Take a deep-dive into Japanese culture and experience Osaka like a local on this evening walking tour. Join your Japanese-Australian guide, Andy, to explore the city’s historic districts, including the former ghetto and the Red Light district. Learn about Osaka’s history, heritage, and local traditions; venture down the backstreets to visit quirky sites often missed by travelers; and sample traditional street foods. Upgrade to include a delicious dinner of typical ‘kushikatsu’ cuisine.

Explore Osaka’s local neighborhoods and see sights most tours miss
Sample delicious Osakan street foods and dine at a traditional restaurant
Insider tips and recommendations from a local guide
Personalized small-group tour with a maximum of 12 people

Operated by:

What's Included

Dinner
After Tour Assistance: If you want to go to a bar,shopping or entertainment area I will take you.
Food stall：Taste testing at a food stall during the tour.

Alcoholic Beverages

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

FamilyMart MYS Daikokucho Station
2-chōme-5-16 Shikitsuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0012, Japan
Meet at Daikokucho Station (Midosuji Line), Exit 1, at the top of the stairs (In front of "Family Mart" Convenience store. Note: Only 1 stop away from Namba station. Only 6 stops away from Umeda station.

Start time

05:30 pm

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travellers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveller Photos

Traveller Tips

To solo female travelers: make sure you take your time to research about this and ask any questions to the tour operator, they are very kind and responsive.

Not accomadating to my age wouldn’t recommend for seniors !

The few hours you spend with these guys on a winding journey through the unseen Osaka backstreets will give you a more rounded view of the city after you have visited the usual touristic sights.

Reviews

5.0

706 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 706 reviews

A must-do in Osaka

Lia_M, Jan 2023

Jamie was a legend! He made the tour light-hearted and funny whilst keeping it extremely informative. You can tell he has made a strong connection with the location and people. I absolutely recommend this tour. The communication has been great - even after the tour as well. Thanks so much Jamie and Andy :)

100% Must Do Tour!

Rebecka_N, Jan 2023

This tour was amazing! Hands down one of the best tours I have ever taken. We learned a lot and Jamie, the tour guide, was not only knowledgeable but hilarious as well! I would 100% take this tour again and would recommend it to everyone! You will not be disappointed!

History lesson while you walk😜

Sarah_R, Jan 2023

I would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting to see and learn some really fascinating stuff that makes up Osaka. Really enjoyed the tour. Thank you

Simply superb…

Greg_H, Jan 2023

With Jamie’s knowledge and humour and with the fab fellow travellers I appreciated seeing behind Osaka’s curtain. Hidden gems of all descriptions! And a final secret flourish that my pals back home are chuckling about. Great job Jamie.

Fascinating tour of authentic Osaka

Zachary_W, Jan 2023

My wife and I came on our honeymoon and wanted to better understand culture in this fascinating city. Jamie did not disappoint, covering major aspects of the city we would never have found on our own. Dinner was an excellent local spot, ended our tour with a bang.

Amazing tour

Mohit_P, Jan 2023

Great tour, great way to get acclimated to the city. Loved it, and learned things I would have never expected on a tour. Great tour

Highly recommend

Ian_C, Jan 2023

Highly recommend this tour which covers exactly as the title suggests! Its an intriguing insight in to the Japanese psyche and a look behind the bright lights. Andy is a stella guide with knowledge, experience and an insight in to the real Japen. We only did this tour whilst in Osaka and so glad we did. No hesitation in recommending this tour.

One of a kind tour!

Michael_V, Jan 2023

Incredible tour! Highly recommend to anyone who is passing through Osaka. Eye opening and an overall very unique experience. Jamie, our tour guide, was amazing!

Everyone in our family...

Margaret_C, Dec 2022

Everyone in our family enjoyed this tour. Our guide Kevin & tour content were top notch. Definitely an eye-opening experience!

1 traveler found this review helpful

Kevin was great!

Zoe_F, Dec 2022

Kevin was the best tour guide we could have asked for! The tour itself was well-designed and took us to a number of interesting locations we would never have discovered otherwise. I lost my glasses halfway through the tour, and he even ran back to the restaurant to find them. This was without question the best tour we've had in Japan. Would definitely recommend this if you're looking for something less touristy. Thanks again Kevin :)

Great tour

LeeLynn_G, Dec 2022

Great tour. Jamie was engaging and full of entertaining stories and info. He kept the interest of my two teenagers who enjoyed the tour very much. I appreciated Jamie’s enthusiasm. We enjoyed our dinner after the tour as well.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Fun night in Osaka

Constantine_B, Dec 2022

Jaime made this tour very fun and interesting. He had a lot of trivia about the areas we went to, and his connection with the locals is great. We had a great time and the food was also great. Thanks Jaime!

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Con, thank you so so much for joining us. Jamie had nothing but great words to say about you too. Trivia...yup...and not trivial hahaha. Jamie is really connected to the local scene and people...he wouldn't live anywhere else

Tone deaf at best

Zoe_P, Dec 2022

The first parts of the tour were very informative, and provided great recommendations for activities, restaurants, and areas to explore during your visit to Osaka. However, the last parts of the tour were unsettling. Our tourist group was guided through an area where many homeless people live and then through the streets of the red light district. It was like a human safari. The people in the red light district hid their faces, shut their doors, and hurriedly waved us past as we walked through their streets. Our guide insinuated that they did this every time. If the local people are clearly very uncomfortable with your presence in the area where they work, why take a group of gawking tourists there every night? The guide also told us that they used to lead groups through the park encampments where homeless people live, but stopped doing that because “they were uncomfortable with it” and “they are people not animals after all”. I would like to believe the tour has good intentions and is just a bit tone deaf, but when it’s so obvious that the tour is not welcome by the local people it feels like they are knowingly exploiting people who are already stigmatized and discriminated against by the rest of society. I admit that I booked this tour accidentally thinking it was a food tour (I will never book a tour without reading the entire description again), and there seemed to be people who enjoyed this type of gawking. That’s unfortunate, and maybe this tour will continue for that audience, but I really hope they listen to what the locals are telling them with their actions and words and update the tour to make it less like a safari of human exploitation.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Zoe, thanks so much for your review. I think you said it well when you stated "i booked this tour accidentally thinking it was a food tour".This tour has a great dinner option after the walking phase though! This tour is only for the very very open-minded and well travelled. It talks about the taboo, explores alleys wayyy of the beaten path! You were not this type of person and this would never be a tour for you. Regarding the redlight district (and Japan in general) you can't just gawk nor stare at anyone. Its offensive and we stated before walking through that area be subtle and use your peripherals. I hope that you enjoyed Japan Zoe and understood our culture more and more as the days went by through your trip in Japan:)

Not the Osaka you read about on travel sites

Julie_N, Dec 2022

This was a super informative tour. Our guide, Sasha, was able to answer all of our questions and knew so much about the Osaka you don't read on travel sites. We went through unique areas that I wouldn't even think to explore and saw a side of the city that has me appreciating it even more.

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Julie, thanks for such a nice review. Sasha, a Japan history student at Osaka University, understands and breathes this stuff. His major is Japan anarchy hahaha. To get a full understanding of a city or country youve got to discover the good, the bad and everything else in between. We are glad you have the same mindset

Amazing tour

Michael_M, Dec 2022

Such a great experience and would definitely recommend. Also a great way to meet amazing people. Kevin is a legend.

Cool tour!

asimasinaga, Nov 2022

What a fun and fascinating tour! 👏 I thoroughly enjoyed learning about interesting culture in Osaka. Few of the locals can be heard saying "Santakurōsu" as our tour guide walked and shared cool info about the area. Well recommended tour.

1 traveler found this review helpful

Finding out about the real city

Christopher_B, Nov 2022

Touring the less well known areas of the city. Including some of the dark side. A fascinating trip all round. Be aware that you won’t get fed until the end of the tour

Great tour

Tyler_P, Nov 2022

Sasha gave a really interesting tour and a new perspective on life in Japan. He is very knowledgeable, and we enjoyed speaking with him.

Just do it!!

Lorenzo_C, Nov 2022

Less you know, the better. It's a backstreet tour so all you need to know ahead of time is that it's worth it! wear comfy shoes and grab a drink along the tour if you want, who knows, the guide may join you in one!

One of the best tours I’ve ever done

Raymond_C, Oct 2022

A must do tour! Not much else that I can add to all of the previous comments, it’s brilliant. Highly recommend.

Questions?

Product code: 130036P1

Attractions in Osaka, Japan

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Deep Backstreet Osaka Tours

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