}
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course
Kickstart Osaka: a three-hour crash course

What you'll do

You’ll join your host to learn Japanese, and wait, no, just kidding! You’ll join them to get comfortable in Japan’s friendliest city and pick up the essential tips and tricks you’ll need for the rest of your trip. Think of it as a crash course for everything in Osaka - from discovering the unique local dialect known as Osaka-ben to the local food scene.

Get recommendations on some of Osaka’s most famous street foods, like okonomiyaki, a savory pancake, or kushikatsu, deep-fried skewers of just about anything! Ask your local insider any questions you have, perhaps over a beer in a tiny izakaya bar in Hozenji Yokocho, a historic alleyway that’s right next to the bright lights of Dōtonbori Street but feels like stepping back in time. 

Where you’ll go

You’ll get to grips with an area of central Osaka, more specifically, the canalside neighborhoods of Namba (on the southern bank of Dōtonbori Canal) and Shinsaibashi (on the northern bank).

Why? If you can learn to navigate in Namba, the wildly fast-paced entertainment district that’s a kaleidoscope of neon lights and street food joints, and Shinsaibashi, the city’s shopping district where huge department stores overshadow quirky subculture stores dedicated to manga, you can navigate the rest of Osaka like a pro!

But Osaka is a canal city, after all, so you could even ditch the subway and use the waterways to travel around Nakanoshima, Yodoyabashi, and Dōtonbori.

  • Private & 100% personalized tour

  • 3 hours

  • Matched to your ideal host

  • Walking tour (may use public transport)

  • Hosted in English (On request: Arabic, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Spanish)

  • Meet at your accommodation or a central location

Experience outline

  • Get familiar with the best ways to navigate Osaka and how to use its transport systems - easier said than done if you don’t speak Japanese!
  • See a few famous attractions in the city, and benefit from local knowledge and insights so you can discover the hidden gems and secret spots too
  • Get tips from your host regarding things to do during your stay
  • Ask any questions you have about exploring Osaka, its cultural practices or where to eat
  • Kickstart your trip armed with local knowledge, and you’ll be exploring like a pro in no time

Things to know

What’s included

  • Private and personalized experience
  • 3 hours with a host
  • Walking experience (if required, your host can suggest public transport or private taxi options)
  • Hotel meet-up (available on request for central location)

What’s not included

  • Food and drink
  • Tickets to any attractions
  • Transportation costs
  • Gratuities (optional)

Cancellation

  • Cancel 7 days before the experience for a full refund
  • Worry-free cancellation terms: book with peace of mind knowing that you can cancel for free up to a day before the experience and receive a full refund.

Photos taken by our hosts and guests

City Unscripted guests photos

Reviews

    Maria spoke excellent English and packed some great sites into three hours, and the found us a great place to have lunch. Thank you

    January 2023

    Peter M

    We are well seasoned travelers who are generally very comfortable in a new foreign city. This was our first trip to Japan and we thought it would be good to hire a local guide in each city to get us pointed in the right direction. This was our first experience with CityUnscripted and our host Akira. I am beyond pleased with the value of the tour and the experience we had. Akira met us at our hotel and asked a few questions to narrow in to exactly what we wanted to do and how to customize the trip for us. We were starving after flying for almost 15 hours to get to Osaka. Akira took us to the local shopping district and ordered the local favorite foods. These are the foods that I absolutely would not have ordered on my own. However, I had faith in Akira and he absolutely delivered. Every dish he introduced us to was absolutely delicious. Our half day experience with Akira was short but it gave us everything we needed to jump start our trip. We were able to navigate the local area, shop, and order excellent food. While these sound like rather simple tasks, they can be quite intimidating in Japan If you don’t speak the language or know the local customs. We asked hundreds of questions to Akira about our itinerary and Japan in general. Akira was able to give us incredible advice that allowed us to ensure we had our trip planned to maximize our experience. In summary, our experience with Akira and CityUnscripted was superb and I can’t recommend them enough. Osaka is an incredible city (Kyoto too), but I strongly recommend getting a local guide to ensure you are making the most of your time.

    November 2019

    Casper R

    We met our guide Jenny and it was very easy and comfortable from the start. She showed us where certain shops were that suited our daughters quirky tastes. She showed us around the city, where to eat, shop and relax. It was a fun walking tour.

    October 2019

    Jeanette S

    On a holiday, its an absolute necessity to have a knowledgeable guide! Brice was just lovely - met us at our hotel and we walked for 3 hours exploring the wonders of Osaka! As 1st timers to Osaka, it was just easy and fabulous seeing all the hidden spots that we would have missed! thank you very much Brice - you were charming and made our made our stay highly enjoyable! till next time.

    September 2019

    Azza G

See more reviews

Meet our local hosts in Osaka. One of them will tailor this experience to your wishes!

We’ll expertly match you to your best suited host based on your interests, personality and the experience vibe you’re after.

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make sure to try
“kushikatsu”!

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