Osaka is a city obsessed with food, and there’s no better place to experience Japanese food and local specialities. Enjoying an Osaka food tour is the best way to savour the fantastic food and soulful vibes of this gourmet city fondly known as ‘Japan’s Kitchen’.
I’ve hand-picked the best Osaka food and drink experiences by comparing each tour and highlighting what’s important. Why should you trust me?
Living in Osaka for nine years, I’ve taken many tours and discovered the most delicious dishes and best culinary neighbourhoods. After reading this, you’ll find an experience right for you.
Here are the 15 best Osaka food tours.
If you’re in a hurry, jump down to my at a glance comparison guide.
Osaka Food Tours: Quick Links
- Osaka Food Tour: Best of the Best Experiences – top five recommendations and why
- Compare Osaka Food Tours: Quick Comparison Guide
- Kuromon Market Food Tours – eat your way through Osaka’s gourmet market
Osaka Food Tour: Best of the Best Experiences
‘ Savour deliciously addictive Osakan soul food around the famous Dotonbori and Namba area on tour 1. Wash it down with sake and craft beer in backstreet bars on an Osaka street food tour.
Eat authentic Osaka food until you drop in Shinsekai’s secret spots on highly-acclaimed tour 2. Thirteen dishes, two drinks and fun and friendly guides make it excellent value.
Explore Osaka’s vibrant food scene and nightlife culture on fascinating tour 3. Enjoy local and Japanese dishes at standing bars in off-the-beaten-track hipster hangout Temma.
Discover trendy Ura Namba, one of Osaka’s best-kept culinary secrets, on tour 4, an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars in a maze of narrow streets away from the tourist crowds.
Experience magical neon lights and hidden alleys bar hopping on this Namba and Dotonbori food tour. Get a taste of Osaka’s food and drink culture and meet the locals on tour 5. ’
Price per person based on two people attending a tour: $ = up to $89; $$ = between $90 & $129; $$$ = over $129. Some experiences offer discounted rates for groups of more people.
1. Osaka Street Food Tour
Enjoy classic Osaka street food on this gourmet adventure around Japan’s food capital. Tuck into local favourites and Japanese snacks as you stroll around the neon-lit backstreets of Dotonbori.
Discover the city’s best cuisine on this unforgettable private and personalised Osaka street food tour.
- Savour Osaka’s delicious soul and street foods, like kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes)
- Explore the lantern-lit narrow streets and alleys of Namba in the heart of Osaka’s food scene
- Eat and drink like a local and learn about Osaka cuisine
- Sample different places to eat, like izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), street stalls and liquor stores
- Includes: A private and personalised tour, 6-8 dishes of Japanese and Osakan food, 2 drinks (alcoholic or soft), a walking experience and hotel meet-up (on request)
- Price: $$$
- Location: Dotonbori and Namba
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, flexible start time
2. Osaka Food Tour at Shinsekai with 13 Dishes at 5 Eateries
Explore Osaka’s authentic eateries in Shinsekai on this highly-rated and excellent-value food and drink tour. Get the best of both worlds as you tuck into Osaka’s famous soul foods and Japanese cuisine.
Enjoy an unforgettable gastronomic journey with passionate and fun-loving locals.
- Savour 10 delicious Osaka specialities like kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) and takoyaki (octopus balls), plus karaage (fried spiced chicken), gyoza, dessert and more
- Experience retro Shinksekai’s neon-lit streets and hidden alleyways.
- Visit five local places to eat: Izakaya (Japanese-style pub), tachinomiya (standing bar), restaurant, market and backstreet stall
- Choose from Japanese drinks like sake, beer, chuhai (shochu and lemon) and highball (whisky and soda)
- Includes: 13 dishes from 5 places, 2 drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and a guided walking tour
- Price: $
- Location: Shinsekai and Nishinari
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 5.30pm
3. Osaka Night Bites Foodie Walking Tour
Embark on a fascinating Osaka food and culture journey away from the tourist traps on this food and drink walking tour. And experience two of Osaka’s local gourmet and entertainment areas – Tenma and Kyobashi.
Enjoy a fun and memorable night on this highly-rated small-group local secrets tour Osaka night food tour.
- Savour local hidden delicacies like tonpeiyaki (pork omelette) and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), and dote nikomi (slow-cooked beef in miso)
- Hang out with and chat with the locals over drinks at three tachinomiya (standing bars)
- Get off the beaten track and discover two distinct neighbourhoods
- Learn about food culture on one of the best food tours in Osaka
- Optional upgrade: 100g (around 3.5 ounces) of premium Kobe wagyu beef
- Includes: A whole dinner’s worth of food tastings from 3 restaurants, 3 drinks, a cultural walking tour and a train ticket
- Location: Kyobashi and Tenma
- Price: $$
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 6pm
4. Ura Namba Food Tour: Eat Like a True Osakan
Experience Ura Namba’s vibrant culinary scene as you eat your way around a maze of neon-lit alleyways. Ura Namba (meaning ‘behind Namba’) is a hidden gem tucked away from the tourist crowds.
Don’t miss this opportunity to uncover Osaka’s delicious food culture on a private and personalised tour.
- Discover local specialities like okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) and Osakan udon noodles, and fusion cuisine in this lively neighbourhood
- Explore this super-cool and buzzing area of Osaka to see how the locals entertain themselves
- Visit izakayas (Japanese-style pubs), tachinomiya (standing bars) and quirky bars
- Choose places to eat or leave it to your guide’s recommendations
- Includes: Private and personalised experience, 6-8 dishes of local food, 2 drinks (alcoholic or soft), walking tour and hotel meet-up (on request)
- Price: $$$
- Location: Ura Namba (area between Osaka-Namba and Nippombashi stations)
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, flexible start time
5. Osaka Bar Hopping Night Tour in Namba
Explore hidden pubs down alleyways on this bar-hopping tour of Osaka’s lively Namba district. See the famous sights and uncover one of Japan’s most renowned night districts.
Discover izakaya (Japanese-style pub) food and drink culture with a local guide.
- Enjoy tasty food and drinks among Dotonbori’s bright neon lights and less-visited Ura Namba
- Try local specialities like kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) and takoyaki (octopus balls), and classic Japanese drinking snacks
- Visit three different izakayas with a knowledgeable local guide
- Meet fellow travellers on this fun food and bar crawl
- Includes: 8 deep-fried skewers, 1-2 dishes, 3-4 alcoholic or soft drinks, 3 izakayas and a walking tour
- Price: $$
- Location: Dotonbori and Shinsekai
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 6pm and 7pm
Now you’ve seen my top recommendations, let’s continue the best Osaka food tours, including Kuromon Market.
Compare Osaka Food Tours: Quick Comparison Guide
To help you decide the right tour for you, here’s a quick comparison of what’s included, where you’ll go and the price.
| Tour | Included | Location | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour 1 | 6-8 dishes 2 drinks Personalised & private Hotel meet-up |
Dotonbori Namba |
$$$ | |
| Tour 2 | 10 dishes 2 drinks 5 different places to eat |
Shinsekai Nishinari |
$ | |
| Tour 3 | Dinner 3 drinks 3 izakayas Small group |
Kyobashi Tenma |
$$ | |
| Tour 4 | 6-8 dishes 2 drinks Personalised & private Hotel meet-up |
Ura Namba | $$$ | |
| Tour 5 | 8 skewers 1-2 dishes 3-4 drinks 3 izakayas |
Dotonbori Namba |
$$ | |
| Tour 6 | Dinner 2 snacks 1 izakaya |
Shinsekai South Osaka |
$ | |
| Tour 7 | Full dinner 1 drink 4 food stops |
Dotonbori Namba |
$$$ | |
| Tour 8 | 6 skewers 2 dishes 1 drink |
Dotonbori Shinsekai |
$$ | |
| Tour 9 | Lunch 1 drink Bike tour & hire |
Shinsekai Tennoji Tsuruhashi |
$$ | |
| Tour 10 | Dinner 1 drink Various bars |
Ameramura Dotonbori Namba Shinsaibashi |
$$ | |
| Tour 11 | 6-8 dishes 2 drinks Personalised & private Hotel meet-up |
Dotonbori Namba |
$$$ |
Price per person based on two people attending a tour: $ = up to $89; $$ = between $90 & $129; $$$ = over $129. Some experiences offer discounted rates for groups of more people.
All Osaka food and drink experiences include walking tours with English-speaking guides.
6. Osaka Deep Backstreets Tour with Dinner
Delve into Osaka’s secret underworld on this award-winning Osaka backstreets tour with dinner and snacks. Prepare to see Japan unfiltered as you’ve never imagined before.
Discover Osaka, off-limits to tourists, learn about local history and enjoy a post-tour meal.
- Explore parts unseen, including a red-light district, gambling dens, yakuza strongholds, a fishing restaurant, dimly lit gritty Osaka backstreets and more
- Devour delicious Osaka soul food like nikudofu (slow-cooked beef) and tonpeiyaki (pork omelette), plus karaage (deep-fried chicken) and yakitori (chicken skewers) with dinner option
- Taste local snacks, takoyaki (octopus balls), and gyoza from street food stalls
- Select the ‘Tour with Dinner’ option for an authentic meal
- Includes: A full dinner of 5-6 dishes, 2 snacks and a deep Osaka walking tour with a professional guide
- Price: $
- Duration and start time: 3-3.5 hours, 5.30pm
- Location: Shinseakai and nearby South Osaka neighbourhoods
7. Osaka Night Food Tour
Experience an unforgettable Osaka night food tour through the historical streets of Namba. Sample delicious food as you weave between neon-lit tourist spots of Dotonbori and side streets and hidden alleys.
Enjoy a perfect adventure for food lovers to see Osaka at night.
- Savour Osaka’s tasty kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) and takoyaki (octopus balls) from a Michelin-rated street food stall
- See Dotonbori’s dazzling neon lights and the Glico running man sign
- Visit an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) for regional and Japanese cuisine
- Meet the friendly locals for a beer or nihonshu (sake)
- Includes: Multiple dishes from four food stops, one drink and a guided walking tour
- Price: $$$
- Location: Dotonbori and Namba
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 5pm
8. Osaka Local Foodie Tour in Dotonbori and Shinsekai
Get the best of both worlds on this food experience around two of Osaka’s renowned culinary spots. Feel the retro vibes of Shinsekai and see the bright lights of Namba.
Savour Osaka’s soul foods on this great-value culinary journey.
- Eat delicious kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) in their birthplace – Shinsekai
- See the shimmering neon lights and narrow streets on the Dotonbori food tour leg
- Tuck into takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (Osaka-style savoury pancake)
- Visit a Buddhist temple and Shinto shrine and get insights into Japanese culture
- Includes: 6 skewers and two dishes (vegan menu available), 1 drink and a guided tour
- Price: $$
- Location: Dotonbori and Shinsekai
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 4.30pm and 5.30pm
9. Eat, Drink, Cycle: Osaka Food and Bike Tour
Combine the freedom of cycling with Osaka’s culinary heritage on this food-inspired bike tour. Get out and about and see more on this highly-rated experience.
Enjoy the thrill of cycling and a food trip on the road less travelled.
- Savour melt-in-your-mouth grilled wagyu beef in Osaka’s ‘Korean Town’
- Sample delectable dishes like sushi, skewers, udon and chijimi (spicy pancakes)
- Learn about Osaka’s knife-making history and treat yourself to a chef’s knife souvenir
- Enjoy the serenity at one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples
- Includes: Lunch (multiple food stops), 1 bottled water, cycle hire and a guided bike tour
- Price: $$
- Location: Shinsekai, Tennoji and Tsurushashi
- Duration and start time: 3-4 hours (approx.), 9.30am
10. Osaka Backstreet Night Tour
Discover where the locals eat and drink on this Osaka backstreet food tour. Explore different parts of Namba, from the tourist sights of Dotonbori to hidden gems.
Enjoy a fun-packed evening and the raucous atmosphere of Osaka nightlife.
- Eat dinner at a local izakaya (Japanese-style pub) and get to know your group
- Savour Japanese food like fresh sushi, grilled yakitori (chicken skewers) and takoyaki (octopus balls)
- See Dotonbori’s neon lights before heading off to some backstreet bars
- Meet friendly locals and have more drinks (not included) until late
- Includes: Dinner, 1 drink, introductions to more bars and a guided tour
- Price: $$
- Location: Namba and Dotonbori
- Duration and start time: 3 hours (approx.), 6pm
11. Ultimate Kansai Region Food Experience
Take a culinary tour of Osaka, the ‘Nation’s kitchen’, where you can experience local and wider Kansai regional cuisine. Find out about familiar and lesser-known dishes that come from the area.
Experience Kansai’s food and drink specialities from the regional gourmet hub of Osaka.
- Try Osaka cuisine like fugu (pufferfish) prepared by professionally trained chefs
- Sample Kyoto culinary delights such as wagashi (confectionery), sake, and green tea
- Savour the mouth-watering taste of marbled Kobe wagyu beef
- Discover the origins and cultures of the dishes you eat and the local drinks
- Includes: Private and personalised experience, 6-8 dishes, 2 beverages, walking tour and hotel meet-up (on request)
- Price: $$$
- Location: Dotonbori and Namba
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, flexible start time
Kuromon Market Food Tours
‘ Known as ‘Osaka’s kitchen’, Kuromon Market is a lively place full of delicious food stalls and restaurants. You’ll find all manner of seafood, meat and vegetables along its 580 metres length.
Experience Kuromon Market and eat local and Japanese dishes until you drop on great-value tour 12. Discover Osaka’s extraordinary food culture and see six different food markets on unique tour 13.
On tour 14, you’ll explore the market and sample tasty food before visiting a shopping street for kitchenware. Enjoy Kuromon Market and its delicious dishes on budget-friendly guided tour 15. ’
12. Kuromon Market Food Tour
Explore Osaka’s 200-year-old Kuromon Market with a fun and knowledgeable local guide. A complete sensory experience balanced with a more relaxed daytime vibe.
Sample 10-12 Kuromon Ichiba (Market) foods on an excellent-value experience.
- Savour Osaka delicacy fugu (pufferfish) and soul food classics okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) and takoyaki (octopus balls)
- Try Japanese food favourites like sashimi, sushi, scallops, wasabi cheese and sakura mochi (rice and red bean confectionary)
- Learn about the market’s history and culture on this Osaka food market tour
- Experience a working Japanese food market and see foods you didn’t know existed
- Includes: 10-12 food tastings (lunch), coffee or tea, unique traditional chopsticks and a guided walking tour
- Price: $
- Location: Kuromon Market (meet at Nippombashi Station)
- Duration and start time: 1.5 hours (approx), 2pm
13. Osaka Food Markets from Local to Luxurious
Discover Osaka’s food markets for a culinary culture deep-dive into Japan’s premier gourmet city. Take the road less travelled from upmarket department stores, wet markets and more.
Osakans say ‘kuidaore’, which means ‘to ruin oneself by extravagance in food’, and you’ll see why during this fascinating experience.
- Explore six diverse food markets where people shop and eat
- Visit the famous Kuromon Market and the locals alternative Tenjinbashi-suji
- Savour wagyu beef yakiniku (grilled meat) at ‘Korean Town’
- Sample dishes and whatever takes your fancy on this unique Osaka food tour
- Included: 6 Osaka food markets guided English-speaking tour and food recommendations
- Price: $$
- Location: Namba, Temma, Tenjinbashi-suji, Tsuruhashi, Kuromon Market and Doguyasuji
- Duration and start time: 4 hours (approx.), 9am or 2pm
14. Osaka Kuromon Market Food Tour with Tastings
Discover Kuromon Market’s delicious local and Japanese food with an experienced guide. Let your taste buds run wild as you sample tasty dishes, from Osaka’s street food to premium quality beef.
Experience Kuromon Market like a local on this engaging tour.
- Enjoy various dishes from five market food stops
- Sample fresh sushi, wagyu beef skewers and local treats
- Learn about Osaka’s food culture and way of life from a local guide
- Visit Osaka’s ‘Kitchen Town’, Sennichimae Doguyasuji, an ideal place to pick up a Japanese knife
- Includes: Various dishes from 5 food stops, 1 drink and an English-speaking guided tour
- Price: $$$
- Location: Kuromon Market and Doguyasuji
- Duration and start time: 3 hours, 9am
15. Kuromon Market Walking Street Food Tour in Osaka
Enjoy a Kuromon Market tour and tuck into tasty street food and local delicacies along the way. Get a unique insight into the market and the people that work there.
Explore Osaka’s culinary culture and discover unusual dishes you’ve never seen before.
- Sample tasty treats like fresh seafood, hotpot and street food
- Try Osaka’s most renowned soul food, takoyaki (octopus balls)
- Learn about the history, culture and cuisine of Kuromon Ichiba (Market)
- Uncover Japanese kitchenware and tableware for a souvenir to bring home at Doguyasuji
- Includes: 4-5 food samplings and a walking tour
- Price: $
- Location: Kuromon Market and Doguyasuji
- Duration and start time: 2 hours, 11 am
Book Kuromon Market Street Food Tour >>
Well, that’s a wrap! Please, don’t miss out on an opportunity to take an Osaka food tour. Its rich gourmet heritage makes it the perfect place to experience local, seasonal, and Japanese cuisine.
Images: kimishowota, Alexander Smagin