Urban Canvas: Osaka Street Art Bike Tour

What an amazing day! I’d forgotten just how much I love cycling, and having an electric bike made it even more enjoyable. The bikes were perfectly sized thanks to being asked for our heights when booking. Eric was the most brilliant guide, full of enthusiasm and knowledge. We chose the Urban Back Streets Tour and absolutely loved discovering the incredible graffiti and street art dotted around the city, including Eric’s own commissioned piece. The talent and creativity on display were truly awe-inspiring! The stopovers along the way were a real highlight too, from a lovely coffee shop to a traditional standing bar, finishing with some delicious pizza. It was such a fun way to explore a different side of the city, see places we’d never have found on our own, and enjoy some fantastic local experiences. Highly recommend this tour — great bikes, a brilliant guide, amazing street art and delicious food. One of the highlights of our trip!

We had a great experience on the Osaka Street Art bike tour with Eric. I always love bike tours as a way to get a personal view of a city while covering a lot of ground. This was definitely the case here, and Eric had multiple snack breaks for us during the tour. It's fun to get to experience the truly local places that you'd have no idea are there even when you walk right by them. My family loved the biking, seeing all the street art, and talking with Japan, and history, and art with Eric. Truly a great experience.

My wife and I took this bike tour with our guide, Erik. We try to do a bike tour in every city we visit and hope to see as many non-touristy sites as possible just so we can get a more authentic feel of the place we are visiting. It not always an easy bike tour to find because most want to focus on the well known highlights. This bike tour absolutely nailed this desire of ours perfectly. In fact, we both agreed it might have been one of the best bike tours we have ever done in a major city. We loved all the urban artwork, seeing the secluded narrow alleys, experiencing the authentic Japanese culture, eating New York style pizza and hearing the stories that came along with all of that. Highlight: Randomly meeting the blue haired store owner as our guide told the story of being hired by the blue haired store owner to paint a beautiful mural across from the store. Well done, Erik! Keep sharing your story to as many people as possible. It's a good one.

This was a very enjoyable, unique, and worthwhile tour. The guide, Eric, was very knowledgable as well as very passionate. In addition to viewing much dazzling street art, I was able to see parts of Osaka that I otherwise would not have seen. Overall, this was a pleasant, engaging tour that I’d highly recommend.

Extraordinary journey to discover some decidedly little-known neighborhoods of Osaka and especially street art. Thanks to Joel artist photographer wonderful guide !

that eric is RAD! not only is his work one of the murals we saw, we stopped at some cool places that he clearly has a good relationship with. he was so friendly, engaging and have us such great background on each if the artists

Our guide, Erik, was awesome! Very knowledgeable on fabulous murals, landmarks and delicious “hole in the wall” food places! He’s an artist himself so that made it even more interesting. He made sure this 71 yo felt comfortable the whole time. Would definitely recommend this cycle tour company!

The tour is really insightful and interesting, I love learning about the smaller details in these huge cities. Thank you to Joel for making it super wellworth! Definitely booking with the company again :)

Do this tour instead of the Mario Karts (go karts). You get to ride around the lesser known parts of Osaka with a local street artist. The experience is exceptionally well put together - the art, the ride through Osaka alleys, and the stop-offs for snacks. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to explore Osaka.

Initially, while I was on my trip in Japan, I was looking to book a bike tour in Tokyo but due to my schedule being packed, I wasn't able to. I knew that I would be spending some time in Osaka and Kyoto so I came across this bike tour in Osaka and I was immediately drawn to the itinerary because it just seemed different from all of the other bike tours I had came across. As someone who loves and appreciates art (who is also an art major and designer), this tour was exactly what I was looking for. Luckily for me, I was the only traveler (solo) who had booked the tour for that day and Eric (the tour guide) took me on a cool journey through the streets and small alleys of Osaka checking out some awesome wall art from different artists. Seeing one of Eric's pieces on the tour was also a nice surprise. Every artist (including Eric) had a story behind their artwork and Eric is a great storyteller. This tour was very unique and memorable. It was like riding through a "street gallery" lol. You never knew what you were gonna see because some of these art murals are tucked away behind buildings. Some are front-facing and some are on the side. If you're someone who appreciates art or you're just looking for something different and unique, this just might be the tour for you. It's laid back and I felt totally safe riding with Eric. He made a cool riding partner and it was nice to learn about his background as well as the Japanese culture. Because I was lucky enough to have the tour all to myself, Eric was able to show me some other cool art gems that I probably wouldn't have seen if I was booked with a bigger group. And the pizza stop at the end was a nice wrap up to the tour (pizza is soooo good lol). I'd go again just for the pie slice lol. I'd definitely recommend this tour to art lovers or to anyone who just wants to experience a different and unique type of tour that's outside of just seeing shrines and monuments.

A brilliant tour of the lesser known parts of Osaka, excellently hosted by the knowledgable and entertaining Reuben. The street art was all so different and beautiful, with incredible coffee and pizza thrown into the mix. Definitely recommend.

Excellent bike tour and Eric our guide was the right person for the job. He knows the art, the artists and the history of the project and artworks. Great coffee, an old school Izakaya and a slice of NY style pizza. Cool fun getting around on the bike too.

My wife and I joined Reuben on the street art tour yesterday. We can not recommend this tour more highly. Reuben was an incredible tour guide. He's just one of those people where he's just immediately easy to talk to, and he's funny to boot. Reuben is also involved in the local art scene and knows some of the artists whose work we viewed. His passion for the subject matter was evident and highly appreciated. If you're considering Cycle Osaka for the tourism trips, I totally get it. But I would encourage you to consider giving the street art tour a try. You'll see a side of Osaka that's just outside the standard tourism path and really get a feel for the beating of the city. Also, the coffee, bar, and pizza places we visited were all fantastic and the people there were all so incredibly friendly. Thank you Reuben for sharing your love for this city. We went during the summer and while it was hot it was also manageable. (resubmitted because typos)

Absolutely fantastic, Eric was great fun, and became part of our friend group very quickly. The pub stop was a hoot with the locals, we would highly recommend this tour

Fantastic bike ride seeing so many sights and felt very safe. Communication was excellent and the group small enough to enjoy everything together

My friend and I both agreed that this bike tour was one of the highlights of our 2 week trip through Japan and Korea. Eric, our tour guide, was fun to chat with and shared a lot of really cool info about the art pieces included in the tour. There were several stops along the way for coffee, snacks, etc., each one unique and interesting, with the final stop at Hughes Pizza where we got to chat with the owner and enjoy some really delicious pizza and beer. The tour overall was pretty chill, with only one or two hills that were moderate, but short. The bikes were easy to ride and I had no trouble figuring out how to shift the gears. We also really enjoyed getting to know all the other people on the tour. It was a medium sized group, about 7 other people I think, so we were able to actually chat and get to know each other a bit. This was such a great way to spend the day and a fun way to see Osaka and experience the street art. I highly recommend this tour!

Reuben was an excellent guide and very informative and passionate about Osakas art scene. Great fun to see a different side to Osaka and some good stops, particularly the stand up local bar for a snack and drink. Highly recommend

Fabulous street art tour, highly recommend. Definitely a highlight of our trip. Great way to explore the non-touristy areas of Osaka.

Great experience! The guide's knowledge and connection to the area and art made the tour well worth it. Overall the tour isn't difficult regarding fitness levels.

One of the best tours I’ve ever been on! Eric was very knowledgeable and personable on the street art tour. The bikes were in great condition. A good balance of food, beverage, art, socializing, and biking.

We had the best time & Eric was a fantastic, fun, super knowledgeable guide. It was great to see a different side to Osaka and appreciate some neighbourhoods we would never of found (or heard of!) The street art scene is clearly big here & it was fab to see some amazing artwork. Loved cycling round & we all really enjoyed our pit stops! Would highly recommend this tour, it’s such a fun way to see the city and learn about the street art.

This was a fantastic bike tour. We rode around the quieter parts of Osaka, saw some amazing street art & got to try a delicious coffee, some local snacks & pizza. Our guide was terrific & really informative about Osaka & the street art. Would highly recommend.

Great day! We highly recommend this experience off the beaten track. You would not go to these places without guidance of local people.

What a fantastic experience. Eric is an amazing guide. As you’ll read in other reviews, Eric is an artist himself so you’ll not only get all the insider tips but all sorts of other fascinating insights as you go. Well paced, fun. A great way to see Osaka, local eateries and coffee houses and the art is just incredible. The aspiring artists in our family group loved the conversation with Eric and also his great stickers! Thanks Eric and Cycle Osaka

This is a cracker of a tour through the backstreets of Osaka! The art is totally fab & Eric is super - knowledgeable, thoughtful & fun. An artist himself, he has intimate anecdotes galore about the street art & can answer any questions you throw his way. It’s well-paced with just the right amount of cycling, admiring and eating. Eric clocks on quickly to what might float your boat & adds a personalised touch. I freaking loved the stand-up bar & the pizza is to die for. Without the tour, there is so much of Osaka we wouldn’t have seen or known existed. Truly a highlight. Do it!

Excellent cycling experience in neighborhoods! You can see many graffiti Work and listen to the stories from Eric. He is a great expert in arts. And you can enjoy local Coffee, Snacks and go in a Pizzeria. Thanks for the pleasant Tour.

What a great tour! We were very lucky to have a private tour with Erik, who showed us a beautiful and definitely not so touristy part of Osaka on comfy bikes. We highly recommend this tour if you’re into (street) art, if you enjoy cycling, or if you simply want to explore Osaka beyond its crowded center. We also had some very nice stops on the way, where Erik made sure to accommodate our dietary wishes (vegan). Thanks a lot, Erik!

If you really want to experience the street art scene in the back streets of Osaka, this tour is the best. Eric, an artist himself is extremely knowledgeable about the vast number of wall arts we visited. But there’s more which added to the experience…and that was the food and drink experiences throughout the tour. We met friendly locals in a pub, where we had some local delicacies and store owners like Hughsey, who has a NY style pizza shop. This was all part of the tour. We highly recommend this tour if you enjoy biking around back streets as an experience. Thanks Eric, Dave and April

This bike tour was definitely one of the top highlights of our trip to Japan. We covered a lot of ground away from touristy areas, saw a lot of great art, and visited food spots that we otherwise wouldn't have discovered. Navigating the crowds and shopping centers on bikes can be a little tricky if you're not used to it, but our guide was flexible to the pacing of our group (which had a wide range of bike experience) so no one got left behind. We had great conversation, and a great time. Our guide even gave us recommendations of other restaurants to check out on our own later in the evening, which ended up being very memorable as well. Thanks Eric!!

This is the tour you need to take if you want to see Osaka outside of the busy tourist spots. Eric, our guide, was splendid. Highly recommended for those who want to bike around cool neighborhoods.

This was such a fun ride. We saw a bunch of street art. Stopped in a local place to grab a small bure to eat with a drink and then had delicious pizza layer on. The street art was beautiful. Our guide was very knowledgeable! Highly recommend!

This tour was for sure one of the highlights of our 14 days journey to Tokyo and Osaka. Seeing and discovering Osaka with Eric’s eyes was fabulous and big fun. 23km :-) thanks a lot

This was such an interesting and informative bike tour. Our guide is a street artist himself and his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the wall murals we saw was superb. In addition to the great art we saw, we enjoyed biking through neighborhoods off the usual tourist destinations. We got up close and personal with residents from Osaka at a coffee shop bar and pizza place. The pizza was delicious and once again we got to interact with residents. I highly recommend this bike tour for people interested in biking, art, and interacting with people living in Osaka.

A fantastic experience with our very knowledgeable guide Erik, who took us on a whirlwind tour of the Street Art in Osaka. At the same time we picked up loads of Osaka off the beaten track sights, culture and impressions. Erik was a great guide who with a lot of humor introduced us to Japanese culture and quirks. Thanks to Sam for making in possible. Highly recommend!

We did the back street tour, saw some amazing street art and off the typical tourist path. We also covered a few kms so got some decent exercise in as well.

An absolute excellent bike tour. The guide is well informed and shows not only street art but also many places in Osaka not usually part of standard tourist tours. We really enjoyed the tour!

Fantastic tour ! We choose the Family Tour option but asked to make the street art tour. Riding our bicycles in Osaka streets discovering neighborhood that we would never had visit otherwise, some unexpected shops and of course the street art paintings was a unique experience. Our guide Eric made us feel very special. He is very knowladgeable about street art culture, great with the kids and was very attentive to our confort.

The Urban Backstreets Tour with Erik was absolutely fantastic. He was super fun, friendly and incredibly patient even when I took yet another picture 😅… Erik is an active part of Osaka’s graffiti & street art community and is therefore super knowledgeable about Osaka’s street art scene in general and naturally about each and every mural that we stopped at. The tour was also an absolute time saver. The murals in that area of Osaka were rather spread out and it would have taken us a long time trying to locate them all by ourselves on foot. And if that wasn’t already marvellous enough, we also stopped at a cool little café with fantastic drip coffee, “Haiku Coffee”, an old-school Japanese neighbourhood standing bar where we had some yummy local snacks and further refueled at “Hughes Pizza”, a cool pizza place with delicious pizza (and cool design T-shirts which make for a great souvenir). The bike ride itself took us along the river, across cool bridges, past traditional houses and into quaint as well as hip neighbourhoods. To sum things up, I can only highly recommend this awesome tour. Thanks Cycle Osaka and Erik for an awesome experience.

We did the Urban Backstreets Cycle Osaka tour and it was fabulous! Really well planned out with: 1. a terrific overview of street art in the area; 2. great rest stops along the way (coffee, standing bar and pizza), 3. an interesting route through back streets that we would never have seen ourselves, and most importantly, 4. our tour guide Erik who was extremely knowledgeable and engaging. Can’t have asked for a better experience.

Great time with Eric. Great tour, taking you away from the busy areas on to part of the town I would not have found on my own. Great urban art. Great coffee, snacks and pizza along the way too. Hope on a bike with no hesitations.

We had an amazing time touring Osaka with Eric and our group. Not only did we get a great overview of the city while biking around, but the street art was very cool. Being an artist himself (and creating one of the pieces!), Eric had awesome insights into the art we saw and made it a more enriching experience. We also had tasty drinks and eats from places we’d otherwise not go. Everywhere we went people stopped Eric to say hi, so I get the sense he is very embedded in the city! We’d recommend this tour to anyone looking for a fun day in Osaka.

These guys really went out of their way to make our day fun - saw a bunch of things we would not find by our self. The guide knew many of the artists and had personal stories about them - highly recommend

The chance to see Osaka off the beaten path was an experience I didn't know I needed, but so glad I did. My guide Erik's knowledge of street art in Osaka is top-drawer. Cycling around some of the many neighbourhoods, getting a glimpse of the real Osaka is something I can't recommend highly enough. Along the way we stopped a few times to eat and talk at a couple of terrific places only someone with proper inside knowledge could have taken me to. Erik is a lovely, warm guy with a great sense of humour and an infectious lust for life and love of Osaka. His knowledge of the various artists, their work and the Osaka urban art scene in general is a must for anyone intrigued by what's really going on in this wonderful city. There's a reason Cycle Osaka are always booked up. They run memorable, memorable tours. I look forward to joining them again.

Had such a great time on this tour! My husband and I have been to Japan four times now and this was a highlight of every trip! Eric was super friendly and took us to places we would never have found on our own and had such great knowledge of all the pieces of art he showed us. Only suggestion is to offer fixed gear bikes! Haha 😉

What an awesome tour! I had a fantastic time. It was a good balance of outdoors, side streets, great food/drink, cycling and of course street art. A real experience of Osaka. The guide is an experienced local, deeply knowledgable in the scene, with even some works of his own in the area. The bike I had was well maintained, and shifted effortlessly. I have spent a cumulative of 30mins on a bike in the last 7 years, but despite this I had no difficulty keeping up and out of trouble. Thank you for the great time

What an amzing experience! Erik, the guide for this tour, is actually an artist & painted the first mural on our tour. We had a blast riding throug the streets of Osaka & couldn't believe how much Street Art is out there. We had stops for gourmet drip coffee, snacks at a nearly century old standing bar & awesome NYC style pizza at a super cool pizza parlour thanks to Alex at Hughes Pizza. The terrain was virtually flat so really easy to navigate & Erik knows so much about the art scene and artists is was truly a joy to spend the day with him & learn what he had to share. One of the best bike tours we've ever taken & we've been on quite a few. I highly recommend this tour!!!

Excellent tour. Guide Eric was knowledgeable & friendly. I hope this tour takes off as it should!!!!

The Street Art Bike tour took us by surprise and over exceeded our expectation. Great way to pedal around streets of Osaka and witness some excellent art work from both local and international artist. To top it off, the guys running it such as Eric speak fluent Japanese( Eric has been living in Japan for years) and well versed with Japanese culture/etiquette which makes the whole tour delightful experience. Bikes are almost new and in excellent condition with couple of stops for refueling the body with drinks along the way. Eric was friendly, funny and is an artist himself. Highly recommend.

Don’t want to give too much away with this post about Eric’s urban art mural bike tour, but for people who love biking, street art, strong coffee, tachinomis, and @hughespizza you have something incredible planned for a three-hour tour in Osaka.