Hidden gems in South part of Osaka, Kishiwada castle and cultural day tour
Visit Kishiwada Castle, a quiet castle in Osaka, offering a peaceful alternative to crowded Osaka Castle.
See nearby shrines and temples and learn about Japanese culture.
Enjoy a Japanese set lunch by a Japanese garden, appreciating the beauty of each dish.
Finish at Kishiwada Danjiri Hall, where you can see festival floats up close and, depending on timing, try playing the Japanese drums.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Takojizo station of Nankai Line
- We will meet at the north ticket gate of Takojizo Station on the Nankai Line.
Kishiwada Castle
Kishiwada Castle is a historic, peaceful castle in Osaka, smaller and quieter than Osaka Castle. Visitors can enjoy the castle grounds, learn about its history, and appreciate its calm atmosphere.
Kishiki Shrine
Kishiki Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine near Kishiwada Castle. Visitors can explore the traditional shrine grounds, learn about Japanese spiritual customs, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere that reflects local culture and history.
Lunch time
It’s time for lunch at a restaurant with a beautiful Japanese garden. You can enjoy a variety of Japanese dishes, including tempura, sashimi, and other seasonal specialties, served in a traditional set meal style. Each dish allows you to appreciate the beauty and flavors of Japanese cuisine.
Kishiwada Danjiri Hall
At Kishiwada Danjiri Hall, you can see festival floats up close and watch videos showing how they are handcrafted. Even if you’ve never attended the festival, you can learn about this famous event and its cultural significance.
Ending Point
Kishiwada station
Want to personalize this tour?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide fee
Transportation fee
Lunch 3500yen/per person(Please kindly cover the guide’s meal as well)
Admission fee of the castle & Danjiri festival Museum 800yen/per person
Tour Important Information
This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
About Tour Guide Ryoko T.
I was born and raised in Osaka, so I’m a true local! I love traveling—both around Japan and overseas—and discovering new places, cultures, and of course… delicious food!
In addition to being a guide, I also run my own office as a certified labor and social security attorney in Japan. Thanks to this professional background, you can feel assured that I’m a trustworthy and responsible guide who can flexibly arrange tours to fit your needs.
Before starting my own practice, I also worked as a tour conductor for domestic bus tours, traveling all around Japan for a year. This experience gave me the chance to visit many regions and learn how to take care of guests in different travel settings.
I can take you on food tours to hidden local bars and restaurants loved by Osakans, or guide you through Japan’s rich history with visits to shrines, temples, and castles. Whether you want to experience Osaka like a local foodie or dive into cultural traditions, I’ll create a tour that’s perfect for you.
I’m also a photography enthusiast, so you’ll get some great photos taken by me as a souvenir from our tour!
Let’s enjoy Osaka together—just like locals do!
Reviews
Fiona H.
“A fabulous night at authentic local venues in Osaka”
Ryoko took us out for an amazing evening in Osaka - each of the three stops she chose, all frequented by locals, was superb. At the first bar, we tried several sake flights accompanied by snacks that were unfamiliar to us, and loved every item. At the second place, we tried a large assortment of sashimi and sushi, accompanied by more sake (informed by our tasting at the previous bar). Plus, we had the chance to order extra things we particularly wished to try (we added pufferfish sushi for instance). The menu was extensive, and Ryoko checked to make sure we were happy to try everything - and I'm so happy we did. Finally, we arrived at an all-you-can drink tiny karaoke bar, and enjoyed karaoke with the locals, who were friendly and welcoming, choosing English songs while we were present. There was no pressure to sing, but we did, and had the best time. (I thought we'd better leave rather than stay when our tour was over, so the locals didn't have to sing in English all night, but it would have been very easy to stay!) Ryoko curated a fantastic night for us. She's smart, considerate, excellent company, very accomplished, and speaks very good English. We feel very lucky to have booked her, and I recommend her as a guide to anyone visiting Osaka. Thanks so much, Ryoko, for a fun and memorable night!
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Ryoko T.
Dear Fiona, Thank you so much for such a wonderful and thoughtful review! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the evening and all the places we visited together! It was such a pleasure showing you some of my favorite local spots and sharing Osaka’s food, drinks, and nightlife with you. I’m especially glad you enjoyed trying so many different Japanese dishes and sake, and of course, the karaoke with the locals! That was such a fun way to end the night! I really enjoyed spending time with you both, and your kind words truly mean a lot to me. Reviews like yours make me feel so lucky to be doing what I do! Thank you again for joining me, and I hope the rest of your time in Japan was just as wonderful. I’d love to see you again someday! Take care and safe travels! Ryoko
Steve M.
“Ryoko - Tour Guide Experience”
Ryoko was an amazing tour guide. She was super friendly, super nice and offered great insight into Japan/Osaka and the history that goes along with it. We went to the Osaka Castle and she told me all kinds of interesting facts along the way. I couldn't be happier with the experience. 5 Stars. 10 out of 10. Thank you, Ryoko.
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Ryoko T.
Hi Steve, thank you so much for your wonderful review! I am so glad that you really enjoyed the day with me! I also really enjoyed spending the day with you and showing you around fish market,Osaka Castle, observation deck, and Miracle Osaka. It was such a pleasure sharing some of the history and stories of Osaka with you! Thank you again for taking the time to leave such a kind review. Your words really mean a lot to me and made my day! I hope you had a wonderful rest of your time in Japan, and I hope to see you again someday! Take care and safe travels! Ryoko
Josh K.
“Great guide in Osaka”
We spent a fun afternoon with Ryoko. She developed a custom itinerary based on our interests that we had to cut short due to complications in our group. Ryoko had good positive energy and lots of local perspective to share. She was not shy in pointing out typical tourist mistakes vs. what a local would do - much appreciated. She shared many aspects of Osaka food culture and gave us good advice for the rest of our visit. I wish we'd been able to spend more time with Ryoko. She is a great guide to Osaka.
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Ryoko T.
Dear Josh, Thank you for your excellent review! I hope you are doing well. We only spent a short time but I am glad that it helped you learn and experience the local food and culture. Thank you again for having me as your guide. Kind Regards, Ryoko
$222/ per group
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