Buckle up for a adventure in on Japan's coolest city Osaka! Here, it's all about neon lights, mouthwatering street food, and a contagious energy that will keep you buzzing. From indulging in takoyaki (octopus balls) on every corner to exploring historic castles and quirky museums, Osaka offers a dazzling mix of the modern and the traditional. Foodies, history buffs, and nightlife enthusiasts – this vibrant metropolis has something for everyone. So get ready to discover the must-do tours and activities and make the most of your trip to Osaka!
If multiple attractions catch your eye, you may want to get the Osaka Amazing Pass or e-Pass for unlimited trips on public transportation and access to dozens of attractions. If you'll be traveling across Japan for an extended period, the Japan Rail Pass is something to consider.
Disclaimer
Part of the job of a travel agent is to save clients time and money. I looked through hundreds of tours and picked out the best tours to book in various categories that are both the best in quality and price.
Prices listed below are subject to change. Rates are typically discounted for larger groups and children, so use the links provided to see the exact cost for your specific scenario and book what is of interest to you.
Hotspots and Hidden Gems
Discover the many sides of Osaka on this guided walking tour. Explore cobblestoned alleys, pass a Yakuza clubhouse, see wacky neon billboards, visit seafood markets, wander through a charming retro zone, and more.
Duration
3 - 4 hours
Availability
Everyday at 10 am
Price
$44 per person
Alternative
Sky Vista Double-Decker Open-Top Bus Tour - $14 per person
Nostalgic Osaka Walking Tour - $36 per person
Hidden Osaka - Yukaku Red Light Tour & Culinary Adventure - $51 per person
Osaka Night Tour - $54 per person
Deep Backstreets Exploration - $54 per person
Osaka E-Bike Tour - $62 per person
Sakai Knife Factory and Craft Walking Tour - $68 per person
Osaka Street Art Bike Tour - $83 per person
Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour
See Osaka through the eyes of a local at its most famous marketplace. Snack on delicious Japanese bites. Pick up countless insights into the city from your local guide.
Duration
2 hours
Availability
Everyday at 11 am
Price
$28 per person
Alternative
Takoyaki DIY Cooking Class - $24 per person
Ramen Craftsman Experience - $26 per person
Japanese Home Cooking Class - $47 per person
Okonomiyaki Cooking Experience - $51 per person
Osaka Street Food Class - $53 per person
Japanese Sweets Making Class - $56 per person
Sushi Making Class - $63 per person
Artistic Tempura Cooking Class - $63 per person
Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class - $65 per person
Three Types of Ramen Cooking Class - $69 per person
Sake Tasting with Takoyaki DIY - $71 per person
BENTO (lunch box) Cooking Class - $71 per person
Homemade Noodle Making - $81 per person
Food Tour of Shinsekai with 15 Dishes - $88 per person
Guided Pub Crawl
Join the fun on Osaka's largest and longest running nightlife tour. Visit at least 3 bars and clubs and get discounts on drinks all night. Enjoy free shots at each bar in the company of a dynamic crowd of awesome, like-minded people.
Duration
5 hours
Availability
Friday & Saturday at 7 pm
Price
$22 per person
Alternative
Osaka Bar Crawl - $17 per person
Pink Pass Weekday - All You Can Drink and Unlimited Access - $31 per person
Universal Studios Japan
With this studio pass, enjoy direct entry to Universal Studios Japan’s 60+ attractions! Immerse yourself with thrills the whole family can enjoy at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™. The world's first interactive Mario Kart theme park ride will leave you with a rush of adrenaline!
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 8 am - 10 pm
Price
Starting from $38 per person
Alternative
Kids Plaza - $10 per person
Hirakata Park - $11 per person
LEGOLAND Discovery Center - $15 per person
Kansai Cycle Sports Center Land - $21 per person
Universal Studios Japan Express Pass 4 - $84 per person
Universal Studios Japan Express Pass 7 - $127 per person
Universal VIP Experience - $181 per person
Street Kart Experience
Explore the sights of Osaka on go-kart, driving on public roads dressed as your favorite character.
Duration
1 hour
Availability
Everyday at 4 pm and 5 pm
Price
$95 per person
Osaka Tsutenkaku Tower
Osaka Tsutenkaku Tower is the most iconic spot in Osaka. The flashy commercial town around it, Shinsekai, is just as famous a tourist spot as the tower itself. When night falls and the tower and shops light up, it looks even more glamorous!
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 10 am - 8 pm
Price
$6 per person
Alternative
HARUKAS 300 Observatory Heliport Tour - $3 per person
HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel - $4 per person
Redhorse OSAKA Wheel - $7 per person
Umeda Sky Building & Kuchu Teien Observatory - $10 per person
Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory - $11 per person
Helicopter Charter Cruise Experience - $322 per trio
Osaka Museum of History
Experience the history of the city at the Osaka Museum of History. Located in near Osaka Castle, the museum is easily accessible! Enjoy the history of Osaka from ancient ruins to the streets of the early Showa period.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 9:30 am - 5 pm
Price
$4 per person
Alternative
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living - $4 per person
Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum - $5 per person
Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum - $5 per person
Kaiyodo Hobby Land - $6 per person
Osaka Nakanoshima Museum of Art - $17 per person
Osaka Castle
Visit the most important historical heritage built in ancient Japan: the Osaka Castle. Explore the castle with over 100 years of history and countless precious relics. Enjoy access to the castle’s 8 floors and see panoramic views of Osaka City from the top.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 9 am - 5 pm
Price
$4 per person
Alternative
Himeji Castle & Arima Onsen & Mt. Rokko Day Tour - $62 per person
Osaka Castle & Umeda Sky Building & Tonbori River Cruise - $81 per person
Mt. Rokko Night View, Kitano Ijinkan & Arima Onsen Tour
Visit Japan's Kobe on a guided tour from Osaka. Discover the iconic Kobe Harbor, enchanting Mosaic Ferris Wheel, rejuvenating Arima Onsen, breathtaking night vistas from Mount Rokko, and more.
Duration
10 hours
Availability
Everyday at 10:30 am
Price
$60 per person
Alternative
Gozaisho Ropeway and Nabana no Sato Day Trip - $71 per person
Uratomi Coast Cruise, Tottori Sand Dunes & Sand Museum - $85 per person
Shirakawago & Hida & Takayama Snow Wall 2 Day Tour - $251 per person
Kinkakuji & Kiyomizu Temple & Fushimi Inari Shrine
Immerse yourself in the rich history of Kyoto on a day trip from Osaka. Visit three of Kyoto's most famous landmarks: the glistening Kinkakuji Temple, Kiyomizu-dera Temple with its iconic veranda, and the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, famed for its endless red torii gates.
Duration
11 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8:30 am
Price
$42 per person
Alternative
Arashiyama, Nara & Yasaka Shrine & Hanamikoji Dy Tour - $48 per person
Nara, Todaiji Temple & Kuroshio Market One Day Tour - $48 per person
Sanda Outlet Market, Nara Park & Todaiji Temple Day Tour - $48 per person
Nara Park & Todaiji Temple & Uji & Genji no Yu Day Tour - $49 per person
Fushimi Inari-Taisha, Arashiyama & Kiyomizu Temple - $60 per person
Arashiyama & Sagano Train & Kiyomizu-dera Temple Day Tour - $61 per person
Arashiyama Train, Nara Park, Fushimi Inari Shrine & More - $61 per person
Amanohashidate & Ine Funaya
Experience Japan's natural beauty and unique culture on this day trip from Osaka to Amanohashidate and Ine Funaya in Kyoto. This day trip will bring you rich natural scenery and unique cultural experiences. You'll enjoy stunning views of Amanohashidate and experience the secrets of Kyoto at Ine Funaya. You will bring back many wonderful memories and unique experiences during this short trip
Duration
9 hours
Availability
Everyday at 8:30 am
Price
$47 per person
Alternative
Amanohashidate, Ine Funaya & Miyama Kayabuki No Sato - $58 per person
Osaka City Boat Cruise and Amanohashidate Gondola Trip - $108 per person
Hiroshima and Miyajima Tour - $279 per person
Osaka Bay Cruise
Arriving and departing from the Tempozan Harbor Village and Kaiyukan West Warf, the Santa Maria harbor sightseeing cruise ship sails around the most famous spots in the Osaka bay area. A 2x scale recreation of the flagship on which Columbus reached the American continent, this spacious boat hosts 45-minute-long daily cruises once an hour.
Duration
45 mins
Availability
Everyday, every hour from 11 am - 5 pm
Price
$10 per person
Alternative
Osaka Wonder Cruise - $8 per person
teamLab Botanical Garden
teamLab Botanical Garden is a botanical garden by day, and an art space by night. The space transforms interactively, influenced by wind and rain, as well as by the behavior of the people and birds, making them an essential part of the works.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Price
$12 per person
Alternative
Nature Walk at Minoo Park - $97 per person
Solaniwa Onsen
In an expansive Japanese garden of more than 3,000 square meters, enjoy several bath types including outdoor baths, comprising pure hot spring water brought up from 1,000 meters below the earth’s surface. There are 10 fully-private, spring-water outdoor baths for families, with their own mini-gardens. This is one of the largest relaxation spaces in Kansai providing close to 30 services from traditional Japanese body care to modern beauty treatments.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Everyday from 11 am - 11 pm
Price
$16 per person
Alternative
Senshu Onsen - $5 per person
Arima Onsen - $18 per person
Micro Pig Cafe Experience
Meet adorable micro pigs at the popular Mipig Cafe for a unique experience. Enjoy a drink and special, mipig-designed donut while you play with a handful of the cute little creatures. Grab the opportunity to hold them and take memorable photos to share on your Instagram feed. Enjoy a laid-back experience amidst the busyness of Osaka.
Duration
1 hour
Availability
Everyday at 10 am
Price
$34 per person
Ninja Experience Cafe
Put on your Ninja costume and become a Ninja! Have fun learning few tricks and unique moves such as the shuriken and blowgun during your ninja training Taste special ninja food in Ninja Cafe & Bar. This experience is indoors, so it can be enjoyed comfortably even on rainy days!
Duration
2 hours
Availability
Everyday, every hour from 10 am - 7 pm
Price
$39 per person
Alternative
Kimono & Yukata Rental Experience - $17 per person
Ninja Workshop and Costume Rental - $37 per person
Rickshaw Ride and Kimono Experience - $56 per person
Kimono & Japanese Home Cooking Experience - $68 per person
Kendo Workshop Experience - $122 per person
Deep Samurai Experience in Osaka Castle - $191 per person
Sumo Tournament
Experience the intensity of sumo wrestling and the high energy of the audience at a sumo tournament in Osaka. Gain a deeper understanding of the sport and its traditions with the help of a guide.
Duration
3.5 hours
Availability
Varies. View details page for availability.
Price
$119 per person
Alternative
Comedy Show Ticket at ROR Comedy Club - $14 per person
Traditional Japanese Performance - $17 per person
Bon Odori Japanese Folk Dance Class - $42 per person
Samurai Show - $68 per person
Calligraphy Workshop
Writing Japanese using a brush and ink will be an unforgettable experience. In this workshop, you will learn all about Japanese calligraphy. At the end of the workshop, you will create a one-of-a-kind handwritten souvenir by writing your name on colored paper or on a name tag in kanji or katakana. Dotonbori, Nihonbashi, and Kuromon Market are close by, so you can go to those areas before or after the workshop, so you can make the most of your day!
Duration
2 hours
Availability
Sunday - Friday at 1 pm
Price
$42 per person
Alternative
Japanese Weaving Experience - $6 per person
Temari Japanese Embroidered Balls Class - $38 per person
Japanese Ceramics Workshop - $76 per person
Ceramic Painting Workshop - $88 per person
Traditional Kintsugi Workshop - $115 per person
Tea Ceremony Experience
Experience a traditional tea ceremony at in Dotonbori, Osaka. Listen to a tea master as they explain the history of tea and show you how to make it in the Otemae way.
Duration
45 mins
Availability
Everyday, every hour from 10 am - 5 pm
Price
$26 per person
Alternative
Discover Japanese Tea Blending Techniques - $58 per person
Private Photoshoot in Osaka
This photography program guides visitors to some of Japan's most popular and special Osaka destinations. The program is staffed by highly qualified photographers who can work with your travel schedule to capture natural compositions and identify photo spots. Photography can be taken anywhere in Osaka.
Duration
1 hour
Availability
Everyday from 8 am - 8 pm
Price
$90 per person
Aquarium Kaiyukan
Visit Osaka Aquarium, one of the world's largest aquariums, with over 600 species of animals. Witness aquatic animals of the Pacific Rim in the recreation of their habitats. Take a virtual tour of the Pacific Ocean as you explore the aquarium's 15+ large tanks. Visit the seals at the world's largest dome-shaped ceiling tank in the Arctic zone.
Duration
At your leisure
Availability
Monday - Friday from 3 pm - 8 pm
Price
$19 per person
Alternative
Interactive Aquazoo - $15 per person
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