Osaka Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide kiko

Greetings

About myself

My name is Yukiko, but you can call me Kiko or Yuki. I am Japanese and from Osaka where is one of the most popular destinations for traveling in Japan and known as the capital of gourmet. I was born in Osaka and have lived here for almost my entire life except for several years in some western countries. As I lived in different countries for a while, I found my country such a beautiful and interesting place with the long history. Therefore, I would like to introduce cultural spots where are deeply related to the history and are popular among local people. Also, I would like to show you around fun and unique places in Kansai region. I am sure that you will enjoy visiting these places and have a special travelling experience.

About my tour

My tour is based in Kansai region including Osaka and Kyoto. I know a lot of interesting spots in these area, but they can be challenging to find by yourself as not so many Japanese can speak in English even if you stay in urban areas. I am bilingual so that I can help you explore some local places where you are interested in.

To begin with, let me introduce some main areas in Osaka . The first district, where is very popular among tourists, is Namba. There are a lot of restaurants, cafes, or even bars in the area, and you can choose whatever you want to try at reasonable prices. Personally I want you to try soul foods such as Okonomiyaki, Kushikatsu, yakisoba, udon and so on as these are local foods so you cannot taste them in different cities you are going to. If you want to visit a downtown, Tennoji is recommended as a lot of old restaurants and cafes are still there, and you can experience Japanese traditional games there. Another place is Osaka castle where was reconstructed after WW2 and is very popular among local people. There is a big garden next to the castle, and people enjoy viewing cherry blossoms in spring. The city called Sakai in the south of Osaka is also interesting. This city is well-known for the production of quality knives and as the origin of green tea ceremony. As I was brought up in this city, I am very familiar with the local history and pleased to share my knowledge about this city.

I have introduced some areas in Osaka as I live in the city but am also happy to explore other areas such as Kyoto. Kyoto used to be the capital city in my country so there are many shrines and temples which have been designated as the national heritage sites. Also, if you go to Shijo in the center of Kyoto and are very lucky, you may meet Geisha girls on the street while strolling in this area. If you want to feel nature, Arashiyama is nice as there is a tranquil bamboo forest and the park in which you can see Japanese monkeys closely. There are more places where you can have a great experience in Kyoto, but I cannot introduce everything here.

Please contact me if you come to the above areas. I look forward to exploring those places with you.