Osaka Half Day Tours by Locals: Private, See the City Unscripted

Explore the vibrant city of Osaka with a local guide on a customized half-day tour. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, immerse yourself in the local culture and discover the city’s unique charm.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Osaka Castle - A prominent landmark in Osaka, built in the 16th century and the site of significant historical battles. It’s a favored spot for cherry blossom viewing in spring (entrance ticket 600¥ NOT included).

IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalized experience, the places you visit may vary from those listed and will be selected by your host based on your interests and preferences.

  • Shitennoji - Established in 593, this is Japan’s oldest official temple. It’s an ideal place to find peace while your host explains Japanese Buddhism.

IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalized experience, the places you visit may vary from those listed and will be selected by your host based on your interests and preferences.

  • Hozenji Yokocho - This narrow, stone-paved alleyway is home to over 60 small traditional Japanese restaurants and bars. Enjoy the tranquil atmosphere, a stark contrast to the lively Dotonbori nearby, while savoring Osaka’s culinary delights. Look for the moss-covered statue of Fudomyoo at Hozenji Buddhist temple, where visitors pour water over it for blessings.

IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalized experience, the places you visit may vary from those listed and will be selected by your host based on your interests and preferences.

  • Shinsekai - Modeled after Paris and New York City, this neighborhood features stunning art deco architecture. After falling into decline post-World War II, it is now experiencing a revival with new bars and restaurants alongside its vintage attractions. Admire the neighborhood’s architecture and then visit Tsutenkaku Tower, known as Osaka’s Eiffel Tower, for spectacular city views.

IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalized experience, the places you visit may vary from those listed and will be selected by your host based on your interests and preferences.

  • Dotombori - The Dotombori Canal, lined with neon-lit buildings, is Osaka’s most iconic sight. The canal network offers a unique perspective of Dōtonbori, the city’s main entertainment district, before you explore hidden gems in the Dotombori arcade, a street filled with shops, restaurants, and eye-catching signs perfect for Instagram photos.

IMPORTANT: As this is a private and personalized experience, the places you visit may vary from those listed and will be selected by your host based on your interests and preferences.

What's Included
  • 4 hours walking tour, exploring highlights and hidden gems
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)
  • Private and personalized walking tour with a passionate local
What's Not Included
  • Food and Drinks
  • Transportation (primarily a walking experience however public transport may be used)
  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information

You’ll join one of our local Osaka hosts for an exhilarating half-day experience of their city. From local food to must-see sites like Osaka Castle, you’ll discover the city’s unique charm and local culture. Customized to suit your taste, you’ll visit a creative neighborhood like the neon lit Dōtonbori, grab some lunch at a trendy market and discover iconic temples, historic landmarks and bustling shops.

Within 24 hours after booking you’ll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, youll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.

Location
Starbucks Coffee - Tsutaya Ebisubashi
(The host will be waiting in front of Starbucks Coffee) After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(11 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Anne_s
Apr 22, 2024
Great guide with super personality - Takaya was wonderful. He e-mailed before tour to give me some background on him and ask if we had anything specific to see or do. He made our day in Osaka quite memorable with walking around the shopping area, local shrine and delicious lunch. We learn interesting and knowledgeable history, culture, language, customs and traditional of his homeland. Highly recommend him!!!
Review provided by Viator
Rhondarbm
Nov 15, 2023
Fabulous day in Osaka - Maria was an outstanding guide. She made our day in Osaka very special. We would never have been able to do what we did on our own. Maria guided us in using the subway to get around and we included lots of interesting places. We had a delicious lunch in a quiet little place and we’re introduced to okonomiyaki. A fabulous end to our holiday in Japan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Barbara_r
Jul 20, 2023
So glad we did it - So happy we did it got to see bits of Osaka and get a bit of history as well as some tasty food . Our guide Taiga was so friendly and full of knowledge . Thankyou
Review provided by Viator
Rossallen_m
May 7, 2023
adapted well to our mobolity problems and we enjoyed the tour. - WE dont have great mobility but managed to see the sites we wanted and had a lot of information. would recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Peggyann_m
Apr 24, 2023
A great day in Osaka - Aljic spent extra time with us and made sure to show us all Osaka’s major sites. He took us to a restaurant where my granddaughter caught the fish we ate for lunch.
Review provided by Viator
Garypd7903xl
Jan 28, 2020
Fantastic Experience - All my expectations were met or exceeded. I visited may many interesting sites across the city including a special request I had. Haruhi my guide was awesome. She was very friendly, cheerful with a wealth of knowledge of her city. My experience with here made the tour special.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
277dimitarg
Nov 26, 2019
Excellent experience - We are so happy with our guide Taka, it was a lovely experience and I do recommend this option to every serious tourist in the city.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Casperfelix
Nov 26, 2019
Absolutely Perfect - We are well season travelers who are generally very comfortable in a new foreign city. This was our first trip to Japan and we thought it would be good to hire a local guide in each city to get us pointed in the right direction. This was our first experience with CityUnscripted and our host Akira. I am beyond pleased with the value of the tour and the experience we had. Akira met us at our hotel and asked a few questions to narrow in to exactly what we wanted to do and how to customize the trip for us. We were starving after flying for almost 15 hours to get to Osaka. Akira took us to the local shopping district and ordered the local favorite foods. These are foods that I absolutely would not have ordered on my own. However, I had faith in Akira and he absolutely delivered. Every dish he introduced us to was absolutely delicious. Our half day experience with Akira was short but it gave us everything we needed to jump start our trip. We were able to navigate the local area, shop, and order excellent food. While these sound like rather simple tasks, they can be quite intimidating in Japan If you don’t speak the language or know the local customs. We asked hundreds of questions to Akira about our itinerary and Japan in general. Akira was able to give us incredible advice that allowed us to ensure we had our trip planned to maximize our experience. In summary, our experience with Akira and CityUnscripted was superb and I can’t recommend them enough. Osaka is an incredible city (Kyoto too), but I strongly recommend getting a local guide to ensure you are making the most of your time.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jean0143
Nov 19, 2019
Hidden Osaka - Our guide for 4hrs was Brice. A french guy who's been living in Osaka for 8 years and knows a lot about it. Whether the various hidden places or the restaurants . He cames with interesting facts and could answers all our questions and more. It was fun for my daughter and myself being french (but living thanks god in London for many years ) to have the view from a foreigner living there. We did the same in Tokyo for 6 hours and this time had a Japanese guide who was great as well providing the same package of discovery. I would really advise 'CityUnscriped' as a company togo for among so many on the market . They are tailor made on what YOU want to god and see. The price are reasonable and everything is adaptable . The cherry on the cake being that they are very nice and cool people.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christina_b
Apr 8, 2023
Osaka Castle - Osaka Castle was beautiful, as were the gardens. We enjoyed our day; the walking pace was good for us.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 8 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today