Osaka Tours
Private Osaka Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised
5

Private Osaka Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised

By City Unscripted Osaka
Recommended by 95% of travellers
95% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Spend the day with one of our hosts to discover the true nature of Osaka - head’s up, it’s got a wild sense of humor and is obsessed with food. Explorer (not tourist) is what we’re aiming for here, and in that spirit, you could explore neighborhoods like the fashionable Shinsaibashi or crazy Dotonbori and maybe you’ll discover hidden gems like the smaller shrines and historic streets. Grab a quick bite to eat and see why Osaka is known as the ‘Nation’s Kitchen’ before continuing your adventure through the neon streets of this enigmatic port city. 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'll 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
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99
Duration: 3–8 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Japanese, English
More


  • Private and personalised walking tour with a passionate local
  • 3, 4, 6 or 8 hours walking tour, exploring highlights and hidden gems
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)
What's not included
  • Food and drinks
  • Transportation (primarily a walking experience however public transport may be used)
  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Gratuities (optional)


Start:
  • DAISO, 2-chōme-2-17 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0011, Japan
    (The host will be waiting in front of the shop) After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Pushchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 30791P615

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travellers can participate
    • Meeting Point
    • Your meeting point is flexible, and to be agreed with your Local Host. Meet-up at your hotel or accommodation can be requested, or your Local Host will meet you at a convenient location close to the start of your experience.
    • After booking, you will receive a short questionnaire, so you’ll be able to tell us more about your interests and preferences. Based on your responses you’ll be matched with a like-minded Local Host
    • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 30791P615

    From
    HK$864.53
    per adult (price varies by group size)
    Select date and travellers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 2-chōme-2-17 Nanbanaka, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0011, Japan
      (The host will be waiting in front of the shop) After booking, you can adjust the meeting point to fit your preferences with the help of our Experience Planners.
    • Pass by
      Osaka Castle
      Nakanoshima Park
      Grand Front Osaka
      Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street
      Namba Yasaka Shrine
      Shitennoji
      America-mura
      Hozenji Yokocho
      Dotombori
    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • City Unscripted Osaka
      380
      Japan
      Joined in May 2016
    • Dbabette
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Day in Nara with Buddha and the deer
      We had a great day traveling to and exploring Nara with Alex as our guide. He was knowledgable about the included sights and also the entire surrounding area. Information was explained in a fun and conversational style which added to our learning. The Todaiji-Temple was one of the most impressive sites we visited on our trip. Alex listened to our interest in gardens and flexed so that we could also visit a special garden not on the official tour route. He was always sensitive to our comfort and timed when to stop and eat. Finally, he met us at our hotel to start the day and brought us back at day's end, something many other guides in the area did not offer. Alex even helped us with the arrangements for our next day's sightseeing plans. All in all, we had a great day with an experienced and lovely guide. Thank you, Alex!
      Written 6 October 2024
    • RhondaRBM
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      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.
      Written 14 November 2023
    • kettrade1
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Outstanding Tour of Osaka
      Outstanding tour of Osaka with Hamed, the tour guide. My son was at the high school baseball tournament, so I decided to book the private tour to explore Osaka and I'm glad I did. Hamed provided me a comprehensive tour of most of the city. Hamed is a great communicator and has an engaging personality, so 3 hours with him was a learning experience on the history of many of the districts along with the back-story on each street toured. This tour was one of the highlights of my seven day vacation in Japan.
      Written 14 August 2023
    • peggytW5725CB
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Osaka at night with the best tour guide ever-Maria Soler
      Our guide, Maria Soler showed us the night life of Ame mura, Shin Imamiya and Ura Namba. She was able to not only share the sites, but the story behind the places we saw and experienced. Her wish that we totally enjoy Osaka at night was a dream come true. Thank you, Maria
      Written 31 July 2023
    • Roger W
      0 contributions
      2.0 of 5 bubbles
      Bad Food Tour Experience
      Our tour guide was not prepared for this tour. Instead of having a plan, the guide kept asking us what we wanted. A tour should have a pre planned itinerary and include a sampling of multiple tastes. When we did stop at a restaurant, the guide order way too much food and not enough varied to get a full understanding of the foods of Osaka. Guide was also not fluent in Japanese nor could they answer any questions about the areas we explored.
      Written 21 June 2023
    • Helder m
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Dotonbori food tour with Maria
      I was so much happy with this tour. My luck Maria was my guide. She is amazing. She is so cute and patient. Cura sushi was wonderful. Hope to see Maria soon when I come back to Japan.
      Written 20 June 2023
    • 179aaaa
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Alright food tour in Osaka
      Our young Japanese guide took us around the city to try various foods; unfortunately she only had us trying a few things, on our feet, in a food mall and a market, and didn’t give us much to eat at all for the rest of the time. She didn’t speak good English, which made things difficult, and kept asking what we wanted to do and where we wanted to go; for a tourist who’s only been one or two days in a foreign city this is not an easy answer. We bought some warm tempura shrimps and some cold white wine in a shop, then walked over half hour before we begged our guide to sit somewhere in order to eat. When we finally found a spot on a set of stairs, the tempora was cold and the wine was warm; bad bad. Our guide was a nice girl, but quite unprepared and she didn’t share with us many information on the city, not cultural nor historical. She needs to be trained to do a better job.
      Written 31 May 2023
    • sulingsi
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A lovely evening and plenty of food and drinks!
      We had a fantastic evening trying all kinds of local delicacies with Fumiko, and definitely tried things we never would have otherwise. Loved seeing Dotonbori at night and learning more about Japanese culture and cuisine. It was so much fun.
      Written 30 May 2023
    • Guillaume F
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great food in Osaka, the « kitchen » of Japan.
      We had a great time with Maria and we got to try lots of different things guided so we knew which to choose from. We recommend doing this on the first day so you know where to go after.
      Written 29 May 2023
    • Nicole K
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Book this experience!
      Absolutely fabulous! We had such a great time. Our guide took us to just the type of food spots we asked for and was a great conversationalist to boot.
      Written 23 May 2023
    • Docsherri
      0 contributions
      3.0 of 5 bubbles
      Lovely tour guide, disappointing food tour
      My guide, Maria, was wonderful; very kind, and even helped me navigate the train station by meeting me after the train from the airport, as this was my first night in Japan. She brought me a lovely cheesecake as a gift. My tour was set to start at 8:30 pm due to my night time arrival. I did make it to the hotel earlier than expected, so we did get an earlier start. Unfortunately, so many places we went to were already closed. We did a lot of walking but I only had food at 2 places. It would have been very helpful if the company had planned out the tour more thoroughly. Knowing when restaurants were closing would have saved a lot of unnecessary walking. I was disappointed that I did not get to sample ramen nor teppanyaki. The food I did have was excellent. Luckily, we ate a lot of sushi at our first stop. I enjoyed my time with Maria and she did show me several landmarks on our way. But this was a food tour and I did not feel it lived up to my expectations, especially given the cost of the tour. I would recommend the company not schedule tours after maybe 8pm on weeknights when apparently so many restaurants are already closed.
      Written 19 May 2023
    • bogdan_d_vis_12
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      unique places, unique food and fun with a local
      I had 2 days/2 different activities with Aljic. The street food experience and the city exploration. The food experience on 3rd of May. He greeted me at my hotel and walked a bit on the Dotonbori area, for some pictures on known sites. Then we went to a restaurant he knew where we waited inside for 5 minutes (the queue outside was huge, lots of tourists and locals as it was golden week). We had delicios and generous portions of Takoyaki, Yakisoba and of course the famous Okonomiyaki. After that we walked a bit on a temple nearby. Then it was food time again, on a restaurant with tables put on a fishing boat deck and an aquarium. Here I went for the option to catch the fish. Luckily Aljic was more experienced and caught one of the biggest fish (the policy is: you eat what you catch). We ate the fish half raw and half fried. Fresher fish than this you can't have. It went really well with a beer and a hot sake. Again, Aljic knew the place and people there so we didn't stay in line, we were taken to the table, the first table in the front of the boat. On the way to the hotel, we had a very creamy ice-cream, with a very soft cone. On the city tour, we started the day visiting the Osaka Castle. On his recommendation we went a bit early, not to stay too much in line. Visited the castle, went to the observation deck and made some pictures from below with the garden and castle on the background. Aljic was accommodating with my needs and we always changed planned as the tour went along: tried to go to another observation tour, but the time to enter was 50 minutes, so we went to a quiet temple to escape the noise and crowd. We ended the day having lunch at a restaurant he knew, made reservations on the go and had a table in a mini complex of restaurants located in the basement, where we were served raw meat which we cooked ourselves on a mini-bbq with coals (each table had a separate ventilation system to absorb the smoke). For sure I wouldn't find this place (and managed to communicate with the staff) without Aljic. Eating in Japan for an european can be intimidating, as all places seem to be very intimate. Throughout the 2 days, I had a great time experiencing unique places and food in Osaka. I enjoyed this in the good company of a local, and Aljic was all the time flexible and adapted to my plans.
      Written 9 May 2023
    • DonnaS144
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      The BEST food tour we have had in Japan by far!!
      Cannot recommend this tour highly enough. This was worth every $! Louis was an excellent guide who had tailored the tour exactly to our wishes and then altered it as we travelled through the tour to make it just perfect. The food was amazing, delicious, plenty of it and varied to suit our tastes and inquisitive requests. Louis’s knowledge and understanding of all the locations & questions we had was very much appreciated. We have taken two other food tours in Japan which left us very disappointed. THIS tour was on point! Thank you - we will be recommending this tour to anyone we know and anyone who reads this genuine review. Arigato!
      Written 30 April 2023
    • X3823CFryanp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Wonderful trip to Nara with Miki
      Our guide Miki was wonderful! She took us through a number of sites, explaining cultural and historical significance of each site. She reached out well in advance of our tour to confirm if we had any dietary restrictions (which we did), our budget for lunch, and our desired method of travel. Once everything was arranged, she met us promptly at the meeting time and patiently guided us through the rail system until we arrived in Nara. Once we arrived, she had arranged for two taxis to take us to the Ryoukan where we ate lunch. The scenery was picturesque and the food was delicious as well! She navigated us through the must-sees of Nara, including the Todaiji Temple, Nara Deer Park, and the Kasuga Shrine with ease. She engaged with our children to make sure they had a great time as well.
      Written 6 April 2023
    • Joyce H
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great day tour
      A wonderful day with Taigu exploring Osaka from Kobe port. Taigu planned a tour that we got to experience the true city though in the rain.
      Written 27 March 2023
    See all 380 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    5.0
    5.0 of 5 bubbles333 reviews
    Excellent
    303
    Very good
    16
    Average
    8
    Poor
    2
    Terrible
    4

    Laura N
    2 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2023
    Osaka: Highlights & Hidden Gems Private Walking Tour -> This was one of the worse guided tours I have participated in so far. You cannot believe such a rubbish service is offered in a country like Japan. Many countries of the third world provide you with a better guide. Maria had no idea what she was doing. She came completely unprepared, took us to Sennoji but did not bother to check first if it was open, then took us to see the sanctuary of Ojiso-san but had no idea what they were, she kept saying, the "small statues", then got the itinerary and price wrong when taking us to Dondoburi. Allegedly, she is a qualified tour guide, but this is very hard to believe (I have started my inquiries to verify if this is true. If not, I will sue the company for placing misleading information. When we realised instead of providing us with any useful service, she was going to be more of a kind of hindrance and annoyance, we let her go after just one hour of the tour. I still cannot believe I paid $170 for 2 people for such a service. It was a complete waste of money.
    Written 5 February 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    RP
    Kansas City, KS10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2023 • Couples
    Fumiko was an excellent tour guide who listened to ours interests and made sure that we covered everything we wanted to see and more in Osaka.
    From the day we booked the tour she was in touch via WhatsApp gathering information of our interests and pickup point!
    We did the 8hr tour…highly recommend if you have a short time but want to hit all the highlights.
    Written 5 November 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Great to hear you had a good time with Fumiko in Osaka! Thank you for your positive review—it means a lot to us.
    Written 7 November 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Stanley
    Singapore, Singapore27 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    The tour was cancelled by the tour company on the same day of the tour. I was asked to write in to cancel the tour as if i am at fault and the one requesting for the cancellation. I am also unable to cancel the tour via TripAdvisor’s app as the cancellation within 24 hrs will incur a 100% cancellation charge! The service is horrible! Book the tour at your own risk of disappointment and having to go through the process of writing to them for cancellation, when the one requesting for cancellation is the tour company !
    Written 12 December 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Ai Vee M
    Frisco, TX50 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2024 • Family
    Our guide, Tom, gave us a great experience in Osaka. He made the most of our time without ever feeling rushed. He was responsive to our needs and interests, adjusting the itinerary to accommodate our desires. Whether we wanted to spend extra time at a particular site or take a break to relax and soak in the surroundings, Tom made it happen effortlessly. Tom was a pleasure to be around. His great sense of humor and engaging nature made the tour feel like a journey with a knowledgeable friend. Highly recommended!
    Written 24 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're thrilled that Tom's sense of humor and engaging nature made your tour feel special. Your recommendation means a lot to us! Thank you for choosing City Unscripted, and we hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!
    Written 25 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Lani N
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2023 • Couples
    Loys was an amazing guide! He tailored our tour to our interests and city and cultural highlights. My husband and I had a really great time on the tour, and we enjoyed all the local insight. The food recommendations were awesome, and we would recommend Loys as a guide to anyone who wants to have an authentic experience exploring the city with a local.
    Written 15 October 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Jeremie G
    24 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Loys (our guide) was very knowledgeable. He really helped us see the most important parts of Osaka and he really shared his love for the city. We did an 8 hours tour and we felt that it was very long. Our lower body was aching with all the walking (Loys did wonders with the pace and the breaks). If I had to do it again, I’d go for a shorter tour. Also, we ended up paying a couple of things for our guide and we were not really made aware of what the customs/rules for a private tour was. So bring cash. Overall, a very nice experience.
    Written 30 September 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Cassandra T
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2023 • Couples
    We really enjoyed the tour with Mouloud at Nara. While the first stop in Nara didn't go as planned (building opened later than expected), he didn't miss a beat and continued on our way to the main spots intended on the trip. However, he did make it a point to venture off the original itinerary to ensure we got a great tour of some special houses in Nara that satisfied my husband's love of architecture. I also appreciated how he had bought the food for the deer and had slowly given us a wafer one at a time throughout the tour, rather than all at once, which would quickly get used up. It made those moments along the tour more fun. Overall, a very enjoyable day, and we appreciated all of the thoughtfulness Mouloud put into it.
    Written 24 November 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Deena A
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2024 • Family
    We had a great day with Fumiko. The City Unscripted tour was unusual because it connected us with our guide, Fumiko, as soon as we reserved our tour (a month in advance.) It gave us a direct line of communication to plan and fine tune our tour day. Fumiko was sweet, thoughtful and very accommodating. Her English was perfect and her understanding of what we wanted to accomplish during our one day in Osaka was perfect. Great day!
    Written 30 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for sharing your experience! We're glad you enjoyed your tour and appreciate your positive feedback!
    Written 1 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Owen B
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Kieran is an awesome tour guide and an incredibly friendly person with a true passion for Japanese history and culture, especially Sakura in springtime. He designed a perfect tour exploring Osaka Castle park during Sakura season and also stopping at some of his favorite places for an impromptu food tour around the city. Kieran provided a perfect balance of detailed information, thoughtful answers to all of our many questions, as well as comfortable and casual chat throughout the day. I would highly recommend anyone to book a tour with Kieran — you will have an amazing time and enjoy a memorable adventure exploring Osaka together!
    Written 1 April 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    We're thrilled to hear about your amazing experience with Kieran! His passion for Japanese history and culture, especially during Sakura season, truly shines through. Thank you for recommending him and for highlighting the perfect balance of information, conversation, and exploration. We look forward to welcoming you back for more memorable adventures in Osaka!
    Written 1 April 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Lisa G
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Taka our tour expert assigned to us was Excellent! He was very informative, and he kept the private 6 hour tour fun and geared to what we wanted to do and see. He planned the day perfectly and even found time to add in last minute sake tasting. I highly recommend asking to be assigned to Taka! His English was perfect! No second guessing translation! Truly enjoyable trip to Osaka!
    Written 22 January 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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