Osaka Castle

View from the top of the main tower of Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle

Shitennoji Temple

Dotombori's famous Kanidoraku Crab restaurant

Dotombori at night

Dotombori River Cruise

Old Hozenji Yokocho Alley in Dotombori

Doguya-suji Shopping Street selling kitchen utensils

Kuromon Market

Umeda Sky Building

Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine

Osaka One Day Highlights

Highlights BESTSELLER LIKELY TO SELL OUT

Mari

Licensed Guide

(122) Reviews

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Osaka

8 Hours

up to 6 people

English ( Business )

Private tour (only you and your guide)

Walking / Public Transportation Tour
( Contact guide for other options )

Osaka is considered Japan's economic powerhouse having 2.7 million people. Many tourists say Osaka is more relaxing compared to other big cities in Japan. That's because Osakans have a good sense of humor. You will see old and new in this city: Osaka Castle built in the Samurai era, Shitennoji Temple founded 1400 years ago, modern Umeda Sky Building with an open roof observatory, etc. Also you cannot forget Osaka is the number 1 gourmet city! It used to be called Japan's kitchen.

Itinerary

Feel free to personalize this offer with Mari.

10:00 AM

Osaka Castle (entrance fee: 600JPY)

The castle was originally built in the 16th century by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who uniformed Japan as a nation for the first time. The castle has massive stone walls and moats. The main tower contains a museum displaying historical items such as Samurai helmets and armors.
12:00 PM

Shitennoji Temple (entrance fee: 300JPY)

One of the oldest temples in Japan having a history of 1400 years. Although the temple was burnt down several times, you can still see the ancient Buddhist temple style with a beautiful 5 storied pagoda.
13:30 PM

Dotombori

Dotombori is a southern center of Osaka. The place is always crowded with locals and people around the world to take photos of the Glico and Kanidoraku billboards on the Ebisubashi Bridge. I recommend Okonomiyaki or Kushikatsu for lunch if you like to try local food.
16:00 PM

Umeda Sky Building (entrance fee: 1,500JPY) OR Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine

Please choose a modern Umeda Sky Building OR old Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine founded in the 3rd century.

Want to personalize this tour?

Our tours can be customized according to your needs and preferences
Click below to tell us what you are looking for:

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Departure & Return

Starting time 09:30 AM ( recommended ) Flexible

Meeting Point At your hotel in Osaka or Central Gate of JR Osaka Station

Ending Point At the last destination or your hotel

Inclusions & Exclusions

What‘s included

guide fee,
hotel pick up

What‘s not included

transportation for you and guide(approx. 1,000yen/person)
admission fees for you, Osaka Castle (600 JPY/person), Umeday Sky Building (1,500JPY/person), Shitennoji Temple (300JPY/person)
lunch for you and guide(approx. 1,000-1,500yen/person)

Important

I accept a tour request until 2 days prior to the tour date and a group of 2 persons up to 10 persons.

I will pick you up at your hotel in Osaka. We will be using public transportation unless you like to use taxis or hire a van.
At each spot there will be a lot of walking. Please cover guide's transportation cost during the tour as well as yours. If you wish to visit other spots such as Kuromon Market, Kaiyukan Aquarium, etc., please let me know.
Please inform me if you have food restrictions.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation - 30 days prior to meeting time
50% Refund - 15 to 29 days prior to meeting time
No Refund - Within 14 day(s) prior to meeting time

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make changes after I book?

Yes! If you need to make changes such as removing or adding someone to your booking or changing the date or time of your tour, contact us by phone or email

Starting and ending points of the tour.

After you secure your booking, the starting and ending points of your tour can be customized to your convenience (ex.: your hotel, nearby stations, etc.). Don't worry, we will take care of you! Some tours may have an extra fee for this service, make sure to check the tour page.

What happens after I book a tour?

After booking a tour, the guide will accept (or decline) your booking within 24 hours. Then you will be noticed by email from GoWithGuide.

Is the price per person or per group?

The price is charged per group. Which means that you make a one-time payment for your entire group and the price will not change if it is less or more people.

Can I add more people to my booking?

Some guides accept extra people (more than the specified number) for an extra charge. Please check for the extras on the tour or booking page, or contact your guide directly to clarify.

Will there be other tourists in my tour?

No. Your tour is private, only for you and your family or friends, there will be no other group of tourists together in your tour.

Can the guide pickup me at the airport?

Yes, but there will be additional charge for that and it is not by car. The guide will go pick you up using public transportations. For further details, please contact your guide directly.

I'm travelling alone. Can I book this tour?

Yes, you can and you may be able to get a discount if you are traveling alone. Price depends on which guide you choose.

View More Frequently Asked Questions read more

Reviews ( 122 )

4.8 (122) Reviews

Excellent		83%
Very Good		16%
Good		2%
Poor		0%
Horrible		0%

Arun ( Family ) United Kingdom

Arun United Kingdom ( Family )

Excellent

10 months ago

“ Tour of Kyoto ”

Mari is an outstanding guide with Great knowledge and personality. A total pleasure to be with. Took us to all the interesting sites and explained all the details we needed. We strongly recommend her to anyone who is interested in a private guide for Kyoto.

Mari:

Thank you Arun for the review. It was my pleasure to show you around the eastern part of the city which is the most traditional. I had a wonderful time with your family!

Shelly ( Family ) United States

Shelly United States ( Family )

Excellent

11 months ago

“ Fabulous time in Kyoto touring with Mari ”

We have spent 2 days touring Kyoto with Mari. It has been a fabulous experience. Mari has been delightful and we all have had such a fun time together. Her English is excellent and since she has spent a lot of time in the US, there has been no language barrier. It has been an experience traveling all around Kyoto by train, subways and buses.. it was so nice exploring the area in this manner rather than a bus tour and seeing things through a window. We have had a myriad of questions about what we were seeing and Mari answered all of them with enthusiasm, patience and a lot of detail. We enjoyed eating where “ locals” ate and Mari gave a lot of thought on the meal recommendation. When I booked the tours with Mari, she was very flexible with our requests and had a well pl... read more

Mari:

Dear Shelly, Thank you so much for a nice review so quickly. I enjoyed touring with you and talking about a lot of things. I even wish I could have more! I sometimes encounter new things during the tours, and the tour with you was one of those. Thank you, Shelly!

Jacqueline ( Family with kids ) Australia

Jacqueline Australia ( Family with kids )

Excellent

11 months ago

“ A whirlwind 2 days with plenty to see and do ”

Where do we begin with Mari? Mari is such a wonderful and knowledgeable guide who took us around the sights of Osaka and Kyoto. During the Osaka tour we saw, in great detail, Osaka Castle, Shitenoji Temple and the Dotombori. The time and care taken to talk about the history of the first two places made the tour so much more exciting. I should also point out that we travelled with a party of 6, including 3 teenage boys and a 9 year old in a wheelchair. Mari looked up elevator spots and warned us when there wouldn't be any, she kept us informed every step of the way and by the end the boys wanted to call her Aunty Mari :). In Kyoto we saw the magnificent Fushimi Inari Grand Shrine, the Arashiyama Bamboo forest and the Golden Pavilion. We couldn't believe this we're possible, but these were ... read more

Mari:

Dear Jacqueline, I appreciate your detailed tour review! I truly enjoyed 2days with you. I also learned a lot from your family being so nice and caring to each other. The Golden Pavilion looked the best yesterday in the sun, and the reflection in the pond was almost perfect as we had little wind; you were very lucky! I hope you will continue to enjoy traveling in Japan.

Nina ( Family ) United States

Nina United States ( Family )

Excellent

11 months ago

“ Day of Fun in Osaka ”

My group of 6 came on a cruise ship & took a full day excursion in Osaka with Mari. This is the 2nd time I toured with Mari because she is super knowledgeable with the location using subway, train, & walking. We squeezed in as many top attractions given our limited time & was able to beat the long lines at the Osaka Castle. She knew where to go for lunch to avoid restaurant wait times at the Dotombori. I asked her to help us look for fine green tea & children’s chopsticks and she went above & beyond her stated itinerary to help me find those items in different shops. Mari speaks fluent English & understands what visitors are looking for in a short days time. I will definitely ask for Mar again when I visit Kobe & Kyoto on our next trip. I have already recommended Mari to friends who intend... read more

Mari:

Dear Nina, Thank you so much for your wonderful tour review! I had a great time with you. The best part of a private tour is flexibility. I’m glad you could get good green tea at a Japanese tea shop. I’m looking forward to seeing you again in the near future!

Jackie ( Couple ) United States

Jackie United States ( Couple )

Excellent

1 year ago

“ Couldn't have a better guide ”

Had an 11 hour layover between a flight from Bangkok to the US and and thought we'd take advantage of the time to see a small slice of Kyoto. Mari was terrific. She met us at the airport and helped us navigate the train system to Kyoto. Mari couldn't have been better. . We saw the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Tenryuji temple and Fushimi Inari-taisha before Mari took us back to the airport to catch our long flight to the US. When we go back we will definitely seek out Mari again.

Mari:

Dear Jackie, Thank you for taking time and writing a nice review. I’m happy to know you enjoyed the tour although it was rather a quick one. I hope to see you again in the near future!

See all reviews ( 122 )