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
- 10:30 Meeting point: Rokumei Coffee (near Kintetsu Nara Station)
- 11:00 Sightseeing ①: Todai-ji Temple
- 12:00 Sightseeing ②: Nara Park
- 13:00 Lunch & Break
- 15:00 Sightseeing ③: Horyu-ji Temple
- 16:30 Dismissal: Kintetsu Nara Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Nara began at 10:30, when the guide met the guests at Rokumei Coffee (near Kintetsu Nara Station), and finished at 16:30. The day ran to 6 hours from start to finish. It included lunch & Break at 13:00.
From there the group visited Sightseeing ①: Todai-ji Temple at 11:00, Sightseeing ②: Nara Park at 12:00 and Sightseeing ③: Horyu-ji Temple at 15:00.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall & National Museum to JR Nara Station West Exit by bus (250JPY); Horyu-ji Temple Approach to Horyu-ji Station by bus (220JPY); Horyu-ji Temple to Nara by train (240JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 710JPY per person.
Can You Do a Private 6-Hour Nara Day Tour Covering Todaiji and Horyuji? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were a group visiting Japan for sightseeing from North America. I coordinated the pre-trip communication and itinerary planning with one of the guests. Their initial wish list included Todaiji Temple, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Horyuji Temple, and if time allowed, they hoped to "see the cherry blossoms of Mount Yoshino." Since a Mount Yoshino visit is difficult within a 6-hour course, I explained this carefully and they agreed to remove it. In the end, we confirmed the itinerary as "Todaiji Temple, Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Horyuji Temple."
Because the start time was 10:30, I was a little concerned about whether we could make it in time for entry to Horyuji Temple, but I thought "if we act quickly and gain time, we can manage," and so we started the tour. However, that expectation was completely upended by the recent intensification of crowding in Nara.
On this day, we had great difficulty securing a place for lunch after Todaiji Temple and Nara Park, and ended up waiting nearly 30 minutes. There was a time when the general feeling was that "compared to the heavy crowds of Kyoto, Nara is relatively empty and easy to sightsee," but Nara today is so crowded that it could be said to rival Kyoto. As a result, on top of the congestion at famous sites such as Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, there is an overwhelming shortage of places to eat in their vicinity. If you go back toward the Kintetsu Nara Station area, there is a shopping street with plenty of dining options, but it is difficult to return there just for lunch.
Under these circumstances, we were forced to choose between visiting Horyuji Temple, which takes nearly an hour by a combination of JR line and bus, or visiting Kasuga Taisha Shrine. In the end, the guests decided that they would "give up on Kasuga Taisha Shrine and go to Horyuji Temple." With "over-tourism" now sweeping into Nara as well, I truly felt that even greater ingenuity is needed in planning sightseeing "course routes" than before.
Click here for more details: Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Bus | Todai-ji Great Buddha Hall & National Museum～JR Nara Station West Exit | 250JPY |
| Section 2 | Bus | Horyu-ji Temple Approach～Horyu-ji Station | 220JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Horyu-ji Temple～Nara | 240JPY |
| Total | 710JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Nara tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Rokumei Coffee (near Kintetsu Nara Station) at 10:30, and the tour finished at : Kintetsu Nara Station at 16:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours in total, from 10:30 to 16:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Sightseeing ①: Todai-ji Temple, Sightseeing ②: Nara Park and Sightseeing ③: Horyu-ji Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 710JPY per person across 3 sections. Transport fares are paid by the guests and are not included in the guiding fee.
Is the guide licensed, and what language is the tour in?
Nori 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.
Hi, everyone! I’m Norifumi Kamon, a government registered guide interpreter. Please call me “Nori”, or “Kamon-san”.
Let me introdece myself. I was born on April 17th in 1952 in Miyazaki prefecture in Kyushu island. I used to be an English teacher of Osaka Prefectural high school. When I retired from a teacher ten years ago, I decided to get a professional guide license. I wanted to play a role of the bridge between Japanese people and the people from all over the world as a second life of mine. After two years efforts, I finally got the guide license. Since then, I have guided several handreds of foreign people mainly in Kyoto and Nara for about five years except Corona Pandemic period. Almost all the tourists were deeply impressed by the beauty of nature, traditoin, culture, and art of Japan. I can surely help you enjoy and be satisfied with the sightseeing in Japan. And I’m looking forward to seeing you soon.
Apr 9, 2026
Ron_W
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We saw so much in the…
We saw so much in the…
Apr 9, 2026
Ron_W
Viator review: Osaka 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
We saw so much in the…
We saw so much in the time we had. Nori explained the history of all places we visited. He
was so passionate about everything, we were very lucky to have him as tour guide.
Mar 24, 2026
zackn719
Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Knowledgeable guide and a great tour
We did our private tour with…
Mar 24, 2026
zackn719
Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Knowledgeable guide and a great tour
We did our private tour with Kamon-San, and he was a great guide to show off the sites and features of Nara! He got their early, and had a detailed and interesting schedule planned for us, including several of the local shrines and temples, allowing us to also enjoy the deer throughout our tour.
He also took us to a nice local restaurant where we were able to enjoy some of the best soba and catsu curry we had all trip! Kamon-san’s insights and trivia were definitely one of the top highlights from our entire trip to Japan! We would strongly recommend not just Nara but this guided tour to anyone who wants to appreciate more than just the deer!
Oct 20, 2025
66speech
Highlights of Kyoto.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience with Nori. Nori exceeded our expectations with…
Oct 20, 2025
66speech
Highlights of Kyoto.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 4hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Great experience with Nori. Nori exceeded our expectations with his knowledge of Kyoto history and culture. Well paced tour, covered Imperial Palace, temples, shrines, Bamboo Grove and Arashiyama. Helpful with navigating rail system. Very worth while. Nori earns highest rating possible.
Oct 16, 2025
Michael_H
Thoroughly enjoyed the…
Viator review: Osaka Off the Beaten Path 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Thoroughly enjoyed the day out…
Oct 16, 2025
Michael_H
Thoroughly enjoyed the…
Viator review: Osaka Off the Beaten Path 6hr Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Thoroughly enjoyed the day out with our guide Nori. Without him we would have been
literally lost & seen nowhere near the amount of sites. Nori guidance was top notch.