One of the most rewarding places to visit in Kansai, Kōya-san provides a delightful window into Japan's Buddhist culture in a spectacular natural setting. Gain a better understanding for the religious practices of the Shingon school of Buddhism on a private Koyasan tour with a friendly and knowledgeable local guide.

Consider spending a quiet night in one of Koyasan's temple lodgings. The tranquility you'll find here makes it worth spending a night away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Osaka. In Koyasan's lovely mountain setting, your guide will introduce you to the mergings and diversions of Shinto and Buddhism as you visit the temples of Kongobuji and Garan. Your guide will also introduce you to the region's vegetarian specialities, such as goma tofu, and also suggest great places to experience more of the local cuisine.

See what interests <i>you</i> most in Koyasan - whether it's history, contemporary religious practices, nature or gastronomy - on your private Koyasan tour.

Koyasan

Half Day Tour by a Local Guide in Mount Koya"

As a local guide who lived in a temple in Koyasan takes you to the principal places of Koyasan. Okunoin cemetery, Kongobuji temple, and Garan, which is a temple complex are included.

Things I talk about are as follows.
・Teachings from Shingon Esoteric Buddhism
・Kobo Daishi (aka Kukai): The founder of Mount Koya
・Legends (funny and scary ones in Mount Koya)
・Daily life of monks
・History of Mount Koya

This tour can be customized due to your requirement, please contact me for details.

Friendly monks will be happy to explain daily living of monks, training at Koyasan temples and important teachings of the esoteric Buddhism brought by Kukai, as well as deepening your understanding of Koyasan's history and culture.

In this tour, we will go round the following temples of Kongobuji, Garan & Okunoin.

Let's learn the teachings of esoteric Buddhism that have been protected for 1200 years through dialogue with the locals, and experience the teachings in the nature of Mt. Koya.

Okunoin Cemetery, Kongobuji, and Garan - 4 Hours

This tour offers the best collection of very popular tourist destinations in Osaka, especially for first-time visitors.
Osaka is full of entertainment to please visitors in many ways from very reasonable tasty local gourmet to traveling back to historical old times.
Full of photogenic spots and beautiful/unique scenery in my tour I'm sure that you can take wonderful memorial shots.
I will explain to you about our unique culture, history, religion, lifestyles, social concerns and so on.
We mainly use public transportation but also use a taxi as needed ex. saving time or guest's request.
I'm sure you will love this tour because you can understand Japanese culture, life and sprit compactly and enjoy various local delicacy just in a day.
Please contact me and I will create a customized tour base on your preferences and spots you'd like to visit.

Let's enjoy a great entertainment city with best spot selection.

Osaka Highlights Private Tour (full day)

Unveiling Osaka's Charms - Full Day Private Tour

Osaka is a beautiful and exciting city with a lot to offer visitors. particularly fond of its vibrant atmosphere, delicious food, and friendly people. its well-preserved historical sites and its modern architecture. Overall, Osaka is a city that everyone would highly recommend to anyone looking for a memorable travel experience.

This tour of Osaka will take you to some of the city's most famous landmarks, including Osaka Castle, Harukas Abeno Tower, and Shitennō-ji Temple. You will also have the opportunity to experience the local culture by visiting Shinsekai, a food heaven that is famous for its delicious street food, and Kuromon Ichiba, an atmospheric market where you can try different street foods. The tour will end at the Dotonbori Glico Spot, the most famous tourist destination in Osaka.

If you wish to customize this tour, please do not hesitate to ask!

Discover Osaka's rich history and Culture: delve into the city's cultural delights

Private Walking Food Tour in Downtown Osaka

Osaka is the gastronomic capital of Japan! It is famous for delicious food and is called 'The Kitchen of the Nation'. People in Osaka are very good at starting their own businesses so they created their own food by using many ingredients which came from other areas of Japan.
This tour will show you downtown, a fish market and a kitchenware market.

Dotonbori is one of downtown areas in Osaka. It was originally a part of the Osaka Castle grounds. It has been an entertainment district since then. Today it is a food district which people in Osaka are proud of.

Kuromon Market was a fish market around 300 years ago in this area where a temple was located. Nowadays we can see many kinds of fish, meat, vegetables and fruits.
Kitchenware Market: This market used to offer kitchen utensils that were of restaurant quality only. Nowadays, the market sells both professional and domestic quality items.

Let's enjoy walking in these three areas, eating Osaka's specialties, and seeing unique kitchenware.

Enjoy walking the markets and eating street food in this gastronomic city

Osaka is the most beautiful city of Japan.

In 1583, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who had completed the great cause of unifying the world, began to build Osaka Castle, and completed the first castle tower a year and a half later. After the establishment of the Edo shogunate, the Tokugawa family and the Toyotomi family launched two wars, the Osaka Winter Formation and the Summer Formation. In the end, the Tokugawa family won, and the earliest Osaka Castle also disappeared in the war.

In 1620, the Tokugawa shogunate began to rebuild Osaka Castle and the second-generation castle tower, but a few years later the castle tower was struck by lightning and burned down, and it was not rebuilt for hundreds of years. It was not until 1928 in modern times that the mayor of Osaka City proposed to rebuild Osaka Castle, and received enthusiastic support from the citizens and huge donations. It was rebuilt with reinforced concrete floors and other materials according to the Toyotomi.

Discover and visit the best view points of Osaka in just few hours

Osaka City Panorama - Full Day Private Tour 

Have you ever been into downtown of Koyasan? I beleive, After spending a night at its local temple, you walk away with your eyes opened and mind full of enchantment.

As an experienced guide with a strong attachment to Koyosan, I will help orient you and show you some of the unique places, and sites.

Let me show you around. I'll share with you interesting facts and stories that you won't find from any guidebook!

I've been a guide specialized around Koyasan for over 20 years and always found it a lot of fun.
Koyasan is my favorite place and it's a great pleasure to introduce this mysterious world and walk with you here. Once you stepped into Koyasan, you will be attracted by Japanese culture, history, religion, nature, tradition and more.
Why don't you join my tour? I'll share this treasure with you.

Deepen your knowledge about Koyasan, the religious wonderland with a private guide

Koyasan Private Full Day Walking Tour

Osaka is a vibrant, energetic city where I was born and grew up. The tour will give you an opportunity to understand this unique city in western Japan. We will explore the geography, history, religion, food cultures, and the neighbourhood of Osaka.

We will look at Osaka from above, at the open-air Floating Garden in Sky Building. See how the city was formed. You can attend the Buddhist rituals at Shiten'noji Temple. Osaka Castle takes you back to the 16th century wartime Japan. There are also remains of a 7th century palace nearby. You can even look at the impact of World War II.

In the afternoon, we'll see present-day Japan. First to Shinsekai, a somewhat bizarre place. You can taste the local delicacy, kushikatsu, deep-fried meat and vegetables on skewers. Then, we'll head for Dotombori, Osaka's answer to Times Square. So many shops, restaurants, not to mention the glittering neon lights. At night, this place will amaze you.

THIS TOUR COULD ALSO BE CUSTOMIZED. Just tell me what you want to do!

An Unforgettable Day in Osaka with Your Very Own Private Guide

Private Full Day Osaka Tour

Hotspots & Hidden Gems of Osaka Tour (5hrs)

Andy (half Japanese half Aust. ) your local guide, will kickstart your Osaka adventure discovering both the highlights & secret spots. We'll pair every location with personal stories & historical info with quirky facts and a great dose of enthusiasm & humor:)
(This Tour will be featured on Channel 5 British TV in 2023 with Jane McDonald on the Series "Jane McDonald In Japan")

This is a private tour so we can totally make this a 100% personalized tour!
We can slip through the non-touristy bar and restaurant zones of Osaka and even get a glimpse of a Yakuza clubhouse.
We'll visit the frenetic canal side entertainment hotspot where local charm meets incredible hospitality.

Also we'll delve into a traditional food market where top chefs continue to shop at today and contrast that by ducking into quiet cobblestoned back alleys to uncover a mystic temple and it's centuries old history.

Be prepared for a sensory overload as we navigate wacky larger than life billboards highlighting modern Japanese culture.

A Knife Class. Osaka is world famous for its knife craftsmen. This class and demonstration will be 15~25mins and will encompass use of both Japanese and western style knifes (very different). You can use both and slice food with it! 
AND
You get a octopus ball to eat called "takoyaki" (and get a chance to make: just flicking the batter balls briefly on the hotplate).

Popped into a local hidden shrine. Got some free presents too hahaha.

Get to experience the crazy side of Osaka. Fishing restaurant!

Lets get interactive...this store lets us use some knives....carefulll:P

Checkout the vast array of spices and foods in backstreet stores!

Hozanji temple......covered in moss. We'll tell you the history

We'll head into a stall for a bite to eat.

Both sides of Central Osaka, paired with stories about all the "pitstops".

First visit Osaka Castle and learning about its history.
Then go to Shin Sekai which is a special area in Osaka where "Kushi-katsu" and "Mixed juice" were invented. It has a Carnival-like atmosphere that is family-friendly.
We'll then move to the bustling streets of Dotombori/Shinsaibashi (entertainment area) to see the famous sites in the area before going for dinner; which is the main part of the tour.

Easy-paced 6-hour Orientation &amp; "Local Dining Experience"

Kayla 6-hr Tour/Dinner in Osaka

Personalized Full-day Osaka Tour from Kyoto/Osaka

Osaka, which is the second largest city in Japan, has been playing a role as a gateway of international exchange with the world from the ancient times though Osaka port and rivers. Also known as a city of merchants, Osaka has been flourishing as Japan's economic hub.

This tour offers you unique experiences in Osaka, exploring the city of water and merchants as well as meeting its unique food culture and friendly people. The tour can include visits to historical sites such as castles and temples, favourite attractions, cultural experiences such as local food tasting, exploring shopping streets, and so on.

ITINERARY section in below shows some sample itineraries. This tour is a fully personalized private tour and will best fit if you would like to plan your day according to your interests and preferences.

I look forward to guiding you around Osaka.

Let's explore Osaka together, a vibrant city with unique food culture

Mount Koya, located in Wakayama prefecture, is considered as one of the most sacred places in Japan. As the center of Shingon Buddhism, this secluded religious town with large-scale temple complex and mausoleum has developed in mountain area 900m above sea level. It is surrounded by eight mountain peaks which are thought to represent eight petals of a sacred lotus flower. Mount Koya has been attracting visitors for 1200 years with the spirit to accept everyone regardless of their religious faith and background.

During this full-day tour, you will enjoy a visit to Koyasan or Mount Koya, an amazing place where history, culture, and nature are all condensed in one spot. This tour starts from Kyoto.

Note: This tour can be operated between mid April and mid November and is subject to availability of reserved seats on the bus to/from Mount Koya.

Let's enjoy a day trip to Mount Koya, which is known as a sacred place for Japanese Buddhism.

Full Day Private Koyasan Tour from Kyoto

This tour covers famous landmarks in Osaka.
Guests will love the casual atmosphere, friendly people, and great variety of delicious Japanese food.
Let's make the most of your time together in one day!

Tour price costs per group, not per person.
"Estimated Local Cash Needed" costs per person, not per group except for taxi fare. I can meet you at your hotel lobby (except for Airbnb).
Please prepare JPY in cash and to remove your shoes at the entrance of Japanese buildings.

- IMPORTANT-
This tour doesn't start from a hotel in Kyoto city and cruise ship terminals. Please find another guide. Thank you for understanding.

Koya tours

Explore with 64 tours and 27 guides.

Nobu

$ 445 (USD)

Kenji M.

$ 386 (USD)

Khalid E.

$ 520 (USD)

Atsuko T.

$ 89 (USD)

William S.

$ 965 (USD)

Kaori K.

$ 334 (USD)

Toichi N.

$ 371 (USD)

Andrew Kenji M.

$ 420 (USD)

Glenn M.

$ 475 (USD)

Katsuko O.

$ 297 (USD)

Katsuko O.

$ 297 (USD)

Hiroko K.

$ 282 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Koya

Customize your tour