Which places does this itinerary cover?

This tour visited The train arrives at JR Nara Station (Start of Tour), 20 Ukigumo-enchi in Nara Deer Park, Kasuga-taisha Shrine: skip going inside, at the foot of Wakakusayama Hill:, 40 lunch at Emado-chaya, Todaiji's Nigatsudo Hall, Todaiji's Shoro Bell Tower, Todaiji's Great Buddha Hall, Todaiji's Nandaimon (South Great Gate) and 50 again in Ukigumo-enchi.

Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?

Junichi is a government-licensed national guide-interpreter of Japan and guided this tour in English. Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.) works with more than 1,000 licensed guides across all 47 prefectures. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Can the itinerary be changed for my own trip?

Yes. This report describes one private tour as it actually ran. Every Nara itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.

Nara in One Day: 40 lunch at Emado-chaya — Guide Junichi

August, 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

9:40 The train arrives at JR Nara Station (Start of Tour)
(2 taxis)
10:00-20 Ukigumo-enchi in Nara Deer Park
　 (walk 10 minutes)
10:30-10:40 Kasuga-taisha Shrine: skip going inside
　 (walk 10 minutes)
10:50 at the foot of Wakakusayama Hill:
former katana sword manufacturer's shop
(walk 10 minutes)
11:10-40 lunch at Emado-chaya
11:50-12:10 Todaiji's Nigatsudo Hall
　 (walk 5 minutes)
12:20 Todaiji's Shoro Bell Tower
　 (walk 10 minutes)
12:30-13:00 Todaiji's Great Buddha Hall
　 (walk 5 minutes)
13:10 Todaiji's Nandaimon (South Great Gate)
13:20-50 again in Ukigumo-enchi
(walk 5 minutes and then 2 taxis)
14:10 (End of Tour) back at Kintetsu-Nara Station

Tour Itinerary in Detail

Over the course of the day the route took in The train arrives at JR Nara Station (Start of Tour) at 9:40, 20 Ukigumo-enchi in Nara Deer Park at 10:00, Kasuga-taisha Shrine: skip going inside at 10:30, at the foot of Wakakusayama Hill: at 10:50, 40 lunch at Emado-chaya at 11:10, Todaiji's Nigatsudo Hall at 11:50, Todaiji's Shoro Bell Tower at 12:20, Todaiji's Great Buddha Hall at 12:30, Todaiji's Nandaimon (South Great Gate) at 13:10 and 50 again in Ukigumo-enchi at 13:20.

Title: What Is a Private Family Nara Tour with Kids Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group visiting from North America, including several adults and a few young children. My top priority throughout the tour was making sure the youngest members of the group enjoyed themselves.

During the planning stage, communication was handled through an intermediary before the tour. There were some challenges in coordinating the itinerary, and I ended up revising it three times before the day of the tour. It was a valuable experience.

The group followed a vegetarian diet, and the tea house Emado Chaya provided wonderful accommodations. Even though it was not on the menu, they prepared a rice bowl using fried tofu in place of chicken, which I was very grateful for. This kind of flexibility would be difficult during the busy season. I plan to find another opportunity to ask them to make vegetarian-friendly options a regular part of their menu.

At the guests' request, the tour ended quite early. This was partly due to the extreme heat and out of consideration for the youngest members of the group. The best moment was seeing one of the children play fearlessly with the deer, which were far larger, even getting them to bow. It was wonderful.

[Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) is one of Japan's largest networks of government-licensed, English-speaking private tour guides, serving all 47 prefectures. Winner of Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

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

Tour Report by Junichi

Hello! Thank you for choosing Nara! I bet you’ll love Nara. I specialize in Nara because Nara is the unique place where in one day you can cover the history and religions of Japan from the ancient times to the post war era while enjoying rambling in the UNESCO World Heritage park, having communication with lovely deer, surrounded with the beautiful nature.
I grew up in Nara, went university in Kyoto, enjoyed teaching at high schools and a university in Osaka. The three former capitals of Japan are home to me.
After retiring from teaching I began guiding so that I can meet various people from various corners of the world with a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Each time I guide, I find it hugely rewarding because I learn a lot from my guests sharing the history, culture and all that I know about Nara, Kyoto and Osaka.
I used to be a marathon runner, mountain climber and skier though I am not much of them anymore.
What I especially recommend is to stay in Nara a couple of days and enjoy communicating with friendly deer while visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Nara in early morning, temples and shrines at night are well worth experiencing.

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May 16, 2026
I3520JTcristinat
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Excellent tour with Junichi!!! Perfect English speaking guide and…

May 3, 2026
Maria_J
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Enjoyable day in Nara
We spent 6 hours in Nara with Junichi…

Apr 11, 2026
64sandig
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Osaka DEP. with Licensed Guide
????? Absolutely Outstanding ? Junichi Made Our Nara Day…

Apr 11, 2026
64sandig
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Osaka DEP. with Licensed Guide
????? Absolutely Outstanding ? Junichi Made Our Nara Day Unforgettable!
We had the pleasure of touring Nara with Junichi today, and he was simply phenomenal from the very first moment! Warm, welcoming, and a true professional, Junichi made us feel instantly at ease. His genuine enthusiasm and excellent English made every part of the day enjoyable and easy to follow.
Junichi’s knowledge is encyclopedic, yet he explains everything in such a clear, engaging, and understandable way. At Kofuku-ji Temple, he brought the history and significance of the site to life with fascinating details. We then enjoyed a relaxing lunch together before heading to Nara Park, where we had the delightful experience of feeding the famous bowing deer ? such a fun and memorable moment!
What really stood out was how flexible and attentive Junichi was. When we felt a bit pressed for time, he smoothly adjusted the itinerary and took us to a wonderful sake tasting facility instead of the next temple. We sampled several excellent sakes and couldn’t resist taking some home with us! From there, he led us to an incredible traditional kitchen knife shop run by an artisan whose family has been crafting blades for 750 years (originally making samurai swords). The craftsmanship was breathtaking, and we ended up purchasing a beautiful knife.
Later, Junichi took us to see an original Japanese merchant’s house, which was a real eye-opener ? the minimalistic lifestyle and beautiful architecture were fascinating.
The entire day was perfectly paced, insightful, and filled with wonderful surprises. Junichi’s caring attitude, deep knowledge, and ability to adapt made this one of the best private tour experiences we’ve ever had. We are so grateful we got to spend the day with him.
If you’re visiting Nara, do yourself a favor and book with Junichi ? you won’t regret it! He’s an absolute gem.
Highly, highly recommended ? 5 stars without hesitation!

Mar 30, 2026
dpadillachavez
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Kyoto DEP. with Licensed Guide
Great day at Nara!
Best tour on Nara, Junichi…