Nara in One Day: Nara & Guided tour of Nigatsu-do Hall — Guide Toshi

What Is a Full-Day Private Walking Tour of Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

After meeting the guests on time at Nara Station, we introduced ourselves to one another and set off on foot toward Kofukuji Temple. At Kofukuji, I explained the role of Jizo Bodhisattva at the children's cemetery, and then described the architectural structure of the Three-Storied Pagoda. The guests were familiar with Hinduism and showed great interest in the reliquary hall. When explaining the Buddhist statues at Hokuendo and Nanendo, I learned that one of the guests had a strong interest in Buddhist statues, so I guided the group to a special exhibition at the Buddhist Statue Hall attached to the Nara National Museum, which they were very pleased with. In Nara Park, some of the guests enjoyed feeding the deer, and when the topic of the Great East Japan Earthquake came up, they experienced earthquake-resistant construction at the Okumura-gumi research institute. From the research institute, we visited the Nandaimon Gate and the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple, then moved on to Nigatsudo. As it was the season of the "Omizutori" ceremony, the guests were able to see a signature scene of spring in Nara. Leaving Nigatsudo, we passed by Mount Wakakusa and headed to our final destination, Kasuga Taisha Shrine. The shrine was preparing for its spring events, so we could not enter the precincts, but I explained Shinto and the complex relationship between Shinto and Buddhism. As the guests were becoming tired from walking, we took a bus to Nara Station, and after enjoying a meal of udon together at a restaurant famous for kuzu cuisine as a rest, we parted ways after seeing the guests off at Nara Station.

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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.