Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Toshi

June, 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. 11:00 Meet up @ JR Nara Station
  • 2. 11:15 Guided tour of Nara Park
  • 3. 11:45 Guided tour of the Great Buddha Hall
  • 4. 12:30 Lunch @ Azekuraya
  • 5. 13:30 Guided tour to the summit of Mount Wakakusa
  • 6. 15:00 Disband @ JR Nara Station

What Is a Private Nara Day Tour Like in the Rain? A Licensed Guide's Report

I guided a group in Nara. We met at Nara Station, discussed the day's itinerary, and because of the rain, first traveled by bus to Nara Park. At Nara Park, the children enjoyed feeding the deer and had a wonderful time. Despite the rain, we walked slowly from Nara Park to the Great Buddha Hall, and I guided the group there. We viewed the Great Buddha Hall from the outside, which boasts the largest wooden structure in the world, and then entered. Inside the main hall, after explaining the majestic Great Buddha, the attendant statues, and the Four Heavenly Kings, the children enjoyed crawling through the hole in one of the pillars. After the Great Buddha Hall, although it was crowded with school excursion students, we had a lunch break with udon set meals at "Azekuraya." After the break, I recommended climbing Wakakusa Hill, and even though the rain was heavy, the children were thrilled. As they got completely soaked and started to feel cold coming down the hill, we received a request to return to the hotel in Kyoto, so we decided to end the Nara sightseeing for the day. We traveled from the bus stop in front of the main shrine of Kasuga Taisha to Nara Station, where we parted ways.

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

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1BusJR Nara Station～Todaiji-mae Station250JPY
Section 2BusKasuga Taisha Honden-mae Station～JR Nara Station250JPY
Total500JPY

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…