Experience Osaka’s Must-See Spots by Street Kart! An Exhilarating Tour Even Beginners Will Love
Why is “street karting” becoming such a hot topic among tourists visiting Osaka? The neon lights of Dotonbori, the bustling crowds of Shinsaibashi, the vibrant energy of Namba. There’s a whole new level of Osaka sightseeing here that you simply can’t experience by walking around.
A Special Experience Racing Past the Glico Sign
Speeding through the heart of Osaka’s Minami district from a low vantage point—this is seriously an incredible experience. Street Kart’s Osaka location is situated in the Minami-Horie area, and from here you can cruise through the golden route of Amerikamura, Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, and Namba in about one hour.
Osaka is surprisingly spread out when you walk around, right? But with a kart, you can efficiently hit all the famous spots—the iconic Glico sign, Kani Doraku’s moving crab sign, and Kuidaore Taro. Plus, people on the streets cheer “Wow!” as you pass by, making you feel like a VIP. This is absolutely something you need to do when visiting Japan.
The tour fee includes a trained guide who leads the way, so even first-timers can feel at ease. There’s a thorough explanation before departure, so even those with little driving experience will be totally fine. Honestly, I was nervous at first too, but the guide was super friendly and I got the hang of it right away.
I Totally Get Why This Goes Viral on Social Media
The moment you drive along the Dotonbori River, the neon lights reflect off the road surface, creating a landscape painted in pink and orange. Now I understand why this gets shared so much online. It’s so photogenic that it’s hard to resist the urge to pull out your phone.
Taking photos while driving is prohibited by Japanese law, but there’s a system where the guide takes pictures for you at red lights, so no worries there. Actually, professional photography is included in the tour fee, and you get the data afterward. The guides know exactly which angles look best for photos, so your Instagram-worthy shots basically collect themselves.
On the route through the Shinsaibashi-suji arcade, you race through with shops lining both sides. It’s an experience you absolutely can’t have elsewhere, and there’s a unique thrill that you can only feel in Japan. Using hashtags like “#StreetKart” “#OsakaTourism” “#GoKart” will connect you with others who’ve had the same experience.
Why People Choose Street Kart
Street Kart provides one of Japan’s largest street karting experiences, and their track record is impressive. With over 150,000 tours conducted and more than 1.34 million customers served, the numbers speak to their reliability. The Osaka location has a 4.9/5.0★ rating with over 6,632 reviews.
As an industry pioneer, they’re also known as the first karting operator to deploy guides trained specifically for foreign drivers. In other words, they understand better than anyone what tourists from overseas want and what kind of support we need. The scale of their operation—owning over 250 dedicated karts and running a network of 8 locations across Japan—is also reassuring.
Regarding safety, they have a safety management system in cooperation with the police, and all tours are led by trained guides. You’ll receive a thorough safety briefing before departure covering kart operation and route precautions, so there’s nothing to fear even as a first-timer. Insurance options are also available—for 500 yen, you can choose Plan A for complete coverage, which fully covers repair costs in case of an accident.
Costume rentals are provided free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis, so if you’re aiming for social media-worthy photos, arrive early to grab your favorite outfit. However, please note that Mario Kart-related costumes are not provided. Street Kart is an independent service with no affiliation to Nintendo or the Mario Kart series.
Pair It with Osaka’s Food Culture
How you spend your time before and after the tour matters too, right? My recommendation is to have breakfast at Kuromon Market, join an afternoon tour, and then enjoy kushikatsu and takoyaki in Dotonbori afterward. You can fully embrace Osaka’s “eat till you drop” culture while packing in sightseeing and activities all in one efficient day.
For takoyaki, “Kukuru” and “Mizuno” are locally popular, and for kushikatsu, “Daruma” is a classic choice. Eating when you’re starving after the tour makes everything taste twice as good.
Also, shopping along Shinsaibashi-suji before the tour and then hunting for vintage clothes in Amerikamura afterward is irresistible for Asian tourists. Many people want to buy Japanese cosmetics at drugstores, and the Shinsaibashi area has plenty of tax-free shops that accept Alipay and WeChat Pay, making it super convenient.
From Booking to Your Tour Day
Booking is easy through kart.st, and you can reserve up to 3 months in advance. During peak seasons, booking 2-4 weeks ahead is recommended, but same-day reservations are OK if there’s availability. However, for same-day bookings, you must arrive 30 minutes early, so plan your time accordingly.
Required documents are your driver’s license and passport. If you have an International Driving Permit, bring the paper booklet based on the 1949 Geneva Convention. Visitors from certain countries can participate with their local driver’s license and an official Japanese translation. Check the license details at kart.st/en/drivers-license/.
The Osaka location is a 5-minute walk from Yotsubashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line, and a 3-minute walk from Nishi-Ohashi Station on the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line. There’s no parking at the shop, so public transportation is your best bet.
To put it mildly, this experience could become the new standard for Osaka sightseeing. If regular sightseeing isn’t enough for you, if you want to go viral on social media, or if you want to create special memories that you can only make in Japan, you’ll definitely get hooked. Start by checking availability on the official website. Your next Osaka trip is sure to become unforgettable.
A Note About Costumes
Our shop does not provide rentals of Nintendo or “Mario Kart” related costumes. We only offer costumes that respect intellectual property rights.
