10 Sightseeing Tours in Osaka Prefecture That You Shouldn't Miss

May 21, 2021 Matilde Konrad

Osaka Prefecture (大阪府, Ōsaka-fu) is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area. Osaka is one of the two "urban prefectures" (府, fu) of Japan, Kyoto being the other (Tokyo became a "metropolitan prefecture", or to, in 1941).
Restaurants in Osaka Prefecture

1. Kyoto private tour from Osaka(Shore excurtion available from Osaka or Kobe port)

Osaka, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Kinki All Star Osaka Walk
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5.0 based on 9 reviews

Visit Japanese beautiful traditional town, Kyoto with a private guide! It's the gem in Japan. As it's a private tour, you can relax and visit sights with your own pace. This tour covers most popular sites like Fushimi Inari shrine, Geisha area, Golden pavilion and Arashiyama bamboo forest.  Tour guide will meet you at your accommodation / Osaka port / Kobe port and start the tour hassle-free. You can choose transportation method depending on your needs. (To be paid separately) Use subways, local trains and taxis like locals riding public transportation or hire a van for door to door convenience or if you are JR Rail Pass holder, maximize the use it. Estimate transportation cost is listed in the exclusion section. Please clarify choice of transportation when booking this tour.

Inclusions: Lunch and 1 soft drink, National licensed guide, Guide meets you at your hotel / port

Exclusions: Transportation fee to be paid on the day: Around 5,000 yen/person using public transportation. , Transportation fee to be paid on the day: Around 65,000 yen/party chartering a private van, Transportation fee to be paid on the day: Around 3,000 yen / person if JR Rail Pass holder, Please clarify type of transportation method at the time of booking, Gratuities

Reviewed By Cheryl S

We loved our Kyoto tour! Our guides Aki and Minako made it so special, the whole tour guide team even came on the call to sing Happy Birthday for my daughter. They also made a lovely personalised video for her birthday. The entire experience was so interesting and enjoyable. Definitely recommend!

2. Private Osaka Tour for Families with a Local, 100% Personalized

Osaka Castle, 1-1 Ōsakajō, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002, Japan City Unscripted Osaka
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

Make life-long memories with your tribe as you follow our local Osaka host on a family-friendly adventure through the city. From the animatronic giant crabs of Dontonbori to wild and wacky cosplay costumes - there's something for everyone! Explore the city, or enjoy a picnic on Nakanoshima island and feast on local food! Just let us know what your family's style is! Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll 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.

Inclusions: Private and personalised experience, 5 hours in the city with a Host, Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options), Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Tickets to any attractions, Transportation costs (public transportation and taxis can be used on the day at an extra cost) , Gratuities (optional)

Reviewed By Renaiika

Our guide Haruhi was very nice and told us a lot about specific characterics from Osaka. We tried Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki and Kushikatsu which was all very tasty. She also showed us some secret passages in Osaka and gave us tips where we could spend time Osaka on our next days. The only thing that I was missing was to try out some other foods that are maybe not too known too. But in overall we had a lot of fun!

3. Private Tour - Food, food, and food! Let's enjoy specialties in Osaka!

Shin-Imamiya Station, Japan, 〒556-0003 Osaka, Naniwa Ward, Ebisunishi, 3-chōme−17−1 番号 otomo travel
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5.0 based on 1 reviews

This plan is recommended for those who want to enjoy the unique local cuisine of Osaka. Osaka has long been a major transportation hub and attracting foodstuffs from all over Japan. As a result of the development of a unique food culture that took advantage of the abundant ingredients, visitors to Osaka tend to overindulge, and the city became known as the ""City of Gourmets"". In this tour, you can experience the food culture of Osaka. You will taste the crispy, bite-sized Kushikatsu with sauce, and the crispy surface and soft interior of the takoyaki. The appeal of this tour is that you can enjoy other Osaka specialties such as Okonomiyaki and pork buns all at once.

Inclusions: Private Tour, Tour Guide, Necessary expenses for the tour guide

Exclusions: Travel expenses and entrance fees for your own, Money for food/drinks, souvenirs and extra activities for your own, Hotel pick-up and drop-off, The use of private van

Reviewed By muhammadkamranalinak

Very good ???? experience I really enjoyed it fully fantastic I never forget it weather no pollution everything is perfect and appreciated.

4. Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour with Nationally-Licensed Guide

Japan Guide Agency
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5.0 based on 3 reviews

Explore Kyoto, one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, accompanied by one of our nationally-licensed, experienced multilingual guides, who will help you efficiently enjoy a six-hour tour, introducing both modern and traditional sides of this dynamic and ancient city. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel, or anywhere else at your convenience, and will take you to a number of Kyoto's famous spots. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will arrange a tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The Nationally-licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Inclusions: Free Photos, Hotel Pick up and Drop-off, Licensed Local Guide

Exclusions: Other personal expenses, Lunch - Lunch (for yourself and your guide), Entrance fee (for yourself), Transportation fee (for yourself and your guide)

Reviewed By X4119CEgaryc

Had a pleasant tour of older Tokyo near Nezu Shrine. Our guide (Hiroyuki-san) spoke good English and shared much of the history related to sights we visited. He also took us to areas that local Japanese people visited and shopped frequently. Very nice tour - will do again.

5. Osaka's Best and Brightest by Private Vehicle

Pinpoint Traveler
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4.9 based on 27 reviews

Looking for a full-day, private vehicle tour that covers top spots with a fun, knowledgeable, and truly fluent English speaker? You've found it. We show you Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, Shin-sekai, a view from high above, and more! Plus, get some local insight and interesting commentary at some of our other recommended stops. All of this at your pace, with your own personal driver/guide, and high quality vehicle service. Your guide is *guaranteed* to be a native English speaker or honest equivalent.

Inclusions: Private vehicle with all related fees., A likable guide that speaks English superbly.

Exclusions: Food and drinks, Admissions (which will range from zero to a few hundred yen or so, depending on if you change the plan), Pickup if you are outside of central Osaka (defined as within or along the JR Loop Line). Other locations will incur a surcharge for both pickup and drop off as follows: Port of Osaka pickups, 2,500 yen each way. Universal Studios area, 2,000 yen each way. Shin-Osaka Station area, 1,000 yen each way., Child seat: 1,000 yen payable on day of tour.

Reviewed By DaveLDelano

My wife and I booked a tour with Liran Levy on our first day in Osaka and couldn't have had a better experience. Not only was Liran extremely knowledgeable about the city's history, sites, food, and culture, he was genuinely enthusiastic about sharing it. He went out of his way to get to know us - where we were from, our interests, our plans for the rest of the trip - and from that point on treated us as he would friends or family whom he was taking around town. If you view travel as a learning experience and prefer a glimpse of real, daily life to a "canned" tour, I strongly recommend booking a tour with Liran. And tell him Dave and Laura said hi!

6. Osaka - Kansai Soul Private Evening Tour Including Japanese snacks

Nippombashi Station, 1 Chome-5 Nipponbashi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0073, Japan Osaka Urban Adventures
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4.8 based on 13 reviews

Often missed on many Japan itineraries, Osaka is more than just a city of commerce — it is the Kansai region’s vibrant and eclectic heart and soul. This private tour takes you by buzzing markets, through a lantern-lit labyrinth, and into the districts famed throughout Japan for their culinary variety and unforgettable atmosphere. Explore the city with your own personal guide on a private tour just for you.

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, Some food samplings (Japanese snacks)

Exclusions: Additional food and drinks, Gratuities for your guide, Meal at the end of the tour

Reviewed By andrewlearnseedo

I absolutely loved this tour, and I think you will too! Hiroko K, our guide, was probably the best guide we could have asked for. The tour is essentially a walking tour learning about, and trying, a bunch of local street food. Hiro is a former kindergarten teacher, and her skills were perfect for this Osaka food show and tell! On top of the context that helped us enjoy the food, she made it super easy to interact with various small businesses where our lackluster Japanese-language skills might have inhibited us. This tour is must for folks visiting Osaka, and I want to go on more tours with Hiroko! Thank you Hiro!

7. Osaka Street Food Tour with a Local Foodie: Private & 100% Personalized

Osaka, Japan City Unscripted Osaka
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4.6 based on 9 reviews

You’ll join one of our hosts to hit the streets and eat your way around the city’s street food stalls. You’ll explore the Namba district as well as the famous Dotonbori area, Osaka’s renowned destination for all things food, wandering through tiny lantern-lit alleyways and neon-lit streets to discover where the best local delicacies are cooked up. You’ll be exposed to regional and traditional Japanese dishes as your host takes you to spots where you can learn all about their origins and local ingredients. Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll 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.

Inclusions: A private and personalized experience, 3 hours with a host, 6-8 foods to taste selected by your host, based on your tastes, 2 beers, teas or soft drinks, Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options), Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Exclusions: Food and drinks other than the ones included in the experience, Tickets to any attractions, Transportation costs, Gratuities (optional)

Reviewed By Renaiika

Our guide Haruhi was very nice and told us a lot about specific characterics from Osaka. We tried Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki and Kushikatsu which was all very tasty. She also showed us some secret passages in Osaka and gave us tips where we could spend time Osaka on our next days. The only thing that I was missing was to try out some other foods that are maybe not too known too. But in overall we had a lot of fun!

8. Private Tour - A Bike Tour to Visit One of the Most Famous Tombs in Japan

Mozu Station, 2 Chome Mozusekiuncho, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0802, Japan otomo travel
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4.5 based on 2 reviews

Are you interested in the largest tomb in the world? The Daisen tomb is 496 meters in length which is more than twice as long as the famous pyramid in Egypt. Let’s figure out what kind of life the ancient people had and what they thought when building such a huge tomb. You will rent a bike and cycle around the huge tomb which is located in a residential area on this tour. It is so huge that it looks like a mountain and you can’t quite get the overall picture. That’s why they have prepared a VR device so that you can take a look at the tomb from 300 meters above the sea level. Don’t forget to book your cycling tour to visit the famous tomb, with your otomo guide!

Inclusions: Private Tour, Tour Guide, Necessary expenses for the tour guide

Exclusions: Travel expenses and entrance fees for your own, Money for food/drinks, souvenirs and extra activities for your own, Hotel pick-up and drop-off, Bike rental fee, The use of private van

Reviewed By L8301AMjustind

This was a great little tour that had a very fun hands-on experience in the middle of it. Make sure you wear blue clothes or something else that you wouldn't mind getting dyed blue from splashes of indigo dye. The dyeing part was really cool and it was great to be able to take home a souvenir. Also, the park with all the old Japanese buildings was fascinating and a perfect spot for some really cool photos. We went at the very beginning of December, and there were still a lot of gorgeous fall colors in the trees. I would recommend this tour to people who are into traditional Japan or traditional Japanese architecture.

9. Private Tour - A Tour to Explore the Symbol of Osaka: Osaka Castle

Osaka Station, 3-chōme-1-1 Umeda, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0001, Japan otomo travel
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4.5 based on 2 reviews

Why not discover the famous castle to the fullest! There are a bunch of tourists at Osaka Castle but most of them just watch the castle tower from outside of it, which is enjoyable enough but still remains a lot to discover. On this tour, you will learn the history and imagine the feeling samurai had when fighting for Osaka at the stake of their lives. There are many more things to explore Osaka Castle to your fullest such as a professional guide who will show you around the hot spots in the park, the view of the castle from the garden, and a cruise ship which will take you around the moat! Don’t forget to book your tour to discover Osaka Castle tour with your otomo guide!

Inclusions: Private Tour, Tour Guide, Necessary expenses for the tour guide

Exclusions: Travel expenses and entrance fees for your own, Money for food/drinks, souvenirs and extra activities for your own, Hotel pick-up and drop-off, The use of private van

Reviewed By muhammadkamranalinak

Very good ???? experience I really enjoyed it fully fantastic I never forget it weather no pollution everything is perfect and appreciated.

10. PRIVATE Half-Day Osaka 4-Hour Off-The-Beaten Track Walking Tour

3-chōme-2-17 Tanimachi, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0012, Japan Pinpoint Traveler
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4.5 based on 27 reviews

This is your tour if you demand a private tour with both the big sights as well as a walk on the local side. Plus, since Osaka is "Japan's Kitchen", food will be ever-present, both delightfully downmarket and astoundingly upmarket at times. In the "top sights" category, no trip to Osaka would be complete with a stop at Osaka Castle, but after that, we dig a little deeper into the neighborhoods. We finish off with another top sight though, this time the famous Dotonbori, but we don't leave too much time to spend there, as we assume you will browse about the area on your own. Your guide will be a native or near-native English speaker (or other language, if that option is selected) who also speaks Japanese, guaranteed. And since this is a private tour, we're happy to make modifications based on your specific interests (additional expenses should be covered by our guests). Bonus for families: First kid free!

Inclusions: Fluent English (or selected language) guide (private, if selected).

Exclusions: Transportation to/from attractions (plan on about 800 yen while on tour), Hotel pickup and drop-off (available for 3,000 yen within central Osaka)

Reviewed By forcet2020

Kevin was awesome. Professional, knowledgeable, and gave us the perfect experience. Easily would’ve taken us 3 days to visit the sites on our own... and we certainly would not have had the context provided from the tour. With COVID a continuing concern, having a vehicle to transport us around instead of hopping on and off a dozen+ trains and busses, was a comforting benefit. Will use this service again when other family comes out to visit Japan in the future.

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