Nostalgic Osaka walk, totally different from Dotonbori
Description
You can descover Nostalgic OSAKA. It's totally different from Dotonbori. You can enjoy opposite side of Osaka. Old houses, daily local lives, and nostalgic, quiet atmosphere await you. A local guide will connect you with the true essence of Osaka. 한국어도 합니다. In Karahori area, there still remain many off the beaten path, like maze and many Machiya(traditional mercantile houses). On the off the beaten path, you can find some remain Osaka castle of 15D. Main point of this tour is getting into off the beaten path that are not on guidebook. You can take photogenic shots. We visit hidden shops(select shop, café) in alleys. You can enjoy shopping something that not found at souvenir shops. And we walk through local market street. You can see daily life of local. We visit Tatami mat(traditional Japanese flor mat) shop. You can learn how to make Tatami mat. Let's enjoy Nostalgic OSAKA together! About 2 hours tour on foot. Free for Pre-school kids.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We can see how to make Tatami mat(Traditional Japanese floor mat) Shop master show us Tatami material, Tatami making machine.
Local and daily life shopping street. You can be a local when you walk here. And Karahori area where is nostalgic and historical area. We can see a lots of old houses, Machiya, which are over 100years in this area. And can visit/get into them because some of them are renovated into café/shops. You can buy and eat something that you can't find at airport souvenir shop. You can enjoy local food, e.g. Tofu, fried chicken, steamed bun if you want.
Hidden café in renovated old house. We can enjoy shopping something that not found at airport souvenir shops.
THis is bonito shop established at 1765(Has over 250years history!) We can know what is authentic bonito.
This is the most delicious chocolate shop in Osaka, i believe.
Traditional house is renovated into shop complex. You can find unique souvenir.
This is hidden cafe in alley. And just beside on the cafe, we can see Osaka castle original moat wall. This wall remain since 15C.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- *One notes :Pls. do NOT disturb inhabits during hidden paths walking. Granpa and granma still live in here. Other things to note
- In case you late over 15mins, You can NOT join the trip cs to respect other guests time.
Reviews(27)
Very friendly guide and a wonderful tour. The explanations were clear and detailed. I discovered several century-old shops and historic buildings in the Uehonmachi Nishi area. It was a great experience! Special thanks to Chieko for being such a great guide and for taking me to enjoy some delicious Japanese food. I really appreciated her kindness and hospitality.
The guides actually live in the area, so they are very up-to-date with the local situation, and when they visited the places they felt a hint of neighbourhood. The foreign customers who accompanied me were smiling throughout, and I think you could feel the warmth of downtown Osaka.
Chieko is the best! It was very nice to walk with her through the streets of Osaka and see absurd places and things pop up when you least expect it. Very interesting to see it through his eyes that have seen this city change a lot in the last 30 years. The beauties and strangeness of Osaka and Japan in passing through hidden and intertwined alleys.
During my solo trip, I joined Chieko’s tour. Instead of famous tourist spots like Dotonbori or Osaka Castle, the route focused on areas where you can really feel everyday local life. She took me not to modern supermarkets, but to old, slightly nostalgic shopping streets, places only locals seem to know, historic traditional houses, and unique little shops. It felt like discovering a side of Osaka that most travelers never get to see. Hearing that Chieko regularly greets local residents, I felt that her good relationships with neighbors are what make this kind of walkable, local-focused tour possible. If you want to experience a different side of Osaka, I highly recommend joining this tour.
Thank you for your nice review. I'm glad you noticed the close relationships with our neighbors. It's a tour that's only possible because I am a local hire in Karahori. Wish we can see again!
This is an off-the-beaten-track walk in Osaka, . A kind of trip back in time to feel the atmosphere of the Showa era (1925-1989) in this popular neighborhood. You feel a kind of nostalgia for this urban landscape. Chieko is an absolutely charming guide and knows this neighborhood by heart from one end to the other. She transmits her love to this neighborhood that would perhaps disappear in the future...
Merci de vous être joint à ma visite. Osaka a été presque entièrement détruite par les flammes pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Karahori a survécu. Je suis ravi que vous ayez pu apprécier la beauté de ce paysage urbain épargné par les incendies.
I wouldn’t do it again. You’re essentially walking through the back streets and alleys, and the backyards and front doors of people’s houses. We made a handful of stops at local shops but you can do this on your own. But in between, we really disliked walking through the slums... If you have a limited amount of time in Osaka, there are so many other things to do, so this one would not be my first choice unless you are here for weeks. Although we loved the tour guide on her enthusiasm, we did not visit any historically significant sites or came out with greater knowledge or insights. There were so many missed opportunities to talk about Shintoism, Buddhism, Japenese history, the shogunates, construction materials, etc. Foe the time we spent, we would have rather taken another tour or done the exploring on our own… We wouldn’t recommend this. Sorry!!!!!!
We are very sorry to hear your review. And we are really surprised to hear the word “slum” from you. This is the first time we had heard the word "slum." It is rude, discriminatory, and disrespectful to the tour area. Although hundreds of guests have participated to the tour, we have never heard anyone say so. In fact, a Japanese TV program was even interviewed about this tour, wanting to introduce it as this tour is so well received.
Something unique to do, not a run of the mill tour type. If you love history and want to know about the old Osaka , will enjoy this tour. One caveat though- it’s a lot of walking, sometimes at slight uphill or downhill, so just be prepared. Chieko-san gives great commentary and a pleasure to deal with!
Evelyn-san, Thank you for good review. I enjoyed walking with you here historical area. I want to see you again, cs there are a lot of unique spots in here Karahori.
Chieko-san was kind, knowledgeable and showed us a different side of Osaka! She taught us about the neighborhoods she took us too and introduced us to some fantastic little shops. Her tour is a must if you're looking for a stroll off the normal tourist path. What an unforgettable experience! Thanks again Cheiko-san!!
Joshua-san, Thank you for good review. I'm glad this tour became a good memory of Osaka and Japan. I wish we can see again. I want to show you cute shops and cafes more.
An amazing walking tour filled with so much information, history and joy. Absolutely loved this experience and couldn’t recommend it enough!
Kathleen-san, thank you for your positive review. Your review reminds me our joyful tour. I'm glad you can feel our town history. Hope we can see again.
Informative and fun, this tour helped flesh out my understanding of Osaka as a city. Delicious food and many interesting souvenirs are also featured on the walk!
Leo-san, thank you for your nice review. We are glad our tour give you new sight of Japan. Wish we can see again.
