4.9
The History of Osaka: Samurai Heritage Tour
- 3 hours
- City Highlight Tours
- Osaka
Choose one of 4 locals available
Experience hosted by Naoki, Hiroki & other locals
- Private Tour
- Carbon Neutral
- Destination
- Osaka, Japan
- Category
- City Highlight Tours
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Transport mode
- Walking tour
- Available languages
- English, 日本語, Indonesian
- Included
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- Private Guide
- Entrance to the Osaka History Museum
- All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral
- Excluded
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- Entrance to other attractions than mentioned
6 reasons to book this tour
- Dive into the intriguing history of Osaka
- Get to know more about Samurai Heritage
- See main landmarks & their historical relevance
- Enjoy a tour by the side of a history expert
- Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
- All your questions answered by your local host
What you can expect
If you really want to get to know Osaka, then you must retrace its history. Take a trip back in time on a tour that focuses on the Samurai Heritage and hear from a local source, stories, unknown details, and insights that you can’t usually find in a history book.
This history tour in Osaka will show you the story behind landmarks, statues, squares, streets, and symbols hidden in plain sight. Check out Osaka Castle, Hokoku Shrine, the Osaka Museum of History, and more historical highlights to help you understand how they connect with the Samurai Heritage in Osaka and how it affected the city from past to present.
Each of the hosts in these tours are history experts and passionate about their city. Check out their profiles and pick the one with whom you share interests - they can’t wait to take you on a tour around their favorite subject and to show you some of their favorite spots in the city. Believe us; they have plenty of stories to tell!
The local hosts are natural storytellers, each one with a different background ranging from arts to history. They can’t wait to share some of their unique stories and personal anecdotes with you! Feel like changing the route a bit? No problem, the hosts will be happy to personalize the tour to your wishes and make their city your city!
Choose your local
Get to know these 4 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
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Naoki
The Reliable & Friendly Guide
5.097 reviewsEnglish・日本語 -
Hiroki
I know how to enjoy trip in Japan
5.013 reviewsEnglish・日本語 -
Ricky
The Adventure Enthusiast
4.88 reviewsEnglish・Indonesian・日本語 -
Max
The Osaka Stroll Specialist
5.010 reviewsEnglish・日本語
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.
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Meeting point
Meet at At the Gokuraku-bashi Bridge - Osaka to start your journey
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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.
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Samurai Heritage
Your history tour in Osaka will focus on the Samurai Heritage. Learn the impacts, insights and hear stories related to this historic event from your knowledgeable host. Discover the city as you retrace history and go in-depth on the effects this part of history has on Osaka -
Historical Highlights
Check out main landmarks related to the theme of your history tour and connect their relevance through fantastic stories and facts from your expert local host -
Hidden Treasures
During your tour, you’ll also uncover hidden gems that will show you a different perspective of history as you know it, something you can’t easily find in a history book! -
Storytelling Journey
As you discover the historical side of Osaka, you’ll be able to go back in time thanks to the amazing stories and storytelling skills of your local host. Feel free to ask any questions and feel as if you are relieving history in the present time -
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
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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.
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Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
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Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Juan🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
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
Francisco
(About local )
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
Elien
(About local )
3 August 2024
Naoki is a born and raised Osakan who studied in England. He seems to know everything and can explain it in an interesting way (and in clear, understandable English). He's also fun to be around. One of the best guides I've ever had and I've had many. We had a great time!The best!
8hpzq2qkwx
(About local )
27 April 2025
It was a great experience and the food was very nice 😊. Bin too many nice places you would not find on your own.Maria is the best!!
Volker
(About local )
27 April 2025
We (my 12-year-old son and I) had great fun discovering Kyoto by bike with Sebastian. Having arrived in Kyoto just few hours before, this was the perfect way to get a great overview of the city and the major sights without getting caught in crowded tourist lines. Sebastian was a great host - perfect English and a very good general knowledge about Kyoto and its sights.
One downside was that he as an expat knew less about the daily life of Japanese families.Great way to discover Kyoto
Rachel
(About local )
26 April 2025
We really enjoyed our time with Hiromi! She was lovely and really took into consideration what we were hoping to experience. She had great suggestions and it was wonderful to hear about Osaka from a local. Thanks for a great experience!Personalized deliciousness!
Repa🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
25 April 2025
Our tour of Kyoto with Sebastian was very interactive and engaging. He's very knowledgeable about Japanese culture more broadly and Kyoto culture in particular. Very knowledgeable
Repa🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
25 April 2025
We did 2 tours with Maria in Osaka, including a food tour. She combined them together and we really enjoyed her company. She's very friendly and tailored the tour for our interests. The stand out was a Shinto shrine she took us to at the end of our tour. It was a bit of a trek but well worth it.
Thank you, Maria, for all the laughs and, in particular, the deeply spiritual experience.Outstanding experience with Maria
Hillevi
(About local )
24 April 2025
Fantastic experience
Anna🇸🇪 Sweden
(About local )
24 April 2025
Two Swedish families (including 4 teenagers) had a nice evening with Maria where we got to try out what Osaka has to offer in terms of food.
This is not a fine dining tour, but a golden opportunity to try different dishes such as takiyaki, gyosa, various skewers and sweet fish cakes while we got a guided tour of the food districts. Everyone including the hungry 17 year old was more than full!
Maria is a friendly host who not only showed us what Osaka has to offer in terms of food, she also waited patiently when we were late and fixed a problem with an Icoca card. Thank you Maria! Full stomachs with lovely Maria
Inge🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
24 April 2025
we hadden een erg leuke fietstocht, ik was vooraf niet op de hoogte dat we elektrische fietsen zouden krijgen, dus dit was in het heuvelachtige Kyoto een aangename verrassing! Sebastian was een zeer goede gids, hij wist ons veel te vertellen over de leuke plekjes in Kyoto. Alleen spijtig van de regenbui op het einde. Een hele leuke ervaring!Leuke fietstocht in Kyoto!
melody
(About local )
23 April 2025
We had a great time with Hiroki while we were in Osaka. Hiroki met us at our apartment we were staying with and we made our way by subway to the main strip of Osaka. We went on a food specialty and had some great meals and drinks while with him. Hiroki knowledge was great and he was so sweet and kind. We loved our time with him. Time in osaka
Nabi🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 April 2025
Our walking food tour in Osaka was an unforgettable experience, filled with delicious local bites and hidden gems we never would have found on our own. Hiromi, our guide, was incredibly warm, knowledgeable, and made the whole afternoon feel like we were exploring the city with a friend. From savory street snacks to sweet treats, every stop told a story and left us wanting more!Flavorful Journey Through Osaka
Unknown
(About local )
21 April 2025
Hiromi was an amazing guide. She was so nice and friendly. She catered the tour for some fussy eaters in the group and asked for our thoughts on the different options she had planned. Great local knowledge as well. I would highly recommend!
Kriston🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
21 April 2025
Hiromi was a fantastic guide on our food tour of Osaka. She was full of interesting facts and was able to accomodate our groups tastes and allergies. Gave us all the help we could ask for about how to spend our remaining time in Osaka! Great fun 😁10 Tastes and more
Magnus
(About local )
20 April 2025
We really enjoyed taking the food tour with Maria, who is an extremely friendly guide and very knowledgeable about all the hidden gems. She showed us all the best places and even helped us to get home when we ended up with ticket problems on the train.
A strong recommendation from us!!Fantastic Experiencr
Unknown
(About local )
19 April 2025
Max was super knowledgeable about the history and culture. Especially enjoyed his tour of the royal gardens and Osaka Castle! He was great with the kids, too. Thanks for a wonderful day, Max!Knowledgable and friendly
Kelly
(About local )
19 April 2025
Maria was a fabulous host. She not only conveyed information about the food but also the back-story of the people that first cooked it and the area that we were in. A wonderful experience!
Kayla🇦🇹 Austria
(About local )
19 April 2025
Toppppp!
It was Great! We have seen and tasted so many different foods! And birthday cake was amazing surprise! Thank you very much Hiromi - that was wonderful Tour in Osaka ! Hiromi is perfect Guide! Wonderful Tour with Hirimi!
Unknown
(About local )
17 April 2025
We had the BEST time with Hiromi as our food tour guide in Osaka! From the moment we met her, she was warm, funny, and full of energy. She took us to all the coolest local food spots—places we never would have found on our own—and every single bite was a hit.
One of the highlights was when she introduced us to plum wine, which was absolutely incredible. We loved it so much we ended up buying a couple of bottles to take home!
Hiromi's passion for food and her deep knowledge of the Osaka food scene really made this tour special. If you're looking for an amazing, fun, and knowledgeable guide, Hiromi is the one. We can't recommend her enough!What an amazing tour!
Jo🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
17 April 2025
Alyssa was a fantastic tour host. She was friendly and knowledgeable. She put together a lovely tour suitable for our family and we all enjoyed it immensely. A lovely afternoon in Osaka
Unknown
(About local )
14 April 2025
We loved our biking tour with Sebastian! He was easy to talk to and full of information! He obviously has a passion for history and Japan. We loved all of the temples and shrines and other landmarks that he pulled over to to tell us a story about. We would highly recommend him to anyone!Favorite tour guide yet!
Marie-Françoise🇫🇷 France
(About local )
14 April 2025
Great experience;
architectural tour with a very pleasant and highly professional guide. I highly recommend Max to all of you.Great experience
Kerstin🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
14 April 2025
Wir hatten eine tolle Führung mit Maria. Sie hat sich völlig auf unsere Bedürfnisse angepasst und ist auf alle Wünsche eingegangen. Wir waren gemeinsam auch in einem echten Local Restaurant Mittagessen. Das wäre ohne sie nicht gegangen.
Sehr zu empfehlen. Herzlich & einfühlsam
Shirin🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 April 2025
We loved our tour with Ricky - he tailored the tour to our needs and took us to great spots we would not have found on our own! He was very flexible He even made great suggestions for spots for us to try on our own after the tour. Great food tour!
Aidan
(About local )
13 April 2025
Hiromi was really great the whole time. Went to some really great food places highlights include sashimi and udon. Would book again and taking my friends to some places she took us.Outstanding Start to Finish
Laurie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
12 April 2025
We had a blast with Sabastian. He has a great sense of humor, knows his stuff and some great off the beaten path adventures. Can’t go wrong with The way to see Kyoto.
Rachel🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
11 April 2025
Our family had a wonderful food tour with Hiromi. We really enjoyed walking around Osaka and eating with her -- she is a kind and interesting person and we really enjoyed our time with her. She shared some interesting Osaka history and interesting facts about Kanji and Japanese language and history. And the food was so delicious. Shr took my son's love of beef and fried chicken into account and we had some really really good beef tempura, sushi, karaage, udon, takoyaki and okonomiyaki. I'm really glad we decided to do this food tour experience. I had looked at some bigger food tour companies and was really happy we decided on this smaller experience instead where we could really get to know Hiromi and eat at her favorite spots!Wonderful food tour with Hiromi
Megan🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 April 2025
Whether you are in Osaka for just a day like us for for several days, I highly recommend this walking tour with Max as a great way to get introduced to the city! Max completely catered our itinerary so that my family (including a teenager) could see the main highlights of the city by foot. He kept my son engaged and even helped us navigate a fun gaming arcade, past all the claw machines on the first few floors and introduced us to some fun and popular Japanese games like the drumming game which my son liked so much he sought it out at another arcade in Tokyo the next day. Max shared some history and cultural insight and took fabulous pictures at all the right spots along the way. He also provided some food and restaurant recommendations which were a big hit. Max has a very cool and laid back personality, was raised in England so his English is perfect and was a pleasure to spend three hours with. Highly recommend!Great way to get to know the city!
Douglas🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
10 April 2025
Allysa was a great guide. Her English is native speaker. She was good at adjusting to our custom ideas on what to see and do. Perfect day with Allysa!Allysa is the best.
Susanne
(About local )
9 April 2025
We enjoyed a fun evening with Hiromi. She introduced us to many local street foods and shared her knowledge of local culture. Thanks Hiromi!Thanks Hiromi
Julie🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
8 April 2025
We absolutely loved our tour with Sebastian! He was super friendly and engaging and his English is very good. He showed us so many little hidden gems and we learned so much from his tour. Would definitely hire him again! JessicaAbsolutely loved our tour with Sebastian!
Thierry
(About local )
6 April 2025
We took Hiromi’s food tour and we had a blast. She was so kind, friendly, fun, and informative. She took us to delicious little gem restaurants not visited by tourists. One of the highlights of our time in Osaka. HIGHLY recommended.Amazing food tour with Hiromi
Emma🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
6 April 2025
We had a wonderful time with Hiromi! We explored a variety of interesting places together and Hiromi answered all our questions.
It was our proper first day in Japan after a huge amount of travel and jet lag and having Hiromi take care of us was exactly what we needed.
Many thanks to Hiromi for everything :-)Wonderful time!
Pablo
(About local )
5 April 2025
Maria took us through great places and we tasted fantastic food. She was very flexible and friendly., and taught us about Japan’s cuisine and culture. Amazing
Cynthia
(About local )
5 April 2025
Loved the food tour with Maria - she was great, delicious food and good explanations of what we were eating and why and great info on the local area. Highly recommend ❤️Fantastic Food Tour
Rahul🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
4 April 2025
Maria was exceptionally patient and flexible to accomodate our requests. We walked around Dotonburi and then Shinsekai and she stopped and took us to places which the locals frequented ( less tourists and more locals) . She was punctual and proved great company for the evening. The evening rounded up with a great Okonomiyaki treat and left us wanting for moreGreat Evening with a great host
Susan
(About local )
2 April 2025
Thankyou Maria, we had such an amazing time..the tour was so much fun and completely bespoke. We tried the loval food specialities we had read about plus the restaurants recommended by Maria..she was so knowledgeable and informed about Osaka and the local areas. Highly recommended. Exceptional tour
Mark
(About local )
1 April 2025
We had a wonderful tour with Maria on our first day in Japan. It was a fantastic introduction to some of Japan’s different specialities, and we visited local eateries that we either wouldn’t have known existed or wouldn’t have been brave enough to visit alone. In addition to introducing us to many different foods, Maria was a mine of useful information about local traditions, how the train ticket system worked, and suggested different places we might want to visit. All in all the tour was well worthwhile - we were so full by the end we couldn’t visit our last eatery!Osaka Food Tour
Anneke
(About local )
31 March 2025
Maria is a warm, thoughtful and dedicated guide. Our family was so fortunate to have her as our guide for our Osaka adventure. We enjoyed. Her storytelling, her flexibility and her good spirits. Amazing host!
John
(About local )
31 March 2025
Our tour in Osaka with Ricky was good though we felt that the portions were maybe a bit too much and that maybe the Dotombori area would have been better to get a mix of smaller street food bites.Osaka food tour
Loretta🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
29 March 2025
Maria was a wonderful guide, full of knowledge about food and Osaka. She took us to very interesting places to eat and through the backside of more popular streets. Then she even accompanied us to the subway station to make sure we were on the right track back to the the hotel! Couldn’t have asked for a better guide in Osaka!Excellent food and great guide!
Ian🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
28 March 2025
Hiromi was an excellent host who was adaptable and informative. She took things at our pace and we never felt rushed. We would thoroughly recommend her.An excellent host
John
(About local )
26 March 2025
We met Hiromi in Tennoji for a wonderful introduction to Japanese (and Osaka) food. Hiromi made sure that for two octogenarians the distances between venues were relatively short although we did find ourselves slowing down as we took on board more food and drink! We would never have found on our own the restaurants she took us to. The highlight though for us was Hiromi herself. The opportunity to chat with a local about all sorts of things was for us the highlight of the tour.A memorable evening with Hiromi
John
(About local )
26 March 2025
The joy of our time with Hiroki was he was totally flexible. We met him on our first evening in Osaka and we wanted to get oriented in this large city. He was able to help us use an ATM, show us how to buy train tickets ,shop for groceries, point out the sort of shops that would interest us and he took us for a meal in a busy part of the city Along the way he was able to answer lots of questions about Japanese life, especially for a young person. Hiroki is a thoroughly pleasant young guy who we would absolutely recommend.Total flexibilty
Pam
(About local )
25 March 2025
Our time with Hiromi was great; we saw and learned so much! Her warm and inviting demeanor made us feel welcome and her expertise on the local history and culture left us with a rich appreciation of our visit. We would highly recommend touring with Hiromi!Memorable time in Osaka
Susan🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 March 2025
María was a fantastic guide. We had a wonderful experience walking through different areas of Osaka. She introduced us to food we probably would not have tried on our own. She’s very knowledgeable and knows her way around taking us through the non touristy areas. We were a family of six traveling with a toddler and she was very accommodating. We would definitely recommend Maria. You won’t be disappointed. Awesome experience
Unknown
(About local )
22 March 2025
I had the absolute pleasure of exploring Osaka with Allysa as my tour guide, and I can’t recommend her enough! From the moment we met, she was warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly engaging. She tailored the tour perfectly to my interests, balancing history, culture, and local food experiences seamlessly.
Allysa’s deep knowledge of Osaka’s rich history and hidden gems made the city come alive. Whether we were strolling through the bustling streets of Dotonbori, admiring the beauty of Osaka Castle, or savoring some of the best street food I’ve ever had, her insights and recommendations were spot on.
What truly set Allysa apart was her enthusiasm and genuine passion for sharing Osaka’s culture. She answered every question with a smile, shared fascinating stories, and even taught me some helpful Japanese phrases. It felt like exploring the city with a friend rather than just a guide.
If you’re visiting Osaka and want an unforgettable experience, do yourself a favor and book a tour with Allysa. She’s simply the best!
Unforgettable Osaka Experience with Allysa
Lindi🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 March 2025
Allysa by far is now my favorite person ever! Not only did she really know her stuff for the tour, but the Overall vibe really just felt like a friend showing around her home! She was super accommodating, we had the unfortunate displeasure of having a major delay in our last flight to get to Osaka, and she was able to easily change our time where we would at least get a little bit asleep before! The Sweetest
Richard🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
21 March 2025
My family and I had a great food tour with Hiromi. We stopped at a bunch of locations enjoying the best that Osaka had to offer. Hiromi provided some quick info and highlights of Osaka along the way. We hit up some of the less touristy locations to avoid the heavy food traffic by Dotonburi. It was great fun and well worth it! Food fun in Osaka
Withlocals experiencesare always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.
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