Osaka Kickstart: Hotspots & Hidden Gems Tour
Description
Kickstart your day or night Osaka walking adventure with this tour featured on Channel 5 British TV on the hugely popular series "Jane McDonald In Japan", chosen for its "genuine, quirky & unfiltered snapshot of Osaka". Your local insider guide will pair every location with personal stories & historical info with quirky facts and a great dose of enthusiasm & humour:) You get to choose from private totally customized tours OR a group tour. Slip through Namba: hole in the wall bars/eateries, as well as Kuromon seafood market. (If you want lunch/dinner after the tour, we'll recommend delicious local restaurants too) The retro district will share its charm with wacky game palors & friendly vendors while the Dotonbori will provide a sensory overload, billboards galore! Osaka Castle will also showcase it's immense role in Japan's unification (only 5hr or 7hr tours) After, explore hidden cobblestone alleys uncovering a centuries old collection of stores crafting their unique designs.
Tour Options
Itinerary
These hard to find winding, cobblestone alleys steeped with character & tradition is remarkable . We'll also find walls painted with Osaka's history etched into it.
Visiting Osaka's Dotonbori River is a must.....one of our highlights. Along side this picturesque scene is a treasure trove full of more than a variety of stores to entertain you.
Explore Shinsaibashi-suji, Osaka’s lively shopping street, featuring unique Japanese fashion, quirky gadgets, and vibrant local energy.
The original bridge was made out of wood in the 1600's...more than 400yrs later it still stand but now made out of iron. It is at the very heart of Osaka and is known as the local meeting spot.
We'll guide you to hidden streets in this area where it has Japan's version of what they think America is. hahah, it even has a statue of liberty on top of a building
(almost always get here on a 3hr tour..depends how fast the group walks) We'll step into some fish market stores that look unremarkable from the outside but when inside exposes seafood heaven. Watch a store cut and prepare a fugu(puffer fish). Learn how to cut a tuna.... Salmon sashimi is some of the best I've had in Japan.
(almost always get here on a 3hr tour..depends how fast the group walks) It's tricky navigating these tucked away quirky stores. Thats what we're here for...to take you to the gaming & cosplay zone and explore your inner nerdy side hahaha
Only available on 4, 5, or 7-hour private tours. Explore Shinsekai, Osaka’s retro neighborhood, full of quirky fishing restaurants, vintage game arcades, board game shops, and old vinyl stores. Step off the beaten path to experience the city’s vibrant local culture and hidden gems.
(ONLY ON THE 4HR OR 5HR PRIVATE TOUR) We get a private knife lesson here. Understand the whole process of how a knife is made (crafted at the rear of the building). After you'll get to experience cutting with these world famous knives of Sakai (made in the south of Osaka). This lesson is included in the price.
(ONLY AVAILABLE ON 5HR OR 7HR PRIVATE TOUR) Standing an impressive and staggering 300m tall, Abeno Harukasu is Japan's tallest building (not structure or tower). Staggering!
(ONLY AVAILABLE ON 5HR OR 7HR PRIVATE TOUR) It is the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan. A temple that exudes spirituality...even if you're not religious like me.
(Only on 5 or 7-Hour Private Tours) Explore Osaka’s most iconic landmark, Osaka Castle, and stroll through the surrounding park while learning about its pivotal role in the unification of Japan. This stop combines striking architecture, historical insights, and scenic grounds for a truly memorable experience.
(ONLY AVAILABLE ON A 7HR PRIVATE TOUR) A hidden gem specializing in this unique, timeless tradition...small but a welcoming atmosphere with a mix of old, originals from the Edo period, and new works.
(ONLY AVAILABLE ON 7HR PRIVATE TOUR) I'm not a huge fan of museums, but this one is very different. The highlight is a reconstruction of an ancient Osaka town featuring houses, stores and homes of the wealthy & commoners.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickup for private tours only: Available for 4, 5, or 7-hour tours. Please meet in the foyer or front doors of your hotel.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(1,701)
Superb experience with BRANDON ( GUIDE ) he was very knowledgeable, child friendly, supportive, educationalist…he gave us very good understanding about Osaka, it’s culture and surrounding vicinity…Good English speaking Canadian guide he was….Very family oriented too… Tour was also top notch and value for money I must say one should buy local tour with them..Very good
We did a private group tour for 5 hours for a group of four. Bryan was an excellent guide. He delivered just what we wanted - a mix of history, culture, fun and food without the major tourist crowds. The information he provided was interesting and entertaining, and his knowledge of specialty shops, specific food stalls etc made it such a great experience. I would highly recommend this tour to get an introduction to Osaka.
Bryan was a fabulous guide. He showed us so much in our time in Osaka and he had a very clear and concise way of giving us the history associated with the places we saw. He listened to us and could accommodate our suggestions with ease. I loved that he spoke Japanese too.
Our friendly guide - Luis - shared some very interesting tips, hints & stories about Osaka culture, food, drink & history. Tour was good value for money, Do on your first morning in Osaka to work out where you want to revisit.
Our tour guide was Marii and she was great. She’s upbeat, friendly, and engaging. She took us to hidden spots and told us interesting facts about Osaka and Japan. You can tell she loves the city. She gave us recommendations on where to dine and shop. This is a very informative and useful tour as it helped us get a lay of the land and make Osaka less overwhelming. Highly recommend!
This tour has a set itinerary but takes you to see all the Hotspots in Osaka! We had Kiko as our Tour Guide and he was the absolute best. He always asked what we wanted to see and was able to pivot as needed. Anyone who ends up with him will be blessed. I was able to get everything I wanted on our tour. After the tour we felt like we had been here for a week! It was so awesome!
I enjoyed Eri!!! She showed us everything and gave us a wonderful history lesson as well. The Takoyaki was delicious and good!!!! She is amazing and I enjoyed her showing us Osaka.
My family of 5 had a great visit to Osaka with Josh as our guide. We had only 1 day in Osaka and Josh took us to popular sites and a mini food tour (best meal I had in Japan!), all while providing fun facts and historical perspectives. He was flexible and a pleasure to spend the day with. Thanks, Josh!
Dom was an amazing guide. He was friendly and accommodating and made sure we stopped anywhere we wanted to go. He had a ton of interesting history and info on the area. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Our hidden gems tour with Mario was great! He was very friendly and informative! We got to try octopus balls and shop for drinks at the 7-11. We highly recommend Mario!
