of expression and bring new surprise and emotion to everyone who watches."
佐々木 孔明, Representative Director of REDCLIFF, Inc.
Umekita Forest Opening Commemorative Drone Show Details
- Date: Friday, November 20, 2026
- Showtimes: 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM (two shows in total, about 15 minutes each; both shows have the same content)
- Number of drones: 500
- Flight location: Above South Park, Umekita Park
- Main viewing area: North Park of Umekita Park, centered on Umekita Forest
- Admission: Free (no advance registration or lottery required)
- Organizer: The nine-company Grand Green Osaka developer joint venture (グラングリーン大阪開発事業者JV9社)
- Drone show production and operation: REDCLIFF, Inc.
