Osaka, the second largest metropolitan area in Japan, is called "Tenka no Daidokoro", the kitchen of the country. During this tour, we will visit Dohtonbori canal area besides Osaka Castle. In the Dohtonbori area, you will find out the reason why Osaka has been called "Tenka no Daidokoro". We will visit various places in the southern part of the city, focusing on the culinary culture of Osaka.
Check out what we are going to do.
Feel free to personalize this offer.
At your hotel in Osaka city, or some place easy to meet each other.
The view from the top of Castle Tower is wonderful. You can see all the directions from there.
You will be amazed with a variety of three dimensional flashy sign-boards on the main street.
You may want to explore Osaka's favorite snacks, Okonomi-yaki or Tako-yaki on the street .
You can chose from a large variety of cuisine in Dohtonbori canal area.
You might feel an atmosphere of old time Osaka street, while walking towards a little Hohzen-ji Buddhist temple.
Professional cooks, restaurant and bar room owners come to this street and pick up kitchen utensils. We will go through this street.
It's fun to see various kinds of foods sold in this market. You may want to nibble on something on the street.
At your hotel in Osaka, or a convenient place for you.
Firstly we will visit Osaka Castle, the symbol of Osaka. You can enjoy the great view from the top of the castle tower. Then we will move to the Dohtonbori canal area by subway, taxi or maybe by boat.
The Dohtonbori Waterway that developed as an entertainment district of Osaka with plenty of playhouses and tea shops in 17th, 18th and 19th century. Now they are replaced by many restaurants, bars and clubs over the course of time. It's fun to stroll around this Dohtonbori area to see three-dimensional signboards of various restaurants, and to discover Osaka's favorite snacks, Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki.
The narrow Hozen-ji Yokocho alley is very close to the waterway. That alley can make you imagine the way old Osaka streets were like in the past. Here, at a corner of this street, you will have an opportunity to see a Buddhist statue Fudoh-myooh, covered with moss all over the body.
Then, we will go to the Kuromon Food Market where professional cooks come and get fresh ingredients for their cooking. In this tour, you can learn about Osaka and gain a knowledge on especially its culinary culture.
guide fee, hotel pick-up in Osaka city
transportation fee (you and guide), snacks, lunch, dinner, admission fees
We will have pretty much walking distance, 8~ 9 km in the tour.
・This tour is for those who do not mind walking 5~6 miles, or 8~9 km.
・Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
・Do not forget to bring either a camera or a smartphone.
My day with Toshi was a lot of fun. We went to some interesting temples and shrine were he told me there history. We also went to parts of the city that are the same as years ago and had a really good lunch. If you want an interesting and easy to talk to guide go with Toshi. Randal
Hi Randal, Thank you very much for your review. Unfortunately, we could not visit The Museum of Housing and Living due to the corona virus.If you have a chance to come back here, I would like to show you nice small cities in the Kansai region. Hope you had a safe and easy trip getting back home. Best regards, Toshi
We had the best time with Toshi! His knowledge of Osaka and the food scene there made for an awesome day of touring.
Hi Ivy, Thank you very much for your review. I'm glad that you guys had a good time in Osaka and Kobe. Did you enjoy beef dinner in Kobe? Belated Happy New year to you and your family. Best regards, Toshi
Toshi met us at the cruise port in Osaka and with him we effortlessly navigated our way to and around Kyoto. We had a full day itinerary and met most of our highlighted points of interest. The day was longer than anticipated and Toshi stayed with us to the end, returning us to the port in plenty of time to get back on board. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and would not have been able to see what we did, if we had done this ourselves. In addition, having a guide such as Toshi who has the local and historical knowledge, enriched our experience and meant that the adventure was much deeper. Toshi himself is a genuinely lovely man with interesting experiences and we wish him the best for the future. When we return to Japan, we will definitely engage Toshi, this time for the Osaka experience.
Hi Jim, Thank you so much for your nice review. I myself had a such a fun day, guiding you guys in Kyoto. I’m hoping that any of you comes back to Japan again. Belated “ A Happy New Year! ” to you all. Best regards, Toshi
Toshi was an excellent guide in Osaka. He showed us all the highlights. I would definitely recommend him!
Hi Lori, Thank you very much for your review. I hope you will come back to Kansai region and enjoy more fun places some time again. "A Happy New Year" to you and your husbnd. Best regards, Toshi