What we’re about
NOTE: "REAL OSAKA WALKING TOURS" IS FOR BOTH TOURISTS AND LOCAL JAPANESE PEOPLE.
AND
COST LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE PRICE OF OTHER TOUR OPERATORS!!!!
Hello and Welcome to Kansai Hikes and Walks
My name is Andy Kenji Marsden. Nice to meet you:) I hope your ready for some amazing adventures with us!!
MESSAGE FOR FOREIGNERS
This is a great way to explore the hidden gems of Osaka while speaking with English speaking Japanese people.
I have a natural curious nature and have traversed Kansai for over 4 years to find you the best trails, hikes, treks and tours!!!
Most gatherings are heavily discounted, only 1200yen for 4 hrs and often include lunch or hired out lodges!!!
On our walks you can learn the background of historically important locations, get connected with the Japanese culture and make new Japanese friends:)
MESSAGE FOR JAPANESE PARTICIPANTS
I have found that walking calms the nerves and makes people more open.
Japanese people (im half Japanese myself) often find it uncomfortable to be sitting opposite someone and forced to start conversation in English in a classroom. When your sitting, your normally sitting face to face. But when your walking, your walking side to side...this is much more relaxing and less confrontational way to chat:)
Sitting in a room (classroom, bar, pub etc) is too intense. Its a "still" environment!! and four ugly walls to look at. Outside the scenery is always changing and is a great way to keep the conversation going.
When your walking, people naturally flow and can easily swap language partners in a very easy way and it loosens you up. (In a bar or classroom, its awkward to change seats, I feel rude to the person sitting next to me, if i move seats).
Not to mention......it keeps you fit, rejuvenated, gives you a new refreshing outlook, learn the background of historically important locations and makes you more spiritual and connected with nature and the earth as a whole.
THIS IS A TOUR GUIDE NOT GUIDED BY THE WATCH
If we find something new and interesting along the way and we can chat about it (an interesting sculpture, a small hidden temple, cute little park, meet an amazing foreign street performer. Its like a guided walk.........but not knowing what will be next!!!! Its not like other hikes where you have to be at a place at a certain time.....here we are more relaxed.......and thats the way it should be:)
Searching and being curious to find fun and new things in our city of Osaka is another very important element. I must admit I am a very curious person!!! I want to know something new EVERYDAY:) Say for example if we find a sculpture in a park.......we can talk about...
1. What is it made from?
2A. Why do the birds shit on it at 1pm everyday? Yes, thats a bad word.
2B. What is the designers message?
3. Which politician recieved bribes to have the sculpture put there? hahaha
4. How did they build it?
5. How long would it last, if they build it in... China? :) awwwww. thats rude isnt it?
Every Walk will be different.
Example locations we have been to so far:
1. Visit Maishima Incendiary Plant
2. Walk from Tennoji to Shitennoji temple
3.Minoh waterfall hike (lunch included)
4. Hozanji Mountain side trek (with amazing hired lodge views)
5. Tour guide of Banpaku Koen ( entry fees included)
These walks will be at a very relaxed easy pace and it will be only about 5~8 kms. Its will be good for you health too!!!! There is everything to love about the great outdoors of Kansai:)
If your looking for something new and different.....lets visit the REAL Osaka. The smaller streets, the unvisited places.... we can find paradise out there ....WE just have to search!!!!!!!!!!
