Machu Picchu of the East: The Ruins of Takeda Castle
The ruins of Takeda Castle is called the "Castle in the Sky" of "Machu Picchu of the East." They are truly appropriate names because the image of it floating above a sea of clouds, and gleaming in the light of the early morning sun in autumn is extremely beautiful. It's beyond description. The "Castle in the Sky" can be seen from Ritsuun-Kyo on the opposite side of the ruins of the Castle.
If you're lucky, you may see the castle floating in a sea of clouds from Ritsuun-Kyo in autumn.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
at your hotel either in Osaka or in Kobe
Osaka Station
Let's take a JR train for Takeda station.
Takeda Station.
We arrive at Takeda Station.
We use bus and walk up to the Takeda Castle remains.
Takeda Castle
We enjoy walking on the castle remains for about an hour.
Then we walk down to the Takeda Station and we use taxi.
Ritsuun-kyo
We take a taxi to Ritsuun-kyo.
From there we can see Takeda Castle remains.
Information center : Castle In The Sky
We see the a lot of o\photos and culture in the center.
Takeda station
We take JR train for Osaka.
Osaka station
We arrive at Osaka Station.
Ending Point
at your hotel either in Osaka or in Kobe
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
・My transportation fee : 4,600yen.
・Your transportation fee (JR train + bus + entrance fee ) : about 10,500 JPY/persona taxi
・4 people including me) : about 4,000 JPY/taxi
・Lunch and the like
Tour Important Information
I have to tell you one thing. The scene of "the image of floating above a sea of clouds" is a natural phenomenon. Whether we can see the scene depends on the weather.
Therefore I can't assure you that if we see a sea of clouds by all means.
The guide fee doesn't include our transportation fee.
Important message from the supplier
I guide you Sapporo, Furano, Otaru, Hakodate in Hokkaido / Aomori in Hokuriku / Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, Himeji in Kansai / Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Kagoshima in Kyushu / Kochi, Matsuyama, Ehime in Shikoku / Matsumoto in Nagano/ Tottori, Shimane, Kanazawa, Sakaiminato, Fukui in Japan Sea side / Please get in touch with me!!
Thank you.
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 Hideo Y.
Hello, I'm HIDEo YOSHIda. Please call me HIDEYOSHI, the same name as the famous shogun who built the Osaka Castle in 1585.
I was born in Kobe and worked in Osaka for nearly 40 years. I would like to introduce the Kansai region to you ,including Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Wakayama.
Kobe is one of the two largest ports in Japan, along with Yokohama. After the opening of the Port of Kobe in 1868, foreigners built their residences on the hillside of the Kitano-cho area, overlooking the ocean. Many of the foreign residences are now open to the public as museums, including the Weathercock House, with it's symbol weathercock on the triangle-shaped roof.
In Meriken Park, the red Port Tower (the city's landmark), creates a beautiful contrast against the white Kobe Marine Museum. The museum's design was inspired by the waves and sailing ships.
When you have a chance to visit Osaka, please join my tour. I'm sure you'll enjoy the interesting and historical, scenic spots. For example, Shin-Sekai is a downtown area with a strange mix of nostalgic atmosphere and contemporary energy. You can try local foods (kushikatsu, sushi, tempura) at a reasonable price. Billiken (a famous statue of the spirit of luck) will be waiting for you!!. Dotombori is a popular street with a lot of flashy signboards. Osaka is widely known as a "Kuidaore-no-machi", or literally "drinking and eating luxuriously to death." Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi HIDEYOSHI in 1585. Oh, it's my residence, isn't it !
These days "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter" area in USJ, or Universal Studios Japan, is also attracting more and more people.
I'll be looking forward to seeing you !!
Reviews
Deb B.
“Well Spent Day in Kochi”
we were picked up and headed to the Ryugado cave which was an adventure. Hideo was extremely informative about the cave. the cave is 4 kms long but we only have access to 1 km. with steps and hand rails some of the rock formations are beautiful. really good outing with an enthusiastic guide. next was lunch after lunch we went to the Makino Botanical Garden and learnt about Dr. Makino - he must have been a brilliant Botanist. across the road was the Godaisan Chikurinji temple. was the perfect way to round off the day. Hideo was organized, enthusiastic and passionate about his material. a day very well spent.
Andrew H.
“HANSHIN Tigers baseball game”
Hideoshi was an excellent guide and met our group of 4 at the Osaka station before taking us on the express train to the game. He came prepared with jerseys to borrow for our group, noise makers and interesting information on the team and players. He took us to the team shop before the game to navigate getting balloons for a 7th inning fun event. We had such a great time with him and he’s an amazing guide. I highly recommend booking any tour with Hideo
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Hideo Y.
Thank you for joininig my Japanese baseball game tour. I'm very glad to receive your excellent review. About 40,000 spectators enjoyed watching the baseball game at Hanshin Koshien Stadium. I make it a point to bring jerseys, noisemakers and new Hanshin Tigers information sheet at every tour. I'm sure you enjoyed raising yellow balloons at the 7th inning. Also you amazed how Japanese audiences back up their team. I hope to see you again. I wish you all the best in the future.
Teresa Y.
“Osaka castle, Dotombori and New World visits”
We were a family of three adults, guided by Hideo on July 13, 2026. It took us a while to locate Hideo inside and outside of the Osaka ship terminal. Finally we went back inside and found him sitting near the window. I was shocked to not able to recognize him because Hideo appeared much senior in person, than his posted picture here. Nevertheless, Hideo guided us to the Osaka castle via subway, brought us to lunch at Dotombori, and ended with a tour of Shin-Sekai (New World). We appreciated Hideo in finding the elevators and resting areas for my husband, who had mobility issues with his left foot. I personally found it hard to understand what Hideo was saying during the tour. I think his written English here is better than his spoken one. There was definitely a language barrier here.
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Hideo Y.
Thank you for your honest opinions and for taking the time to write them. I'm going to improve my English-speaking skill from this experience. I think I could use elevators, escalators for your father as much as possible. I hope I guide you the tour again in the future.
$394/ per group
More tours by Hideo Y.
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Kyoto Golden Route (Nijo Arashiyama Kinkakuji Fushimi Inari)
Kyoto was the ancient capital of Japan from 794 over one thousand years. I would like to introduce you Nijo Castle, Arashiyama bamboo Forest, Tenryuji Temple, Kinkakuji Temple (Golden pavilion), and Fushimi Inari Taisha. Fushimi Inari Taisha has 1,000 shrine gates, It had been ranked top among most popular scenic spots in Japan by foreign tourists for 6 years in a row. Your entrance fee is 2,300 yen /person..
Kyoto Golden Route (Nijo Arashiyama Kinkakuji Fushimi Inari)
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Atomic Bomb Dome and Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima
Hiroshima has 2 World Heritage sites: the Atomic Bomb Dome and Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima. Hiroshima is now internationally known as the first city destroyed by the atomic bomb ever used in human warfare. Within the Peace memorial Park at the epicenter of the explosion, you can find war memorial museum and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The shrine is also a brilliant vermilion hall and it creates a sharp contrast against the wooded hills in the background and the blue sky above.
Atomic Bomb Dome and Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima
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Kochi Golden Tour
Chikurinji Temple is designated as the 31st of the 88 Shikoku sacred sites pilgrimage. Sakamoto Ryoma is selected one of the three most popular figures in Japanese history. Facing the Pacific Ocean, the beach is known for a good spot to view the moon. Kochi Castle is one of the 12 wooden castles that was built during Samurai Period (until 1867) and still remains standing.
Kochi Golden Tour
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Osaka Castle, Dotombori, Shin-Sekai
I take you to Osaka Castle, Dotombori, Sginsekai and Shinsaibashi Shopping Street. Osaka Castle was built by Toyotomi HIDEYOSHI. Oh, it's my residence, isn't it !! You can commands a panoramic view of Osaka city from the observatory. In Dotnobori you have popular Osaka local foods such as Okonomiyaki. Takoyaki, and Kushikatsu. Shin-Sekai is a downtown area with a strange mix of nostalgic atmosphere. We mainly use subway for about 820JPY and Your entrance fee is 1,200JPY/person.
Osaka Castle, Dotombori, Shin-Sekai
Other Popular Day Trip Tours in Osaka
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Exploring Osaka
8,000 years ago, Osaka slept under a large seashore lake. This city of lake later turned to a city of smoke and eventually grew into the 2nd key international city after Tokyo. Birth place of industry in Japan, such as bank, insurance, steel, machinery, spinning, medicine, ship building, electrical appliance, etc. Touching days of Osaka ,Then and Now.
Exploring Osaka
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Visiting Nara from Osaka ~truly the must-see place in Japan~
Nara: the must-see place in Japan. Nara was the capital of ancient Japan before Kyoto became the capital. In the Nara era, Buddhism played an important role in stabilizing the country. So you can see many big old temples there. Many of these are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites and are concentrated in a small area. So, if you have only one free day to spend in the Kansai area, I highly recommend visiting Nara.
Visiting Nara from Osaka ~truly the must-see place in Japan~
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Osaka All-in-One: Castle, Street Food, Markets and Hidden Alleys
Experience the full depth of Osaka in one day — from the grandeur of its most iconic castle to the lively canal-side streets of Dotonbori, the freshest bites at Kuromon Market, and the retro charm of Shinsekai.
Osaka All-in-One: Castle, Street Food, Markets and Hidden Alleys
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Osaka Highlights Half-Day Private Tour – All Transportation Included
Discover Osaka on a private half-day tour and experience the city's rich history, vibrant culture, and local lifestyle. Enjoy a flexible itinerary tailored to your interests and pace. We will walk between nearby attractions, and when distances are longer, we will use Osaka’s efficient public transportation. Taxis can also be arranged upon request at an additional cost. Perfect for first-time visitors seeking an authentic and personalized Osaka experience.
Osaka Highlights Half-Day Private Tour – All Transportation Included
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