Private Tour: Osaka's Castles, Temples, Gardens And Tombs

What your day looks like

We’re whisking you to the castle first because there is no better symbol of the power Osaka wielded around the turn of the 17th century. In the days before Tokyo became remotely important, Osaka was the center of it all. (Osaka’s still the center of it all for most Osakans, but that’s another story altogether.) Fortunes change and Osaka has been no exception. As you’ll learn during our tour around Osaka Castle, the building was destroyed more than once, with the last time being during World War II. With Asia’s largest weapons manufacturing facility just next door, it was sort of inevitable. Still, the exterior of the castle and the surrounding park doles out a historical aura and make for a great place to talk about the city itself. From warrior culture to Buddhism, we walk around the peaceful and architecturally noteworthy grounds of Shitennoji. We’re going to go way back here, to the 6th century when Buddhism was just getting a foothold in Japan. Since it was Koreans who introduced the teachings (some still shy away from calling Buddhism a religion), the buildings offer a very different style than the much later designs you may see in Kyoto (though not so different from Nara’s Todaiji giant Buddha, which dates back to around the same time). Just a five-minute drive away, we find ourselves once again in a totally different environment as we walk around Shin-Sekai. This area is fun for the whole family and a very, very Osaka scene. After lunch, we go down to the southern extreme of Osaka for a walk around Sumiyoshi Taisha. Often informally voted among us guides as the nicest religious facility to visit on tour, you’ll find the lack of any crowds whatsoever to be disarming. The buildings, stories, and just plain ol’ strolls are a true pleasure and feel absolutely timeless. Now firmly in Sakai City, we’re taking you high up to the top of City Hall for a view back at Osaka and the famous tombs. Did you know that Sakai’s tombs are one of the three largest burial sites in the world? They rank alongside the terracotta warriors of China and the pyramids of Egypt. Since the tombs are holy, we can’t set foot on the property. But they are so enormous that viewing them from above allows for the greatest understanding anyway. Still, there is something special about viewing what we can at street level, so that’s what we do next. In this private tour of Osaka (with non-Osaka bits), we like to take guests to places the big tour groups never venture. We wrap up our day with a visit to the superb Japanese gardens at Daisen Park. We are almost willing to bet you money you won’t see a single other tourist here. The gardens are lovely and never, ever crowded. At only a few decades old, the garden is also slightly different than some of the ancient layouts you may have seen in other parts of Japan. For those interested in Sakai’s knife culture, do let us know so we can take you to the fine museum and also provide an opportunity to perhaps purchase a knife or two to take home with you (checked luggage only!). Remember, this is a private tour! So if you want to visit another spot not mentioned here, simply let us know and we’ll make it happen.