Osaka Walking Tours 2024: Free ones,With Locals, and Night Walking
Osaka is Japan's second-largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. It has a completely different atmosphere from Tokyo, with a friendly vibe where people are more closely connected. The city is charming, being at the forefront of modernity while retaining scenes from the past in many places.
Osaka is also a place where unique food culture has developed. Local specialties such as "takoyaki," "kushikatsu," and "okonomiyaki," which use rich sauces, are inexpensive and delicious, and are hugely popular among both tourists and locals.
Osaka, with its many famous tourist spots, attracts numerous visitors from both Japan and abroad every day. In the city center, there are clusters of skyscrapers such as Abeno Harukas and Umeda Sky Building, where you can enjoy shopping and views from the upper floors. On the other hand, historical spots like Osaka Castle and Osaka Tenmangu Shrine are also famous, where you can experience traditional Japanese culture.
In this article, we will introduce Osaka walking tours where you can enjoy the abundant tourist spots and local gourmet food of Osaka with locals.
Osaka's attractions and restaurants are concentrated in the city center, making it easy to explore on foot
Osaka's tourist attractions and restaurants are concentrated in central areas such as Dotonbori, Shinsekai, and Umeda, making Osaka walking tours highly recommended. By taking a walking tour, you can feel the atmosphere of the city while walking and discover interesting things.
Even if you use the train, you can move between tourist spots in 20-30 minutes. Although they're called walking tours, they may sometimes use trains for longer distances, so even those who aren't confident in their physical strength can participate without worry.
We will now introduce some recommended walking tours. Each has its own unique charm, so please find the tour that's perfect for you.
Three Recommended Osaka Walking Tours to Enjoy Must-Visit Tourist Spots
Walking Tour of Osaka's 5 Must-See Sights, with Ramen for Lunch
Source: TripAdvisor
The "Walking Tour of Osaka's 5 Must-See Sights, with Ramen for Lunch" covers all of Osaka's classic tourist spots: Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, Tsutenkaku Tower, and Shitennoji Temple in 7.5 hours.
These five spots, all located in Osaka, offer completely different atmospheres. While Osaka Castle retains the appearance of the era when samurai flourished, Dotonbori spreads out as a modern bustling area.
Another attractive point of this tour is that lunch is ramen, one of Japan's representative dishes. The salt in the soup will soothe your body tired from walking around sightseeing.
This tour is recommended for those who want to thoroughly see Osaka's classic tourist spots. Please note that entrance fees and transportation costs for each tourist spot are not included in the tour fee, so prepare money separately.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Osaka Station City, Osaka Station 5F
- Tour area: Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Kuromon Market, Tsutenkaku Tower, Shitennoji Temple
- Start time: 8:30
Ultimate Osaka Walking Tour (Osaka Castle, Shinsekai, Dotonbori)
Source: Viator
The Ultimate Osaka Walking Tour (Osaka Castle, Shinsekai, Dotonbori) 2024 is a tour where you can spend an intense 5 hours visiting 10 tourist spots in Osaka, including Osaka Castle and Amerikamura. You can experience the real Osaka while listening to the history and behind-the-scenes stories of each spot from the guide.
The charm of this tour is that you can enjoy both the metropolitan aspect and the historical aspect of Osaka. There are places like Osaka Castle where the scenery from the past remains intact, and places like Kuromon Market and Hozenji Yokocho that retain a historical atmosphere while changing with the times, allowing you to feel the flow of time.
This tour is recommended for those who want to thoroughly enjoy the streets of Osaka. However, due to its full volume, the staying time at each location is a bit shorter in this tour.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Ōsakajōkōen Station
- Tour area: Osaka Castle, Amerikamura, Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, Dotonbori, Hozenji Yokocho, Hozenji Temple, Kuromon Market, Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, Nipponbashi Denden Town, Shinsekai
- Start time: 10:00
Osaka Kickstart: Hotspots & Hidden Gems Tours (Private or Group)
Source: Viator
The Osaka Kickstart: Hotspots & Hidden Gems Tours (Private or Group) is a tour where you can visit a wide range of Osaka's tourist spots, from classic sightseeing spots to hidden gems.
The attractive point of this tour is that you can visit hidden spots that are not often visited in other tours, such as "Tower Knives Osaka" where you can learn about the process of making knives. Of course, you'll also visit classic spots like Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, and Tsutenkaku Tower, so you'll feel a great sense of satisfaction by the end of the tour.
You can choose from 3, 4, 5, or 7-hour courses. While all courses are enjoyable, shorter courses mean fewer places to visit. If you're participating, I recommend the 7-hour course to fully enjoy Osaka to your heart's content.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Eco Station 21 Sennichimae Street Parking Lot G
*There are also plans where pick-up is available.
- Tour area: Hozenji Yokocho, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, Ebisu Bridge, Amerikamura, Kuromon Market, Shinsekai, Tower Knives Osaka, Abeno Harukas, Shitennoji Temple, Osaka Castle, Morimoto Tatami Shop, Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
- Start times: 10:00, 11:00, 14:00
4-Hour Osaka Highlights Bike Tour with Lunch
The 4-Hour Osaka Highlights Bike Tour with Lunch takes you around Osaka's tourist spots by bicycle for 4 hours. By using bicycles, you can enjoy sightseeing over a wider area than walking tours.
The places you can visit are plentiful, including Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, Osaka Castle, and local cafes, making for a very fulfilling time. The "okonomiyaki," an Osaka delicacy you'll eat for lunch, will taste even better after all the exercise.
This tour involves about 11km of cycling. It might sound a bit challenging, but the roads are flat and well-maintained, and it feels great to cut through the wind as you ride through the streets of Osaka. When you're enjoying the scenery, you'll arrive at each destination in no time.
I'm not particularly fond of exercise, but I was able to enjoy this tour without much difficulty. Please note that people under 150cm in height cannot participate as cross bikes are used.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Family Mart in Tenma-bashi Station
- Tour area: (Not specified in the original text)
- Start time: 10:00
Free Walking Tours are also recommended for those who want to enjoy casually!
Free Walking Tours are free sightseeing tours that are more accessible than typical tours. Often, you'll tour around in groups of 20-30 people, following a guide.
Free Walking Tours are not completely free - you need to pay a tip to the guide after the tour, so don't forget this.
Also, reservations are generally required, so please make a reservation from the tour URL when participating in the tours we're about to introduce.
The Original Free Walking Tour of Osaka
Source: Osaka Localized
The Original Free Walking Tour of Osaka allows you to experience Osaka's rich food culture and history while walking around Dotonbori, Amerikamura, Kuromon Market, Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, and Namba Hatch for two and a half hours.
As this is a Free Walking Tour, one of its attractions is that you can enjoy Osaka from a local's perspective. You can learn about hidden spots not found in tourist guidebooks and many anecdotes about Osaka.
The things to bring for this tour are comfortable shoes, a hat, water, an umbrella or raincoat depending on the weather, and "lots of questions." Especially questions - the more you bring, the more fulfilling the tour becomes. The guide, who is also a local resident, will answer any question with humor and thoroughness.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: In front of Apple Store Shinsaibashi
- Tour area: Dotonbori, Amerikamura, Kuromon Market, Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, Namba Hatch
- Start times: 10:30, 14:00
Traditional Osaka - Free Walking Tour
Source: Guru Walk
The Traditional Osaka - Free Walking Tour takes you through Dotonbori, Hozenji Temple, and Kuromon Market for two and a half hours while learning about Osaka's culture and customs. You can also delve into the reasons why Osaka is said to be "livable." This tour is held in both English and Spanish.
The charm of this tour lies in the knowledgeable and experienced guides. When walking in a foreign city, everything you see might seem strange, but the guides can answer any question, allowing you to resolve most of your curiosities on the spot.
For those who might be unsure about how much to tip on a Free Walking Tour, the standard for this tour is between 10 euros and 50 dollars. You can feel comfortable participating by using this as a guideline and adjusting based on your satisfaction level.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: In front of the STARBUCKS BIG STEP store
- Tour area: Dotonbori, Hozenji Temple, Kuromon Market
- Start time: 9:30-12:00
Enjoy Osaka at Night! 3 Night Walking Tours with Delicious Osaka Gourmet and Izakaya Experiences
Osaka Bar Hopping Night Tour in Namba
The Osaka Bar Hopping Night Tour in Namba is a night walking tour with drinks and food included, where you can fully enjoy Osaka's gourmet food and drinks. While touring Hozenji Temple, Namba, and Dotonbori, you can enjoy Japanese cuisine, Osaka's local dishes, and local sake.
First, you'll visit Hozenji Yokocho, where you can enjoy a meal in a traditional atmosphere with stone pavements and lanterns. Next is the area called Ura-Namba, which is charming for its downtown atmosphere from several decades ago. Finally, you can enjoy unique creative cuisine that is not well-known to tourists.
The attractive point of this tour is that you can dine at three locations with completely different atmospheres, all within walking distance. If you want to experience various aspects of Osaka while enjoying a full meal, please participate in this tour.
After the meal, you can also walk around Dotonbori and take photos. Dotonbori, shining with neon lights, is very lively and fun, so please look forward to the after-dinner walk when participating in this tour.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: Right in front of Namba HIPS
- Tour area: Hozenji Temple, Namba, Dotonbori
- Start times: 18:00, 19:00
Deep Backstreet Osaka Tours
Source: Viator
Deep Backstreet Osaka Tours was selected as the No. 1 walking tour in the whole of Japan in 2019/2020 and is a tour loved by many tourists, guaranteed to be enjoyable. You can deepen your understanding of Osaka's history while visiting historical spots such as the red-light district (where licensed prostitution was once conducted) and places of worship. At the same time, you can try street food while exploring narrow alleys and back streets. This tour is recommended for those who want to enjoy the less mainstream aspects of Osaka.
On this tour, dinner is an additional option. Although you can enjoy the tour sufficiently with just the food tastings, don't miss the chance to have dinner at a local guide-recommended restaurant that you might not find through your own research on social media or travel magazines. Be sure to add the dinner option.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: FamilyMart MYS Daikokucho Station
- Tour area: Daikokucho
- Start time: 17:30
Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
The Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai is a luxurious tour that visits both Dotonbori and Shinsekai, two of Osaka's busiest areas.
On this tour, you can enjoy famous local dishes while visiting places that reflect Osaka's rich history, such as shrines and alleyways that retain the same appearance as over 80 years ago. The local specialties you can enjoy on this tour are kushikatsu, takoyaki, and okonomiyaki, which are the three major gourmet foods of Osaka, also known as the "Nation's Kitchen."
This tour, which allows you to visit both Dotonbori and Shinsekai and enjoy all three major gourmet foods, is recommended for those who want to fully experience Osaka. It's guaranteed to be the most fulfilling three hours of your trip.
Moreover, this tour includes drinks at each restaurant (non-alcoholic options are also available), allowing you to enjoy "bar hopping," where you drink a little at multiple establishments. This is one aspect of Japanese nightlife, so if you enjoy alcohol, please take advantage of this experience.
Tour Details:
- Meeting point: In front of the exit of Imamiya Ebisu station
- Tour area: Shinsekai, Dotonbori
- Start times: 11:30, 16:30, 17:30