This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • 1.Meeting 13:00 Holiday Inn & Suites Shin Osaka Lobby
  • 2.Shinsekai 13:50 Jan-Jan Yokocho, Tsutenkaku Tower, Shinsekai Market
  • 3.Dotonbori 14:30 Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street, Ebisu Bridge, Dotonbori Street, Hozenji Yokocho, Cheese Coin
  • 4.Osaka Castle 16:00 Ote Gate, Hokoku Shrine, Sakura Gate, Main Keep
  • 5.Umeda Sky Building 18:00 See-Through Elevator, Floating Escalator
  • 6.Dismissal 19:15 In front of Indian Restaurant Bindu

Title: What Is a Private Osaka Walking Tour Like for Vegetarian Guests? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from North America. After sightseeing in Nara and Koyasan by rental car from Kyoto, they arrived by car from Koyasan on the day of the tour. We waited for their check-in to finish and departed from the hotel about 10 minutes behind schedule.

At both Shinsekai and Dotonbori, the group seemed intrigued by the carnival-like atmosphere created by the large crowds of tourists, but as all of the guests were vegetarian, they were unable to eat kushikatsu, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and similar dishes. The only thing they bought was a single 10-yen bread (cheese coin), which the group shared.

Regarding admission tickets for Osaka Castle, the previous day I recommended purchasing them online via a messaging app. Since some of the guests had been watching the streaming drama "SHOGUN," they looked around the exhibits inside the castle keep with great interest.

After finishing the visit to Osaka Castle, there was a little time left, so I suggested stopping by a patisserie famous for its Mont Blanc, but when we arrived it was closed for the day, and the result was simply an extra 15 minutes of walking. As expected, this patisserie may be a bit too far from the station to visit conveniently on the way from Osaka Castle.

The same applied to other sightseeing points; the guests did not seem to have prior knowledge of the Umeda Sky Building either, so I explained that it was the only building from Japan selected among the world's top 20 as we headed there. This building also requires quite a walk from Umeda subway station, but the guests seemed captivated by the view of the buildings around Osaka Station when they came up to street level. They appeared satisfied with the see-through elevator and the aerial escalators, and said they would not go up to the sky observatory.

After I confirmed whether an Indian restaurant that the guests had found on their own could accommodate vegetarians, I guided them to the front of the restaurant and ended the tour.

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1Free PassShin-Osaka Station~Dobutsuen-mae Station820JPY
Section 2Free PassDobutsuen-mae Station~Shinsaibashi Station0JPY
Section 3Free PassNipponbashi Station~Tanimachi 4-chome Station0JPY
Section 4Free PassTanimachi 4-chome Station~Umeda Station0JPY
Total820JPY

Hello there,
I’m Harry. This nickname comes from Harry Bosch, a character in American detective novels. I like watching films, listening to music and reading books, especially detective stories. I love meeting people from different countries and would like to help them understand Japanese culture and history. I believe that tourism can connect people all over the world and change the world into something truly peaceful. I was born in Osaka and have lived in Tokyo for more than 35 years. I am very happy to welcome tourists from all over the world. I will do my best to make your days fantastic. I look forward to seeing you soon.

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