Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Toshi

May, 2024

This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • 1. 10:30 Meet up @ Kintetsu Nara Station
  • 2. 10:45 Nara Park
  • 3. 11:30 Himuro Shrine
  • 4. 12:00 Todai-ji Temple (Nandaimon Gate)
  • 5. 12:30 Great Buddha Hall
  • 6. 13:30 Lunch (Yumekaze Hiroba Nara)
  • 7. 15:00 Nara Visitor Center
  • 8. 16:30 Disband @ Kintetsu Nara Station

Title: What's a Private Walking Tour of Nara Park and Todai-ji Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

It rained from the morning, but fortunately the rain had stopped by the time I met the guests, and we set off on foot toward Nara Park. Walking while watching the deer in Nara Park, we continued to a park near the Nara Prefectural Office, where the group enjoyed feeding the deer. The whole group had a wonderful time feeding the deer, and the atmosphere was very lively. After that, I guided them to Himuro Shrine, where I translated the "ice fortune slips" (kori omikuji), which they thoroughly enjoyed. After talking a little about Shinto, we moved on to the Buddhist temple Todai-ji. On the way, they took photos in the beautiful gardens within Nara Park, and then we moved to the Nandaimon Gate, where I introduced the enormous Nio guardian statues before heading to the Great Buddha Hall. However, since some of the guests were beginning to tire and grow a little restless, I had to guide them through the Great Buddha Hall at a slightly quicker pace. We then moved to Yumekaze Hiroba for lunch, where everyone in the group had ramen and seemed very satisfied, and I was relieved to see the group settle down. Finally, I took the guests to the Nara Visitor Center, where they folded paper cranes. Since I had heard that they would be visiting the Peace Park in Hiroshima two days later, I arranged for them to enjoy making paper cranes. At the end, the guests thanked me and said it had been a fun day, and we parted ways at Kintetsu Nara Station.

Click here for more details: Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Tour Report by Toshi

After a rather long teaching experience at Japanese college, I converted my career about 6 years ago into working as a tour guide for the tourists visiting Japan.
As my career overseas, I’ve been in the UN and the Japanese Embassy, all in the USA, totaling more than 6 years.
And then I had made a big change in my career from a diplomat to an academic researcher. For that career to achieve, I studied abroad and won a doctorate degree in linguistics from Indiana University and landed a teaching position at college in Japan.
With all these interesting and exciting experiences I’ve made myself ready to enrich your tour and make it both enjoyable and worthwhile.

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Apr 26, 2026
39ferdinandr
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Exceptional and entertaining
Great tour better the tour guide Toshi.

Apr 9, 2026
X1429XKclaudiam
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Sehr zu empfehlen
Wir haben als Familie diese 6-stundige Tour durch Kyoto…

Jun 28, 2025
WilliamAlfonso_R
Toshi is a very eloquent, knowledgeable, and diligent tour guide.
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Toshi was…

May 30, 2025
Z
ZevP5
Best Tour Guide!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Yoshi was the best guide!! He was so…