Planning a trip to Japan and looking for ways to explore Osaka without breaking the bank?
With recent price hikes on popular travel options like the JR Pass, savvy travelers are looking for alternatives. This blog is your guide to experiencing the wonders of Osaka on a budget!
Time-smart, budget-savvy travel in Japan
Enjoy reading this blog until the end🥰 There you will find a discount coupon💰 for the tours exclusively for you!
I’ve also put together a video of the tours!
Willer Bus: Your Cost-Effective Travel Companion
Save time and money
When traveling long distances within Japan, you can save money by taking a Willer bus instead of a train; not only do they cover all of Japan, but you can also save on hotel costs by taking a comfortable overnight bus.
Safety and Comfort on the Go
The Willer Bus is known for its exceptional service and safety, particularly for solo female travelers. Its vibrant pink exterior is just the beginning. Onboard, you’ll find cozy blankets, privacy covers for your face, and gender-specific seating arrangements for added peace of mind.
Willer bus ticket counter and waiting area at the Umeda Sky Building in Osaka
Bus Types and Features
As of 2023, Willer offers six seat types.
The most popular seat type is Relax. These seats come equipped with a privacy canopy, high partitions, movable headrests, hooks, net pockets, USB ports, and comfortable cushioned seats, ensuring a peaceful journey.
The most popular RELAX seat
On popular overnight routes such as Tokyo-Osaka, Tokyo-Nagoya, and Tokyo-Niigata, Willer also operates the futuristic “ReBorn” buses for the ultimate in bus travel comfort.
Ultimate comfort: REBORN seat
Bus route throughout Japan
Willer buses cover the entire country and have a great schedule! With 50 bus depots across the country, there is a good chance that a bus will be at the destination you are looking for!
Willer’s bus search website also works with other companies, so it handles more than 400 routes in every region of the country.
Check out the destinations and schedules! Here is a list of bus routes.
Rest Stops: A Journey of Discovery
Japanese highway service areas, known for their extensive facilities and restaurants, add an element of fun to bus travel. These stops are an opportunity to indulge in local delicacies, shop for unique souvenirs, and experience the best of Japanese service areas, which, in my experience, are unmatched globally.
Wander Japan Tour ~Osaka Guide Tours with Willer
After arriving in Osaka by overnight bus, you can leave your luggage in a coin locker and then go straight to your local guide tour. Usually there are large coin lockers train stations and bus terminals in Japan, and the Willer terminal in Osaka offers luggage storage service and a luxurious powder room.
Willer now offers local guided tours in Osaka and Kobe called Wander Japan. I had the pleasure of experiencing the tours and am excited to share insights; Kuromon Market Food Tour and Shinsekai Food Tour!
Namba – Kuromon Market Food Tour [なんば・黒門市場ツアー]
First we went to Kuromon market, the center of Osaka’s gourmet scene!
On this food tour, you will stroll through this bustling market with an English-speaking guide for an insightful food tour about local life and the history of Osaka’s food.
Meeting point of this tour is Kujira Park (Whale Park), located in Namba Walk (underground shopping area), just a short walk from Osaka Metro Namba Station. It is marked by a whale objet d’art, and since it was just around Christmas time, it was decorated with Christmas decorations!
Kuromon walking food guide tour starts from here 10:00 am~ (meeting at 9:50)
Known as Osaka’s kitchen, this bustling market is now a foodie’s paradise. You can taste popular strawberry and fruit sweets, fresh seafood sashimi and sushi, and scallops and crabs that are grilled for you on the spot. Of course, there is also a wide variety of meats such as Wagyu and Kobe beef! There are also plenty of uniquely Japanese foods like oden and sweet potatoes to keep your eyes busy wherever you walk!
Food Heaven in Osaka’s Kitchen: Kuromon Market 黒門市場
The tour includes a 1,000-yen meal ticket, so it’s a great deal!
The good thing about this tour is that you can efficiently visit places recommended by local guides. Of course, you are welcome to join the tour alone. There are other participants on their own, so you can make friends right away! The guides will recommend food and photo spots and help you take pictures!
Sennichi-mae Shopping Street (as part of Kuromon Market Food Tour)
After enjoying the food and walking around Kuromon Market, we were taken to the Sennichimae shopping street called Dōguya-suji, a shopping street lined with specialty stores selling Japanese kitchen items. Takoyaki and taiyaki machines and other utensils for cooking Japanese street food, plates, chopsticks, and other uniquely Japanese kitchen items are lined up side by side, making it interesting just to look around!
Doguya-suji avenue in Sennichi-mae shopping street
They also sell plastic food samples such as sushi and cakes, high quality Japanese kitchen knives, lacquered tableware, etc.
After touring around Dōguya-suji, our guide took us to the busiest spot in Osaka’s Minami district, Ebisubashi Bridge. Here, we struck our usual pose!
This tour ends here at Ebisubashi. Of course, Namba is very large and there are many more places to see! If there is a place you are looking for, you can ask the guide and s/he will be happy to give you detailed directions!
Osaka Shinsekai Food Tour [新世界・通天閣ツアー]
After the aforementioned Namba Kuromon Tour, we continued on to the Osaka Shinsekai Food Tour. Shinsekai is another deep spot that cannot be missed if you want to experience the atmosphere of downtown Osaka, which is full of charm.
The meeting point for this tour is Exit 3 of Ebisuchō Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line.
From this exit, you can see Tsutenkaku Tower, the symbol of Shinsekai, right in front of you. It is a somewhat nostalgic, retro and uniquely shaped tower. It was built in 1912, modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris (the current tower is the second generation).
View from Ebisucho Station Exit 3
This tour includes an admission ticket to Tsutenkaku Tower and a coupon to enjoy a local specialty, kushikatsu (skewered pork cutlets, vegetables and fishes)! You can pick them up from the guide on the day of the tour.
First, you will enter Tsutenkaku Tower! For some reason, you have to go underground first to enter the tower. As soon as you enter the tower, you will see a souvenir shop. Osaka is indeed a city of merchants!
After exchanging your coupon for an admission ticket and passing through the gate, take the elevator to the observation deck.
The exhibition inside the tower features a variety of objects that are unmistakably Osaka. These exhibits will change somewhat depending on the time of year you visit.
And an additional fee (but only 300 yen), you can go further up to the leaping observation deck. It’s really up to you but I thought it’s worth it!!
There you will find a glass floor and a place where you can take pictures of the spectacular view! And the scenery is even more spectacular.
After enjoying Tsutenkaku Tower, we will wander around Shinsekai. Here you will find souvenir stores, kushikatsu (skewered pork cutlet) stores, and shooting games. The atmosphere is very retro, different from that of Namba. Don’t forget to take a picture!
Now, I was taken to a kushikatsu restaurant that came with the coupon. There are many kushikatsu restaurants here in Shinsekai, and the coupon can be used at almost any restaurant.
You will need to pay separately for drinks, but you can enjoy a very full meal just with the coupon that comes with it!
Additionally, in close proximity, you will find “Jan-Jan Yokocho,” a street that offers an even deeper cultural experience. This charming locale boasts a Japanese archery game hall, daytime-open izakayas (Japanese-style pubs), a Go and Shōgi (Japanese chess) club, and holds a special significance as a gathering place for the esteemed elderly residents of downtown Osaka. If you are interested, please walk through! We have plenty of time for the tour and your guide will happy to take there too 🙂
Join Us! Wander Japan Tour even more affordable price!【Discount Coupon】
Thank you for reading to the end! If you plan to explore Japan cost effectively, I highly recommend Willer’s Bus & Tour! It will save you time and money, and you can visit interesting local places efficiently with a Japanese guide! Even solo travelers can also enjoy sightseeing in a more casual and enjoyable way.
Now Willer offers ¥1,000 off tour coupons exclusively for those who read this blog! Book your tour from the link below and enjoy Osaka with even more great value!
¥1,000 off booking for Namba- Kuromon Market Food Tour (usual price: ¥5,000)
¥1,000 off booking for Osaka Shinsekai Food Tour (usual price ¥5,000)
* These discounts are only valid for reservations made before January 31, 2024.
Don’t miss out on these fantastic offers to experience Osaka like never before! Book now, pack your enthusiasm and let’s make memories to last a lifetime! Have time-smart, budget-savvy travel in Japan 🙌