Osaka Private Tour with English Speaking Driver

Osaka Castle - Located in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan, Osaka Castle is one of the country’s most iconic landmarks. It played a crucial role in Japan’s unification during the sixteenth century’s Azuchi-Momoyama period. The castle and its surrounding park offer a peaceful retreat from the urban environment. Visitors can climb to the top of the castle keep tower for panoramic views of the castle grounds and nearby skyscrapers.

Shitennoji - Shitennoji Temple, established in 593 by Prince Shotoku Taishi, is Japan’s oldest official temple. Prince Shotoku was instrumental in introducing Buddhism to Japan and named the temple after the four heavenly kings of Buddhist tradition, the shitenno, who protect the world from evil. Nearby, the Gokuraku-jodo Garden is designed based on descriptions of the Amida Buddha’s Western Paradise. The temple grounds also feature a treasure house displaying paintings, scriptures, and other valuable items in themed exhibitions.

Shinsekai Inari Shrine - Shinsekai is a vibrant district in Osaka with a distinct retro atmosphere. Inspired by Western culture, architecture, and fashion, Shinsekai was envisioned as the ‘New World’ (shin = new; sekai = world) when it was built in 1912. The area was modeled after Paris and Coney Island in New York, with the Tsutenkaku Tower, resembling the Eiffel Tower atop the Arc d’Triomphe, serving as the main entrance to Luna Park, an amusement park inspired by Coney Island.

Sumiyoshi Shrine - Sumiyoshi Taisha is the main shrine among the approximately 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines across Japan and holds the highest rank in the Settsu Province. It is designated as an imperial shrine of major grade. During hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year), it is the most visited shrine in Osaka, attracting tens of thousands of people in early January. The grounds are filled with food stalls and gaming booths as visitors pray for good luck and draw their omikuji (paper fortune) for the year. Despite the crowds, it is a remarkable experience. In summer, the Otaue Rice Planting Festival draws visitors to pray for a bountiful harvest through ritual rice planting and elaborate dances.

Sakai City Hall Observatory Flour - This corridor-style lobby offers a 360-degree panoramic view from 80 meters above the ground. From this popular tourist spot, visitors can see the historically rich city of Sakai, including the impressive Nintoku-Tenno-Ryo Tumulus, and distant views of Mt. Rokko, Abeno Harukas, Mt. Ikoma, and Mt. Kongo.

Cup Noodle Museum Osaka Ikeda - Cup noodles are a global favorite, with new flavors introduced annually. At the Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda, visitors can create their own original cup noodles, making for a unique and memorable souvenir.

Solaniwa Onsen Osaka Bay Tower - Opening on February 26, 2019, Solaniwa Onsen is the Kansai region’s largest hot spring theme park, spanning 16,500m² across floors 2 to 5 of Osaka Bay Tower North.

Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street - Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street, running east to Mido-Suji Avenue, is Osaka’s most famous shopping area and a long-standing symbol of the city. With a history of 380 years, it was already a well-established shopping area during the Edo Period. The 600-meter-long roofed arcade features a variety of shops, including traditional kimono tailors, western clothing and footwear retailers, restaurants, fast food outlets, jewelers, and boutiques with the latest fashions. It’s a great place for a leisurely stroll, window-shopping, and enjoying the local cuisine.

Nara Private Tour with English Speaking Driver

Todai-ji Temple - Todaiji (東大寺, Tōdaiji, “Great Eastern Temple”) is one of Japan’s most renowned and historically significant temples, and a key landmark in Nara. Built in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples in Japan, it became so influential that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 to reduce its impact on government affairs. Until recently, Todaiji’s main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world’s largest wooden building, even though the current 1692 reconstruction is only two-thirds the size of the original. The hall houses one of Japan’s largest bronze Buddha statues (Daibutsu), a 15-meter-tall seated figure representing Vairocana, flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

Nara Park - Nara Park (奈良公園, Nara Kōen) is a vast park in central Nara, established in 1880. It is home to many of Nara’s main attractions, including Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji, and the Nara National Museum. The park is also famous for its hundreds of freely roaming deer.

Kasuga Taisha Museum - Kasuga Taisha (春日大社) is Nara’s most celebrated shrine, established alongside the capital and dedicated to the deity protecting the city. It was also the tutelary shrine of the Fujiwara clan, Japan’s most powerful family during the Nara and Heian Periods. Like the Ise Shrines, Kasuga Taisha was rebuilt every 20 years for centuries, a practice that ended at the close of the Edo Period. Beyond the free offering hall, there is a paid inner area offering closer views of the shrine’s inner buildings, including the main sanctuary with its distinctive Kasuga-style architecture.

Naramachi - Naramachi (奈良町, “Nara Town”) is the former merchant district of Nara, featuring preserved traditional residential buildings and warehouses. The district’s narrow lanes are now lined with boutiques, shops, cafes, restaurants, and a few museums. Many buildings from the Edo Period and earlier are machiya, long, narrow townhouses that served as both shops and living quarters for local merchants. The narrow storefronts were designed to minimize taxes, which were based on street frontage rather than total area. Some machiya have been preserved and are open to the public as museums.

Kofuku-ji Temple - Kofukuji (興福寺, Kōfukuji) was the family temple of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful aristocratic family during much of the Nara and Heian Periods. Established in Nara in 710, the temple once had over 150 buildings at the height of Fujiwara power. Notable structures include a five-storied pagoda and a three-storied pagoda. The five-storied pagoda, at 50 meters, is Japan’s second tallest wooden pagoda, just seven meters shorter than the one at Kyoto’s Toji Temple. Kofukuji’s pagoda, first built in 730 and last rebuilt in 1426, is a symbol of Nara. The pagodas are not open to the public.

Nara National Museum - The Nara National Museum (奈良国立博物館, Nara Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan) in Nara Park is an art museum primarily showcasing Japanese Buddhist art. Established in 1889, the museum retains its original building, now connected to a new wing by an underground passage. The permanent collection includes Buddhist statues, paintings, scrolls, and ceremonial objects mainly from Japan. The new wing also hosts temporary exhibitions, including an annual autumn exhibition of treasures from Todaiji Temple. A single ticket grants access to both wings, with English explanations available throughout.

Nara Palace Site Historical Park - During the Nara Period (710-794), Nara, known as Heijo-kyo, served as Japan’s capital. The Heijo Palace, spanning about one kilometer in both width and length, was the emperor’s residence and government offices. Due to its historical and cultural significance, the palace site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Isuien Garden - Isuien (依水園) is a picturesque Japanese garden featuring elements like the Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji Temple and Mount Wakakusayama as “borrowed scenery”. The garden’s name, meaning “garden founded on water”, comes from its ponds fed by the nearby Yoshikigawa River. The Yoshikien Garden is located just across the river.

Yoshikien - Yoshikien (吉城園) is a charming Japanese garden in central Nara, named after the Yoshikigawa River beside it. Built on the site of Kofukuji Temple’s former priest residences, the garden offers free entry to foreign tourists. It features three distinct gardens: a pond garden, a moss garden, and a tea ceremony garden, providing a chance to see various Japanese gardening styles in one place. The Isuien Garden is just across the river for those wanting to explore more.

Kyoto Private Tour with English Speaking Driver

Arashiyama - The most notable feature of Arashiyama is the Togetsukyo Bridge, also known as the “Moon Crossing Bridge”, rebuilt in the 1930s after its original construction during the Heian Period (794–1185). The bridge is especially picturesque against the backdrop of wooded slopes. Nearby, a riverbank park is dotted with cherry trees. The area also offers pleasant walks and bike rides through bamboo groves, where the swaying bamboo creates a serene atmosphere. Local workshops have long used bamboo to craft various items like mats, cups, boxes, and baskets.

Kinkakuji Temple - The Zen temple Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in northern Kyoto is famous for its top two floors covered entirely in gold leaf. Originally named Rokuonji, it was the retirement villa of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. After his death in 1408, it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. Yoshimitsu’s grandson, Ashikaga Yoshimasa, later built Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) on the opposite side of the city. Kinkakuji is the only remaining structure from Yoshimitsu’s retirement complex, an elegant temple overlooking a large pond. It has been rebuilt several times, including twice during the Onin War, a civil war that caused widespread destruction.

Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine - Fushimi Inari Shrine (Fushimi Inari Taisha) in southern Kyoto is a major Shinto shrine known for its thousands of red torii gates that form a network of trails behind the main buildings. These trails lead into the forested Mount Inari, which rises 233 meters within the shrine grounds. Fushimi Inari is the most important of the thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. Fox statues, believed to be Inari’s messengers, are scattered throughout the shrine. The shrine’s history predates Kyoto’s establishment as the capital in 794. While many visitors come to explore the mountain trails, the shrine itself is also a significant attraction.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Kiyomizudera, meaning “Pure Water Temple”, is one of Japan’s most famous temples. Founded in 780, it is named after the pure waters of the Otowa Waterfall in the forested hills east of Kyoto. Originally associated with the Hosso sect, one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist schools, it became the Kita Hosso sect’s headquarters in 1965. The temple was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Its most famous feature is the wooden stage that juts out 13 meters from the main hall, offering stunning views of the cherry and maple trees below, which burst into color in spring and autumn.

Gion - Gion is Kyoto’s most famous geisha district, located along Shijo Avenue between the Kamo River and Yasaka Shrine. The area is filled with shops, restaurants, and ochaya (teahouses) where geiko (Kyoto dialect for geisha) and maiko (apprentice geiko) entertain. Gion is known for its traditional wooden machiya merchant houses, which have narrow facades but extend deep into the property. Hanami-koji Street, running from Shijo Avenue to Kenninji Temple, is the busiest part of Gion, lined with elegant and expensive dining establishments.

Sanjusangendo Temple - Sanjusangendo, officially named Rengeo-in, is a temple in eastern Kyoto renowned for its 1001 statues of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. Founded in 1164, the temple was rebuilt a century later after a fire destroyed the original structure. The temple hall, measuring 120 meters, is Japan’s longest wooden building. The name Sanjusangendo, meaning “33 intervals”, refers to the number of spaces between the building’s support columns, a traditional method of measuring building size.

Ginkakuji Temple - Ginkakuji, or the Silver Pavilion, is a Zen temple in Kyoto’s eastern mountains (Higashiyama). Built in 1482 by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as his retirement villa, it was modeled after his grandfather’s Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) in northern Kyoto. After Yoshimasa’s death in 1490, the villa was converted into a Zen temple. Ginkakuji became a center of the Higashiyama Culture, which influenced Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, noh theater, poetry, garden design, and architecture. Unlike the Kitayama Culture of Yoshimasa’s grandfather, which was limited to Kyoto’s elite, the Higashiyama Culture had a broader impact across Japan.

Nishiki Market Shopping District - Nishiki Market (Nishiki Ichiba) is a narrow, five-block-long shopping street with over a hundred shops and restaurants. Known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”, it specializes in food-related items, including fresh seafood, produce, knives, and cookware. The market is a great place to find seasonal foods and Kyoto specialties like Japanese sweets, pickles, dried seafood, and sushi. With its lively and inviting atmosphere, Nishiki Market is perfect for exploring Kyoto’s culinary delights. The shops range from small stalls to larger two-story establishments, most specializing in specific types of food, with almost everything locally produced and sourced.

Kyoto Imperial Palace - The Kyoto Imperial Palace (Kyōto Gosho) was the residence of Japan’s Imperial Family until 1868, when the capital moved to Tokyo. Located in the expansive Kyoto Imperial Park (Kyōto Gyoen) in the city center, the park also includes the Sento Imperial Palace and other attractions. The current palace was rebuilt in 1855 after several relocations and fires. The complex, enclosed by long walls, features multiple gates, halls, and gardens. The enthronement ceremonies of Emperors Taisho and Showa were held in the palace’s main hall, although Tokyo Imperial Palace is now used for such ceremonies.

• Private transportation
• On-board WiFi
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Parking fees

• Lunch