• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Embark on an immersive exploration of Osaka's iconic landmarks and hidden gems. From towering views at Umeda Sky Tower to the historic grandeur of Osaka Castle, and the vibrant street life of Dotonbori, this tour promises an unforgettable dive into the heart of Osaka. Discover Osaka in all its multifaceted glory on this comprehensive city walk.

Destination

Osaka, Japan

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Indonesian, 日本語, Melayu, Español, עברית

Included

• Private Guide
• Public Transport
• Entrance to Attractions
• Local Snack or Drink
• All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral

Excluded

• Meal

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 10 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at Outside the Mazda Brand Space in front of the Umeda Sky Building - Osaka to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. City Highlights

   See Umeda Sky Tower, Dotonbori, Osaka Castle, and more must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots of the city so you can get the perfect overview to what makes Osaka so special

4. Hidden Gems

   long the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists get to experience

5. Special Treat

   Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions

6. More Things to See

   With more time, you’ll have the chance to enter some of the landmarks and attractions your host has planned for you. Get in touch with the host of your choice to hear more about their plan

7. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Deanna

(About local Naoki)

2 March 2025

We had an incredible day with Naoki! He was incredibly knowledgeable about Osaka and gave us some excellent suggestions with detailed recommendations for our remaining time there. He was super flexible and helpful and showed us the highlights of Osaka. He also introduced us to takoyaki and okonomiyaki (delicious!). Do not hesitate-- book with Naoki!Amazing day with Naoki

J.🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jessica)

1 January 2025

Jessica nailed it with us. 100% exactly what we wanted and adapted on the fly to things we asked for or expresses interest. Her knowledge and insights made our tour the most memorable of our trip to Japan! Absolutely perfect

Richard🇺🇸 United States

(About local Allysa)

1 January 2025

Friendly, knowledgeable. Was able to start a little earlier for us as we were in Osaka earlier than planned. Got to see Umeda Sky Building, Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, and Dotonbori. Made several stops to shop, and sample street vendor and food stall wares. Definitely recommend takoyaki, kobe skewers, dorayaki, among other delicious foods. Great communication via Withlocals and Whatsapp. Highly recommend!Great Osaka intro - a day trip from Kyoto

Rod🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Naoki)

13 December 2024

We had a wonderful 5 hour Osaka tour with Naoki who struck the right balance between being informative and charming. We hit all the high spots in Osaka - literally with the sky tower and castle and also with the fun of local places to eat, particularly many of the delights of the fish market. Naoki was an exceptional guide and clearly a warm and engaging person. You won’t regret asking him to guide you around Osaka. Thank you Naoki - Highly recommended

Diane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

12 November 2024

We couldn’t have asked for a better guide for a day in Osaka. Naoki is a delightful person, and speaks perfect English. And he is a true local. He has a great understanding of history as well as current culture and politics. He was wonderful in answering our questions, and showing us things that were particular to our interests. He showed us so many iconic as well as unusual places, and had so many interesting stories. We highly recommend him!A wonderful day with Naoki

Tisha🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Hiromi)

15 October 2024

My friends and I had a great time with Hiromi. We booked the 5-hour Essential Osaka Tour, and it was a great introduction to Osaka's many faces. We started out with a 360 degree view of the city at Umeda Sky Building; commuted like locals on the train; learned about history at the Osaka Castle grounds; visited a couple of temples and shrines; took photos of the oldest company in the world; ventured to the touristy spots in Tennoji; and ate delicious local snacks. Hiromi is a good communicator, very knowledgeable about Osaka and Japanese culture, and there was never a dull moment with her. We chatted and laughed like old friends. I highly recommend her as your tour guide!Osaka Adventure

Stacey🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

8 September 2024

Naoki was such a great tour guide! He is very personable, speaks good English, very accommodating, and informative of the areas we toured. His tour that he did with us was fun because he mixed in the culture of Osaka and the local food. I highly recommend Naoki for your tour of Osaka.Great Osaka Tour

Nate🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

6 April 2024

My family of seven had an amazing time with Naoki. We had three kids ages 10 to 16, and four adults. Naoki spoke perfect English and was extremely accommodating. He took care of all details and knew facts about everything. We would highly recommend Naoki for anybody, including families with kids, if you you’re traveling in the Kansai area and want an English speaking tour guide. He was awesome!Naoki is GREAT!

mjones0023🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

25 February 2024

We have used tour guides in many cities all over the world and Naoki is quite simply the best! In addition to being knowledgeable he has a great personality, and fun to spend the day with. Additionally, after we booked the tour, we e-mailed him with a request to include two additional sites along the way. He easily and thoughtfully managed to accommodate our request. We will remember the day we spent with him for the rest of our lives. Had we known in advance, we would have engaged him for as many tours in Osaka as possible. The Best Tour Guide Ever!

Rachel

(About local Naoki)

7 January 2024

Naoki was an incredible guide. He showed us Osaka for the day and we had an absolutely wonderful time. He helped us navigate the subway, explained all the interesting landmarks and gave us great insight into being from Osaka. A brilliant guide and day had by our family of 4! Osaka tour with Naoki

Lisa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

7 March 2025

We had such a wonderful time with Sebastian. He had so much knowledge about each stop and created the best schedule to avoid the crowds and make the best use of the time. The meals we had were really special and highlighted local ingredients for super reasonable prices. I would highly recommend him as a guide. Amazing day!

Victoria

(About local Naoki)

7 March 2025

We had a great time with Naoki. He was so knowledgeable and his information and passion was clear from the get-go! We enjoyed some wonderful kushikatsu at the beginning of our tour and then made our way through Namba to Dotonbori. We were shown both a Shinto and Buddhist shrine and educated about the difference between the two. Naoki accompanied us on the subway back towards our hotel and even helped us find a restaurant for dinner after. Cannot recommend him highly enough! Great, informative evening!

Juan🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Naoki)

7 March 2025

We had the absolute pleasure of having Naoki as our guide for our Samurai Heritage tour in Osaka, and we couldn’t have asked for a better experience! From the very beginning, Naoki’s warm personality, deep knowledge, and passion for history made this tour truly special. Instead of visiting the Osaka Museum of History, we explored Osaka Castle, and Naoki made the visit incredibly engaging. He shared fascinating stories about the castle’s history, the samurai legacy, and little-known details that brought the past to life. Beyond the historical insights, Naoki was incredibly accommodating, adjusting the pace and content of the tour to match our interests. His recommendations for other sights and local food spots were also fantastic! If you’re considering booking a tour with Naoki through WithLocals, do it! His expertise, enthusiasm, and genuine kindness will make your Osaka experience unforgettable. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to explore the city’s rich history with a knowledgeable and engaging guide.An Unforgettable Osaka Tour

Unknown

(About local Jessica)

6 March 2025

We really loved our time with Jessica. She did a great job explaining everything to us and really had the food scene down. That was our main interest. She was specially good at pivoting around our interests. Highly recommend her!Great Guide!

Rosy

(About local Maria)

6 March 2025

Maria was an absolutely fantastic guide. She is incredibly kind and knowledgeable. We tried so many different foods - which was especially great as we were working with some dietary requirements. We saw parts of the city we would not have come across by ourselves and were just so happy with the whole experience. Wonderful tour!

Sereni

(About local Jessica)

6 March 2025

It was the arrival day of our trip to Japan & the Osaka evening walking tour with Jessica was a great start! She shared with us some useful tips & insights about Japanese manners, typical foods of Osaka and restaurant suggestions. Jessica spoke perfect English and she was quick to respond to change of the meeting time. Informative & kind

Unknown

(About local Hiromi)

4 March 2025

Hiromi gave us intro to Osaka specific foods, took us around and also shared a lot of nuance around culture. Being that she was a season traveler herself she loved our questions and was eager to share Udon and sushi spots were delish! Time with Hiromi was excellent!

Eric

(About local Hiromi)

2 March 2025

Hiromi was an excellent guide around Osaka! She not only brought us to some very delicious food spots, but she was very knowledgeable about the history of the food. Also, she was very nice, and me and my partner had a great time chatting with her. ありがとうございます！Amazing Food Tour in Osaka

Francisco

(About local Ricky)

2 March 2025

We spent a wonderful day with Ricky exploring everything Osaka has to offer, while at the same time learning about its rich history. Highly recommended!!Historical tour with Ricky

Kristyn

(About local Naoki)

1 March 2025

After traveling in over 50 countries, my husband and I have experienced a lot of guides, and I can honestly say that Naoki was the very best guide we have ever had! I with I had booked a lot more time with him! We did the 10 tastings of Osaka with Naoki and all the food and drink choices were fantastic, but this was so much more than a food tour! Naoki has an incredible amount of knowledge about Osaka and Kyoto and Japan in general, but we also had so many interesting conversations about his life growing up and our cultural comparisons. As we walked between restaurants, Naoki made sure to make a lot of interesting stops at shrines and other important places in the city. Naoki was also constantly making sure to take photos of us without us having to bring it up. The next day Naoki was also emailing us more information about stores and restaurants we had discussed and responded very quickly when I asked for recommendations in Kyoto. I truly can’t say enough about what a wonderful time we had! It was the highlight of our 3 weeks in Japan. By the end of our night with Naoki, we felt like we had made a lifelong friend! Absolutely Amazing Guide!!!

daniela🇲🇽 Mexico

(About local Naoki)

23 February 2025

We absolutely loved taking the food tour with Naoki! He is such a kind and friendly person, and he took us to truly amazing places to eat while sharing great local recommendations. On top of that, his tour was filled with fascinating insights about Japanese culture, which made the experience even more special. If we ever come back to Osaka, we would definitely love to book another tour with him!Great experience full of great food!

elysawalk

(About local Jessica)

23 February 2025

Jessica was a great guide. She was so accommodating to my elderly mother and very helpful. She was totally flexible with what we wanted to do as well.Amazing!

Bruce🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Naoki)

19 February 2025

Naoki was a lovely, softly spoken, humble person, who took us across at least 4 locations in the city giving us a holistic perspective. As someone who grew up in the centre of the city, he knows every part of it. He took us from the Town Hall, local Shinto Shrine, Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, and Dontonbori. He was so generous with his time, that we went past the 3 hours. (Just make sure you have an ICOCA card for the trains, we travelled by train between locations). We learnt a tremendous amount about the history of Osaka, the Shinto and Buddhist religions, the culture of the city, shopping areas, and of course food. Aoki, as someone who has spent his lifetime in the city, is a great person to lead a With Locals experience. Fantastic insights from an Osaka native

Anna🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Hiromi)

15 February 2025

We had 10 tastings experience with Hiromi and I can highly recommend it. We have read so many posts and watched many videos about Osaka eateries and street food, but it is so different to what Hiromi showed us. The food was amazing with every place and dish carefully chosen to wow us. I would definitely do it again if I come back to Osaka. Unforgettable experience in Osaka

Arlene

(About local Allysa)

14 February 2025

My day with Allysa was one of the best highlights of my trip to Japan! She was immediately aligned with my hopes and expectations of visiting the lesser traveled roads of Kyoto. As a fellow photographer, she showed me beautiful places without the typical crowds. I highly recommend her as a guide, who will provide a memorable experience of the hidden gems in Japan.Great day with Allysa!

Michael

(About local Naoki)

7 February 2025

Naoki-san is a great guide. He met us at our hotel in Osaka and took us to Kyoto via public transportation/trains. This was my third trip to Japan and my son's first. We both learned a lot from Naoki-san. He answered all our questions (however bizarre) very calmly and patiently. He navigated the streets and alleys of Kyoto expertly as we visited numerous shrines, temples and gardens. He even found vegetarian/vegan restaurants to satisfy my son. It was truly a fantastic tour. Fantastic tour of Kyoto with Naoki-san.

Harlan

(About local Hiromi)

4 February 2025

We finished our tasting tour with Hiromi, last night. She was knowledgeable and an excellent teacher throughout the experience but what really made it special was that she customised the experience on the fly as she learned about what we wanted to get out of it. We got to try new things and Hiromi kept taking us to better and better spots as the night went on. She delivered a truly wonderful tour.Horimi is something special!

Banjing

(About local Maria)

4 February 2025

We had an amazing experience with our tour guide during our visit to Osaka! When my son accidentally lost his wallet at a train station, we were struggling to communicate with the lost and found personnel, who only spoke Japanese. We decided to hire a local guide, and we are so glad we did. Our guide went above and beyond, speaking with the lost and found team on our behalf, and when the wallet wasn’t initially found, she didn’t give up. She worked with the train station staff and was able to help us locate the wallet. We were incredibly relieved and grateful. Afterward, she treated us to an insightful tour of Osaka. Her knowledge of the city’s history was impressive, and she shared fascinating details that you won’t find in any guidebook—these were real local insights that made the experience even more special. We feel so fortunate to have met such a dedicated and knowledgeable guide, and we highly recommend her to anyone visiting Osaka. Thank you for everything! This highlights both the practical help she provided and the enriching tour experience!100% truly Amazing Person!!!

Dushan

(About local Naoki)

28 January 2025

Naoki is super knowledgeable and was very informative. Took us to several local spots and took lots of pictures for us. We really enjoyed the experience and was nice to eat food that wasn’t the standard tourist offerings and more what the locals eat. Amazing time with Naoki!

Sallim🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Naoki)

27 January 2025

Naomi was always humble and accommodating. He was able to teak the schedule to our needs. Good insights into the Osaka castle area and Dotonburi area. We enjoyed the walk and the history given. Thank you very much. An enjoyable evening in Osaka

remy

(About local Naoki)

20 January 2025

Wonderful guide ! He accepted to change the date at the last miment because our flight was cancel and delayed. He know everythings about Osaka castle and Japan history! And he was very very kind with us all the time ! Thanks Naoki !Amazing guide

Lucas

(About local Allysa)

20 January 2025

We had a great time walking around Osaka with Allysa. She was very pleasant to be with and very knowledgeable about Osaka now and the history. Allysa changed the itinerary to our requests and we did everything we wanted together. Made many pictures together.and became friends in only 3 hours time. Great and personal experience with Allysa

Rachael🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Max)

20 January 2025

Max was great. Easy to communicate with in the lead up to the tour, and friendly throughout. He made a considerable effort to include stops that appealed to our kids which was appreciated and led to a better experience for everyone. The snippets of stories around the history of Osaka were brilliant. Would highly recommend Max for anyone coming to Osaka. Great Osaka Stroll

Meghan🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Naoki)

18 January 2025

The tour with Naoki was great! He was a formidable host! Punctual, kind and super insightful! In addition to the food he also showed us some hidden temples and shrines. He took the time to explain to us the rituals and meaning if those places ! We memorable experience, thank you very much ! discovering Osaka food and little corners

C

(About local Naoki)

17 January 2025

From the moment Naoki met with us, it was clear that this would be a great and personalised experience. The food, drink and venue choices were explained and clarified. All were so tasty and of quality This was such a great way to be quickly introduced to aspects of Japanese / Osaka food and eating culture. But that was only the half of it. Naoki also took us to and introduced us to some non food places of interest with both modern, historic and cultural relevance. A caring and generous host: Naoki provided a perfect welcome to Osaka. Naoki was a perfect host.

Carole

(About local Hiroki)

15 January 2025

Hiroki lead my family from our Air BNB to experience Osaka Castle. We travelled as a local on the metro, spared our legs by taking the Osaka train to explore the gardens and the walk up to the first bridge and led us straight through the castle gates. He shared with us his love of Osaka and its history and where to get the best range of ramen in one spot. He was able to answer many questions we had from the museum that should we had gone alone we would not have had answers to. Would recommend a local guide to get those insights.Awesome guide

Amanda🇺🇸 United States

(About local Hiroki)

13 January 2025

Hiroki was really nice and chill. He told us about culture and history as we walked (our preference) through the city through different shrines, churches etc while we tasted different foods. When he found out I preferred gluten free he accommodated us with the food spots. We got a really nice diverse tour of the city which was great for our few days in Osaka. I’m sure he would also tour you through Kyoto!Tour and food through Osaka

Gerard🇺🇸 United States

(About local Max)

13 January 2025

Max was just what we needed. We had already been exploring the area we chose for two days and Max was still able to bring us to spots we haven seen or heard of. He really worked with us to make it a great experience.

Thomas🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jessica)

12 January 2025

We spent a beautiful day in Osaka with Jessica. We covered a lot of ground. From the Shitennoji Temple to the Shin Sekai neighborhood to the the Osaka Castle. Jessica is very knowledgeable about Japan's history and culture. She is extremely personable and has a great sense of humor. We enjoyed our visit very much!Great Day in Osaka!

Markos

(About local Maria)

12 January 2025

Maria was very flexible and willing to accommodate all our needs. She took us around different neighborhoods and areas of Osaka. Some of the places were pre-booked others were chosen on the spot depending on we wanted. A great host and guide to take you around townGreat Food Tour with Maria

Cornelius🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

12 January 2025

We had a wonderful time with Naoki on the tastings tour. He let us customize our time and asked great questions to ensure a great tour, The tour was amazing - we enjoyed his company, the food, the background information, learning about local history and the food itself. He gave great context and even pointed out small, but wonderful details - like the Kimchi in this restaurant was made with honey - "Osaka style." We're even going back to a restaurant we thoroughly enjoyed with Naoki - and would probably go back to more of them if could stay longer. Naoki was friendly, warm and gracious and even provided some additional restaurant recommendations. He's a gem! Don't hesitate to book with Naoki! Amazing and fun tour

joerg.pressel

(About local Hiroki)

6 January 2025

We booked a private tour with Hiroki spontaneously just one day in advance and it turned out just great. Hiroki was very flexible regarding our wishes in terms of food and places to go. Highly recommended.Spontaneous Tour in Osaka

jess🇺🇸 United States

(About local Naoki)

6 January 2025

Naoki was a great guide! We had just a day in Osaka so wanted to make sure we got the full immersion. He customized the tour for us, made sure we were comfortable with travel plans and picked us up from the station. He speaks great English and had lots of fun facts and cultural info to share. Great guide!

cn66hs7gjb🇶🇦 Qatar

(About local Sebastian)

5 January 2025

This is the second time we booked Sebastian. He is funny, kind , knowledgeable and flexible. Personalized the tour to suit us and really felt like walking with a friend, not a formal tour guide ! He is great, highly recommend him Booked Sebastian again!

Natan

(About local Naoki)

1 January 2025

What a pleasure it was to tour various Osaka neighborhoods and sample local specialties with an interesting, kind and engaging Osaka native. Naoki steered us through the market where we tried fugu, and to simple and authentic local restaurants specializing in cabbage pancakes, octopus fritters and kashi-katsu (panko-breaded skewers). It was all delicious. He shared his knowledge and personal experience of Buddhist and Shinto beliefs and practices, and of what makes Osaka special and how it got this way. He ably accommodated our shopping requests on the fly, too. What made Naoki a truly outstanding guide was not just his expertise and comfortable communication skills, but his ability to exude compassion and patience in all interactions, quickly making everyone at ease with him. Naoki’s enthusiasm for Osaka was infectious, and as a result our day was filled with delicious food, laughter, and spectacular views. Our whole family (two high-schoolers and two college students) enjoyed our time with him very much and would strongly recommend him to other families.

Lucinda🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Naoki)

1 January 2025

We were a group of two families travelling together for the first time to Osaka. I cannot recommend Naoki enough! It was a fabulous introduction to the culture and food of Japan. Naoki has excellent English and was extremely knowledgeable but also made the tour fun for the teenagers. Don’t hesitate to hook this. Excellent experience. The best tour with Naoki!

J.🇺🇸 United States

(About local Jessica)

1 January 2025

I CANNOT say now awesome Jessica was to me and my daughters. She knew the city, where to get the best food, and engaged so well with my teens. She went out of her way to make sure we had the best experience in Osaka! Only regret is too little time!

J.🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sebastian)

1 January 2025

It was fine, but it wasn't awesome. Some of the narrative felt phoned in and he unfortunately had only a little insight to the depth of Osaka's rich cultural history. Wasn't a great match for us unfortunately. Delivered but ok

Marjolein

(About local Naoki)

30 December 2024

Great experience!

cn66hs7gjb🇶🇦 Qatar

(About local Sebastian)

30 December 2024

I really enjoyed the tour, Sebastian knew a lot of information about Japanese history and culture, he was flexible and personalized the trip to suit us. We had a train to catch so wanted to finish the tour near our hotel and he planned it that way! He was kind & funny Enjoyed the tour