Full-Day Biking Tour of Osaka with Lunch

Cycle through the city of Osaka, seeing ancient castles and Buddhist temples while getting to know the character of the city's neighborhoods. A guide leads you through the Fukushima, Nakanoshima, and Shinsekai areas, passing Osaka Castle and the Shitenno-ji temple on the way.

Your ride starts from the funky neighborhood of Fukushima, quickly heading into Nakanoshima, whose streets are lined with European-style buildings. Pedal through the riverside Sakuranomiya Park, whose nature-lined paths lead to the Japan Mint. The mint itself is known for its coin-making as much as its abundance of cherry trees, which total over 300 trees across 100 varieties.

Cycle next to Osaka Castle, which stands behind impressive sloping stone walls. Constructed in the 16th century, the castle offers a dose of old Japan in the modern city. After a break for lunch, continue on to the Shitenno-ji temple, one of the oldest temples in Japan and the first to be built by the state. Admire the 6th-century design of the complex, and then ride to the neighborhood of Shinsekai, which blossomed in the early 1900s and is well-known for its kushikatsu fried foods.

Wrap up your journey with a ride past the Namba Yasaka Shrine, which is famous for its enormous 39-foot (12-m) lion head-shaped building. Your tour comes to an end at where it started in Fukushima, but not before a quick look at scenic Utsubo Park, an urban space constructed on a former United States Army airfield.