Frequently Asked Questions

All Osaka Day Tours are private group tours, with flexible itineraries that allow for special requests to be accommodated. Please submit your request as early as possible to allow for any necessary arrangements to be made. Minor changes in the itinerary, however, can be accommodated without prior notice – simply let your guide know of your preferences.

Osaka Day Tours can also provide you with a fully custom tour, planned on what you want to see or experience. Please see the video on the Custom Tours page for more information.

The basic group size of an Osaka Day Tour is 1-3 people, and solo travelers can book a private tour for one. Osaka Day Tours often caters to solo travelers and you’ll enjoy a personalized one-on-one experience with your tour guide.

Although all Osaka Day Tours have an itinerary, since they are private tours there is a great amount of flexibility. If your group wants to go at a more leisurely pace or change parts of the itinerary, just let your guide know. If you have any special requests before the tour begins, please inform Osaka Day Tours as early as possible.

Although Osaka Day Tour vehicles are non-smoking vehicles, and new regulations prohibit smoking on busy streets in Osaka, there are many places on our tours where you can enjoy a smoke break. Your tour guide will make sure you have ample time and opportunity to enjoy smoking whenever you want.

All Osaka Day Tours are private tours and child-friendly. Your tour guide will also make sure that your tour is paced to match you and your children. However, please consider the suitability of our more challenging hiking tours (such as Hike to the Castle in the Clouds) to your children’s age and hiking ability.

Your tour guide is a native English speaker who also speaks Japanese. Kevin grew up in Switzerland and also speaks German; however, after many years of living in Canada and Japan, his German is a bit rusty.

For our Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe day tours, I recommend comfortable shoes – even on a car tour there is a fair amount of walking. Since the weather can be changeable, it is always a good idea to bring a light jacket on a tour (a heavier jacket in the winter months). If the weather forecast has even a slight chance of rain, it is advisable to bring a portable umbrella.

For our countryside walking and hiking tours, comfortable and sturdy footwear is recommended. A small backpack, with extra clothing inside and some drinking water, is also recommended.

Depending upon the size of the group, a few pieces of luggage can be accommodated on car-based tours. When using a larger van (which can accommodate up to 9 passengers) there is ample room for suitcases and bags in the back area.

For a walking tour, please bring a minimum of belongings to ensure an enjoyable tour. For a hiking tour, it’s advisable to bring a day pack and carry only necessary extra clothing and a bottle of drinking water.

There are a few different factors that make different times of the year good for visiting Osaka. Here are the conditions and events you’ll find at different times of the year:

January/February: These are the coldest months in Osaka, but Osaka’s temperate climate means the temperature only drops to an average low of 35°F (2°C) at night and usually hovers around an average of 48°F (9°C) in the daytime. January 1-3 is the time for celebrating the New Year, and you can join the festivities of Hatsumode (First Shrine Visit) at many shrines in the Osaka area.

This is a good time of year to avoid crowds.

March/April: The weather in Osaka is mild during these months. The last week of March/early April is a good time to see cherry blossoms in bloom and join local Hanami (Blossom Viewing) parties. At nearby Yoshino Mountain, you can enjoy their later-blooming cherry blossoms (with over 30,000 cherry trees creating a breathtaking sight) throughout most of April.

Keep in mind that this season is popular with tourists and will be more crowded. Also, cherry blossom time is difficult to forecast and the bloom time changes every year.

May: The weather in May is getting warmer, but not yet hitting the summer heat. It’s a great time to explore around Osaka or go for a countryside walking tour.

June/July: Although the exact dates are unpredictable, from about mid-June to mid-July the Osaka area experiences Rainy Season. During this time, it can get quite muggy before the rain falls, which is then followed by a sudden downpour. It is advisable to carry a large umbrella with you during this time, and all car tours will be equipped with large Rainy Season umbrellas. Since the weather is getting hotter, the rains during Rainy Season can be quite refreshing.

August/September: August is the hottest month in Osaka, with an average daily high of 90°F (33°C) and some days going up to 99°F (37°C). Throughout August and until mid- to late-September the humidity can be a bit high in, and around, Osaka. However, early August is a time of some of the best Matsuri (summer festivals), where you can enjoy the festivities and browse the many food stalls.

October/November: The weather is mild in these autumn months and the majority of days are clear and sunny. All around Osaka and in the surrounding areas, you can enjoy the beauty of autumn leaves. Some areas have an abundance of Japanese maples, which set the hillsides alight with a blaze of red. These autumn months are a great time to enjoy a countryside walking tour.

November is also the time when parents bring their 3, 5, and 7-year-old children to shrines, dressed in kimono – which makes for fantastic photo ops.

December: Although the weather is heading towards the colder days of January and February, the sunny days warm up quickly in the morning and provide great weather for exploring Osaka and the surrounding areas. As the temperature starts to dip in the evenings, it’s a great time to enjoy Nabe (Japanese hot pot) with your family and friends.

Yes. All Osaka Day Tours are private group tours. Only those family members or friends that you are bringing with you will be on the tour. Our tours are exclusive and not open to the public.

See him in the video on our About page.

You can learn more about Kevin Riley on our About page.

When you receive your confirmation email after completing the booking of your tour, you”ll be asked for a phone number (preferably connected to WhatsApp) so you and your guide can easily contact each other before and during your tour.

To book a tour, go to the Request Your Tour page on this website or click the button labeled “Request Your Tour Now” under any tour description. This will take you to the Osaka Day Tours request form.

On the form, please enter your name and email address. Be sure to use your best email address, as this is where Osaka Day Tours will confirm your booking and communicate any important information.

From the drop-down menu, select the tour you want to book.

Then, please enter the number of adults and the number of children under 12 years of age who will be participating in the tour. Please note, to ensure every tour group participant enjoys personalized attention, all Osaka Day Tours are limited to nine members in total.

If you have any special requirements or requests, please inform Osaka Day Tours by noting them in the Special Requests text box on the form. Osaka Day Tours will endeavour to meet all your requirements for a fully enjoyable tour.

After requesting your tour via the form, Kevin Riley will be in touch with you within the next 24 hours via email. This email will confirm whether the tour date you requested is available. If your chosen date is available, you can discuss any changes you’d like to make and/or special requirements with Kevin.

After you have requested a tour via the Request Your Tour form on this website, you’ll receive an email at the address you provided within the following 24 hours. If you haven’t received an email from Osaka Day Tours within those 24 hours, please check the spam folder of your email inbox for an email from Osaka Day Tours.

If you require an official receipt, please note it in your communication with Osaka Day Tours and your guide will provide you with an official receipt.

It is recommended to request your tour as soon as you know which date you would like to have your tour on, as some tour dates do sell out rapidly. However, last minute bookings are sometimes available. If you have a range of dates during which you would like to request a tour, please note it in the Special Requests section of the request form, and within 24 hours Osaka Day Tours will let you know which date(s) is/are available.

Van tours include:

• A van and driver/guide to pick you up at your accommodation, to transport you to tour destinations, and to drop you off at your accommodation (or other location at your request) at the end of the tour.
• A guide who will accompany you at all locations and provide you with history and interesting tidbits about each place.
• A traditional local meal and a beverage of your choice at lunchtime in a recommended restaurant.
• All parking fees and entry fees.

Walking tours include:

• All train and subway fares from tour meeting point to end of tour.
• A guide who will accompany you at all locations and provide you with history and interesting tidbits about each place.
• A traditional local meal and a beverage of your choice at lunchtime in a recommended restaurant.
• All entry fees.

Countryside & Hiking tours include:

• All train, subway, cablecar, and funicular fares from tour meeting point to end of tour.
• A guide who will accompany you at all locations and provide you with history and interesting tidbits about each place.
• A traditional local meal and a beverage of your choice at lunchtime in a recommended restaurant or a special lunch prepared by Kuma’s Kitchen.
• All entry fees.

Note: Although some tours may also include special snacks or taste testing, the tour price does not cover any extra purchases of food or drinks that you choose to make during the tour.

Once you have booked your tour and paid the full invoice price, your tour price is guaranteed to remain the same. The price will not be affected by any subsequent currency rate changes or other factors.

The only additional costs that may be incurred are if you opt to add an extra member to your tour, designate a different pickup/dropoff location, add extra activities to your tour, or make other changes.

Most tours are eight hours long – starting at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM (9:00-17:00). However, some special tours are longer and the length of those tours is noted in their description.

Most tours start at 9:00 AM, but different times can be arranged to meet your group’s needs. Please submit your request for a different starting time as early as possible before the tour starting time.

When participating in a van tour, your group will be picked up at your hotel or other accommodation anywhere inside Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, or Nara.

When participating in a walking or hiking tour, you’ll be notified of the meeting point for your tour. Whenever possible, Osaka Day Tours will attempt to designate a meeting place most easily accessible to you from your accommodation.

All van tours offer pickup and dropoff to any hotel or other accommodation within the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, or Nara.

Osaka Day Tours can pick you up from the Tenpozan (Osaka) or Kobe cruise ship terminals.

Please inform Osaka Day Tours in the notes section of the Request Your Tour form when requesting your tour, so any necessary arrangements can be made to ensure you have a wonderful tour.

Over the past couple of decades, Japan has become more wheelchair-friendly. Whether you join a van or walking tour, Osaka Day Tours can accommodate you and ensure you have a wonderful tour of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, or Nara.

Tours can be rescheduled up to 24 hours before the currently booked tour’s starting time. Please contact Osaka Day Tours via the Contact Us form. Please provide your name, tour name, and the date you’d like to change your booking to. Unfortunately, Osaka Day Tours cannot guarantee that a tour will be available on the new date, especially if it is on short notice. If a new tour date is unavailable, your tour will be fully refunded. For more information, please see the policy here.

Osaka Day Tours cancellation and refund policy is fully detailed on our Osaka Day Tours Cancellation Policy page. In most cases, you can get a full refund if you cancel or re-schedule your tour at least 24 hours before the booked tour’s starting time.

Each private tour is limited to a maximum of nine members to ensure each participant gets personal attention and the most enjoyable tour. If your booked group is currently less than nine members in size, you may still add extra members by contacting Osaka Day Tours. In your email, please include your name, tour name, and the number of people you wish to add. Depending upon your current group size and the price structure of your chosen tour, extra charges may apply. Members can be added to the tour any time up to 24 hours before the scheduled tour starting time.

Since all Osaka Day Tours are private tours, your tour won’t begin until you and the rest of your group arrive. However, please be aware that any serious delay in starting a tour may result in a reduction of places visited during the tour, if there isn’t enough time.

Japan is an island nation and the weather can be unpredictable. Tours are not cancelled due to inclement weather and participants are advised to bring a portable umbrella with them on a tour. In the event of more serious weather, such as a typhoon, the tour will be cancelled for safety reasons and you will receive a full refund.