This full-day private tour includes must-see tourist spots in Osaka. We will visit Osaka Castle, Osaka Museum of Housing nd Living, Kuromon Market plus Dotombori both downtown Osaka. In this tour we will see the present and past of Osaka and its energetic people.
At your hotel in Osaka or your cruise port (Osaka/Kobe)
Meet
Osaka Castle was build in the 16th century by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, one of the most powerful feudal lords in Japan. Let's go up to the top of the castle tower. You will feel as if you were a shogun by enjoying its magnificent view. Also you will see what Osaka Castle was like at that time by looking at a variety of displays in the castle tower.
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is located in cental Osaka, about 20 minutes away from Osaka Castle. This is the best place, not so spacious though, to figure out what the life of the Osaka common people was like during the early-19th to the mid-20th centuries.
Let's stroll through Kuromon Market. I suggest you try Osaka's specialties like Tako-yaki or grilled octopus dumplings, Okonomi-yaki or Japanese style pancake, fresh sea food, and you name it.
Dotombori is also at downtown Osaka, 15 minute walk from Kuromon Market.
Send-off
At your hotel in Osaka or your covenient place or your cruise port (Osaka/Kobe)
guide fee, hotel pick-up in Osaka or Kyoto
transportation fee in Osaka (about 2,000 JPY per person, guests and guide), entrance fee (1,200 JPY per person, you only), lunch (you only)
-The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is closed on every Tuesday and December 29 through January 2.
-When you would like to join this tour on Tuesday or the day when The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is closed, we can arrange
your itinerary as you wish, like Umeda Sky Building.
-We'll walk most probably more than 10 k steps. So sneakers are recommended.
-(Umeda Sky Building has tube-typed see-through sky escalators. When you are afraid of heights, elevators are available.)
I can also guide you in Hiroshima (Peace Memorial Park, Miyajima), 1-day tour. My transportation fees to/from Hiroshima cost about 20,000 JPY, return.
“Perfect introduction to Kyoto ”
Ahogo met us at our hotel promptly. Since our tour was utilizing public transportation he had travel cards ready for us to use, the cost to be settled at the end of the tour. He had the stops well planned by area in order to avoid too much crisis crossing around the city. Ahogo gave us very in-depth explanations of the correlation between Shinto and Buddhism, and showed deep knowledge of historical events. He is a soft spoken man with great passion for sharing information about his country. His command of English is perfect and was always eager to share his knowledge with us. We definitely recommend you book with Shogo.
Shogo K.
(30 reviews)Dear Gigi, Thank you for the wonderful review. I'm so grateful to know that you enjoyed exploring inner reaches of Kyoto's historical sites. Because of your thoughtful cooperation and early blooming cherry blossoms coming out, I felt as if I were strolling in a beautiful paradise with good and old friends of mine.:) Many thanks to you, Gigi, your generous husband, and lovely friends.:) From "Henpecked"
Simona I.
Bustling Osaka & Ancient Nara Full Day Private Tour
“Very knowledgeable guide”
Shogo was an excellent guide. We enjoyed very much the itinerary prepared for us and the fact that he provided short documents for us to refer to for the trip. Very good! Thank you Shogo
Shogo K.
(30 reviews)Dear Simona, Thank you for the lovely review. I'm so grateful. Indeed it was a fun two-day tour in Osaka and Nara. It's always my great pleasure to do tours with such a cheerful and beautiful sisters, especially guiding with hand in hand among a herd of dear. Looked a bit envious of me? Again thank you for everything. Warmest regards, Shogo
Angus M.
Bustling Osaka & Ancient Nara Full Day Private Tour
“Very Hot Day”
The weather was very hot in Osaka and we had a good visit to Osaka-Jo. We then took the train to Nara, all well planned but there everything declined. The guide lost his way around the town and appeared ill prepared for this section of the tour. After wandering for some km we eventually found the restaurant but with the heat and exhaustion from the additional walking we abandoned the remaining part of the tour which was very disappointing.
Shogo K.
(30 reviews)Dear Angus, Thank you for writing a review full of useful suggestions. Indeed with heat wave into a third straight day across the country, Nara was sweating as well. We were having to take caution to not get dehydrated. We went rather slowly than usually and taking a water break/shade frequently, for which I think we might have lost enough time in Nara. Meanwhile, I understood early on that my guests' priority is Japanese cuisine. I booked a good restaurant for lunch with their consent. The lunch basically lasts as long as at least 1.5 plus hours. After arriving in Nara, I was focused on how best to get to the restaurant to save time for sight seeing. I tried taking a shortcut through historic Naramachi district, in vain. We accordingly ended up losing time for visiting a temple/shrine, and making them get exhausted. I'm very sorry for that. I felt like I learned a lesson ....."If you run after two hares, you'll catch neither." Hopefully my guests caught one of the best ever "hares" at the restaurant.:) Thank you so much for your huge patience and understanding. Best regards, Shogo