Osaka Soul : Izakaya Shinsekai To Dotonbori Food Paradise！

Kodai made our night in Osaka. My husband and I were in Japan for 10 days and wanted an evening to feel the city like locals do! We started at Zeniya, a warm little izakaya where Kodai ordered for us and we were having fun before the first plum wine and soda hit the table. From there we wandered Shinsekai, threw ninja stars, tried archery, and rubbed the golden Billiken statue for good luck. Stop two was Tsuruhashi Fugetsu for Kansai-style okonomiyaki straight off the teppan. We finished at Aizuya, the original birthplace of takoyaki, where the batter is seasoned with dashi and served without sauce the way it was invented in 1935. The moment that made the whole night: Kodai went out of his way to hunt down Pokémon for our son back home. Then he walked us through Dotonbori, showed us the famous bridge, and personally made sure we caught the right train back to Kyoto. Warm, funny, and genuinely thoughtful. If you want to eat well and see Osaka the way a local sees it, book Kodai. Worth every yen. Thanks for the Japanese hospitality!!

Kodai made our night in Osaka. My husband and I were in Japan for 10 days and wanted an evening to feel the city like locals do! We started at Zeniya, a warm little izakaya where Kodai ordered for us and we were having fun before the first plum wine and soda hit the table. From there we wandered Shinsekai, threw ninja stars, tried archery, and rubbed the golden Billiken statue for good luck. Stop two was Tsuruhashi Fugetsu for Kansai-style okonomiyaki straight off the teppan. We finished at Aizuya, the original birthplace of takoyaki, where the batter is seasoned with dashi and served without sauce the way it was invented in 1935. The moment that made the whole night: Kodai went out of his way to hunt down Pokémon for our son back home. Then he walked us through Dotonbori, showed us the famous bridge, and personally made sure we caught the right train back to Kyoto. Warm, funny, and genuinely thoughtful. If you want to eat well and see Osaka the way a local sees it, book Kodai. Worth every yen. Thanks for the Japanese hospitality!!

Thank you to Kodai for giving us a glimpse of the Osaka food scene! We learned a lot about Japanese culture in general. We were able to try a few different styles of Japanese cuisine in some hole-in-the wall spots that we otherwise would not have found if it wasn't for Kodai!

We loved our experience and Kodai made our time so much more enjoyable. Trying the different foods was exactly what we wanted to do. Kodai was incredibly helpful taking photos and explaining about the food, the area, and Japan in general. We highly recommend this if you love food and are in the Osaka area.

Excellent experience with the perfect host. Mie took us around the bright lights of osaka. With great stories to match the amazing food. We ate with the locals with Mie taking us to all the eateries that she goes to. Great times.

🤩🤩🤩 It was super mie!!! We really had a good time and wonderful food in different restaurants. Meanwhile we visited Osaka by night!

Mie & Kumiko were great!! Such an outstanding evening at local places. They provided train advice and history of the neighborhood. I can’t recommend this tour enough.

We had a great day with Ken as our tour guide. He took us around Osaka castle, which was so beautiful. We had various types of Osaka specialty foods. We were really impressed with how Ken would notice something on our walk and then explain it to us, even if it wasn’t an every day happening. For example, he took us into where the sumo wrestling event was going on and to where there was a free outdoor concert. Ken answered many questions all day long from us and always did so with a smile! He also got some great pictures! Highly recommend.

Great service and showed us many great spots. Was very informative and full of energy!! Food was excellent from start to finish

What an amazing experience! Hideka was our guide and was really engaging. Interesting and funny. She took us to experience real Japanese eating places and the food was fantastic! Highly recommend Hideka. One of our best guides! And she likes dessert so we got to eat scrummy strawberry cake 🍰 😃

Request Kenny! This tour was an amazing Osaka experience. Kenny has been living in Osaka for 50+ years and knew all of the local spots and more!! He even recommended the BEST SPICY RAMEN RESTAURANT in Osaka. P.s. Prepare for some walking

We had a great time with Kenny! The first stop was a small spot with very special local food. WE explored small ally ways and ran across a religious ceremony. The second spot was a chain restaurant, but we were the only foreigners there. We ended up being serenaded by some locals and made friends. The food here wasn't special, but Kenny and our new friends made it a memorable experience. Would recommend.

We were so lucky to have Kumiko show us around the best parts of Dotonbori, sharing with us specialty dishes including okonomiyaki and takoyaki. It was delicious, exciting and actually cooking the takoyaki was so much fun. Kumiko is a very vibrant person, who bent over backwards to ensure that we had a fabulous time. She also gave us a great history lesson of Osaka and the origin of their people’s food. And many recommendations for things to do while we are here. We booked as a group of 8, including 3 teens. Plenty of food that all of us enjoyed. I would recommend this tour to anyone. Thank you so much Kumiko!

Kumiko's guidance elevated our food tour to an unforgettable journey through Osaka's culinary landscape. With her insightful commentary, we delved into the nuances of each dish, from the delicate balance of flavors in the fluffy egg omelette to the rich marbling of the Japanese Wagyu beef. Her passion for food and deep knowledge of local cuisine shone through at every stop. The takoyaki balls were perfectly crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside, while the traditional deep-fried skewers offered a satisfying crunch with each bite. Kumiko's warmth and hospitality made us feel like old friends exploring the city together. Her recommendations were spot-on, introducing us to hidden gems we would have otherwise missed. Overall, the experience was not just about the food, but about the stories behind each dish and the connections forged along the way. We left with full bellies and happy hearts, grateful for Kumiko's expertise and charm. Highly recommended for anyone looking to embark on a culinary adventure in Osaka!

I was able to experience Japan's heartfelt hospitality and Osaka's delicious street food. I'm really glad I chose this tour. I would like to recommend Sakura Concierge to all my friends who are planning to visit Japan.

We had an amazing tour with Kumiko in Osaka, she was easy to coordinate with, met us on time and dedicated an entire day to us, she took us around Osaka - Dotonbori and Namba area by train and walking, she was incredibly patient and laid back. She showed us the fish market, a hole in the wall restaurant, street food, temples and even took us to the mall, she also brought us a gift! It was so lovely to spend time with her, it felt like we had known her for years and we have kept in touch with her. Thank you for an absolute lovely experience!

We had a wonderful time with Kumiko as our tour guide. Although I have been to Osaka several times, having a tour guide took the stress out of having to navigate the chaotic streets! She knew exactly where to go to avoid paying high prices for GREAT quality food at Kuromon Ichiba Market. The takoyaki, fugu sashimi, and wagyu were our favorites! There were a couple of Japan first-timers among us and they enjoyed Kumiko’s high energy and knowledge of the area. We would highly recommend for anyone that is planning to go to Osaka for their next Japan trip! 🇯🇵

It was a great experience for us!!! We had a great food in Osaka!! My friend recommended this tour! We had a nice time with the guide!!