What to do and see in Osaka Prefecture, Kinki: The Best Cultural Tours

May 21, 2021 Etsuko Causey

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
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

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. Osaka Private Night Tour: Dōtonbori & Ura Namba, 4 Hours With A Local

Osaka, Japan City Unscripted Osaka
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2 reviews

You’ll join one of our local Osaka hosts for a night out in the city that is fast becoming a world-wide favorite! No matter what night of the week it is, you can be assured that Osaka is buzzing! Discover famous entertainment districts like Namba or Umeda, a food paradise like Dotonbori or simply get lost in the network of tiny streets that host everything from izakaya to Sakaya. End off your night (or begin your morning) like the locals do with a steaming bowl of ramen at 3AM. 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 itinerary, 4 hours in the city with a handpicked Host, Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options), Authentic local knowledge and insights, Two drinks of your choice, Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

Exclusions: Food and drinks in addition to any included, Tickets to any attractions, Transportation costs, Gratuities

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 Custom : Osaka Full Day Tour

Venture
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

Explore some of the most famous spots in Osaka and visit a historical temple. Learn about the Osakans’ passion for their business at buzzing markets and feel the heart and soul of Osaka. Visit some must-go spots including Dotonbori and Shinsekai areas. You will also have a chance to learn about Japanese religions from your guide at Shitennoji Temple. You also be taken deep into the local scene later. Have a fantastic day trip with your fun and friendly guide. It will be your unforgettable memory of Osaka. You will start and finish the tour at your hotel.

Inclusions: All transportation costs, Activities indicated in the itinerary, Professional English speaking guide, Lunch, Snacks

Exclusions: Your own expenses, Tips for the guides

Reviewed By sarahcM8539YQ

The session with Noriko was great and I recommend it even if you are worried about virtual experience. I have done several virtual tours but this was the best one full of excellent information. Noriko answered all my questions had great food and sake information to deliver.

4. 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
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

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.

5. Day trip to Nara from Osaka or Kyoto, World Heritage Sites and deer park tour

Japan Wonder Travel
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 1 reviews

Nara locates East of Osaka city and South of Kyoto city. It take app. 1 hour from both cities by public transportation. You can explore Nara as a day trip with a professional friendly guide. Nara is ancient capital city before Kyoto. There are a lot to see!! Especially, around Nara Park. You could see very friendly (and hungry) free-roaming deer, amazingly huge Buddha Statue, very old shrine wiz 3000 lanterns, and second tallest five-storied pagoda. Since this tour is private, if you have any request, it is possible to customize the itinerary.

Inclusions: Hotel meetup, Local guide, Gratuities

Exclusions: Entrance fees (for you & guide), Lunch (for you & guide), Transportation to/from attractions (for you & guide)

Reviewed By dandelionbreak2014

Yumiko was our guide for the day. We were very fortunate to have her lead the way as she is knowledgeable, friendly and experienced. She was well-organised and even taught us useful Japanese phrases which we used in subsequent days! Mount Fuji was visible the entire day, so we felt extremely blessed and happy to have seen the sacred mountain from different locations and at different timings. I highly recommend Yumiko to any person interested in visit Fuji or any other part of Japan!

6. Full-Day Private Guided Tour to Osaka Palaces and Temples

Tennojiekimae Station, 1 Chome-5 Abenosuji, Abeno Ward, Osaka, 545-0052, Japan Guicéna
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2 reviews

Osaka is a modern city with a rich history. Forget the shopping for this day! Doing a time slip, we will discover Osaka through its different steps from its origins to its contemporary time. We will explore Osaka's foundation, then its religion, political and cultural history.

Inclusions: Guide fee

Exclusions: Transportation fee , Lunch, Osaka Castle entrance: 600JPY

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

Japan Guide Agency
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

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.

8. Sakai - Highlights Bike Tour

Nankai Sakai Station Post Office, 3-chōme-22-1 Ebisujimachō, Sakai Ward, Sakai, Osaka 590-0985, Japan Japan Tour Adventure in Osaka / Sakai
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 3 reviews

Sakai City has been a very famous place in Japan for many things, such as Emperors Mausoleums, and Japanese cooking knives. Its history with the development of Business with other countries during the Edo and Meiji Period makes this city very special and unique. Ride through the city to the recent World Heritage Site, The Mausoleum of the Emperor Nintoku, then though the ark to the city Museum. After that, as we all deserve to sit and relax, we will take you for a delicious lunch where you can talk and share with your guide and the other guests. We then visit the historical house of the business successful Yamaguchi Family and finish with an authentic Knife Shop, the Mizuno Blacksmith, where we will visit the forge and can also purchase high quality handmade Japanese cooking knives directly from the blacksmith.

Inclusions: Use of bicycle, within a reasonable budget, All Fees and Taxes, one bottle per guest

Exclusions: Extra Food, Extra Drinks, Shopping and souvenirs

9. Osaka virtual tour

Osaka Castle, 1-1 Ōsakajō, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 540-0002, Japan All Star Osaka Walk
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 7 reviews

This is a virtual tour using Zoom, online conference system. This unique 1h tour brings you to one of the most unique and fun cities in Japan, Osaka. Two friendly hosts will make your experience more interactive. We use not only photos or videos but also handmade materials or actual goods from guides' living room, that makes you feel livelier. You can ask them anything about Japan, Osaka and other popular tourists spots by chat or by talk session after the tour. This tour will provide helpful hints for your future trip to Japan. PLEASE NOTE the tour time is Japan standard time. Make adjustment to your time when booking. We'll send you Zoom URL invitation and you can enter the room easily.

Inclusions: interactive communication, talk session , Licensed tour guide

Exclusions:

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!

10. Kyoto from Osaka: Immersive Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari by Private Vehicle

Pinpoint Traveler
Excellent
80%
Good
20%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.9 based on 8 reviews

Explore the sights of Arashiyama and Fushimi Inari on this full-day, private minivan tour based out of Osaka. In Arashiyama, you'll visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tenryuji, known for its beautiful architecture, gorgeous classic gardens, and lovely vistas. Then it's on to the world famous bamboo grove. Picture time! Afterwards, we slip away to the quiet, rarefied environs of the Okochi Sanso estate for gardens, architecture, and a matcha tea break too. Much more to see and stroll about in Arashimaya before we head to the awe-inspiring, ever-popular Fushimi Inari, where thousands of red gates ("torii") snake up the mountain. We'll talk about the significance and sites as we make our way up the holy pathway, but it's a private tour, so we only go as high as you want! While not included, we are happy to suggest a lunch stop along the way. This tour can be customized, so do feel free to consult with us if you've something special in mind that we don't cover on the standard tour.

Inclusions: Hotel/port pickup and drop-off in Osaka (drop off can be in Kyoto), Native (or equivalent) English-speaking driver-guide, Transport by private vehicle (6 or 9 passenger vehicle, depending on your group size/choice)

Exclusions: We've got some good recommendations for you!, Admissions (figure 1,500 per adult), Child seat: 1,000 yen payable on day of tour.

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.

ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.