Nara in One Day: Guide to Ukimido & JR Nara Station — Guide Toshi

April, 2025

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

  • 9:00: Meet at the hotel
  • 9:30: Guide to Ukimido
  • 10:00: Stroll around Nara Park　
  • 10:30: Guide to Kasuga Taisha Shrine
  • 11:00: Guide to Todaiji Nandaimon Gate
  • 11:30: Guide to the Great Buddha Hall
  • 12:30: Lunch @ Azekuraya
  • 13:30: Guide to Isuien Garden
  • 14:00: Hotel
  • 14:30: JR Nara Station
  • 15:00: Disband @ JR Nara Station

Title: What Is a Private Walking Tour of Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

I met the guests on time at the Hotel. The guests were visitors from North America. Nara sightseeing involves a lot of walking over long distances, so I was a little concerned, but they kept up with me and walked well throughout. Even so, I was told that one of them works as a guide back home. While enjoying the beautiful and quiet natural scenery of Ukimido, we moved on to Kasuga Taisha, where I explained Shinto and its relationship with the deer in Nara Park. At that point I was asked about the relationship between Shinto and Buddhism among Japanese people, and I explained that "one is born as Shinto and ends life as a Buddhist when passing away," which they found convincing. We then walked from Kasuga Taisha to Todaiji, where I explained the teachings of Buddhism and the meaning of the Buddhist statues. When lunchtime came, we had lunch at a restaurant near Nigatsudo. Finally, I guided them around Isuien Garden. During the tour, the guests asked me to help purchase limited express tickets since they were returning to Tokyo that day. As a result, we first went back to retrieve the luggage they had left at the Hotel, then moved to JR Nara Station and purchased the limited express tickets at the "Midori no Madoguchi" ticket counter. Having successfully purchased the tickets, I saw them onto the train bound for Kyoto and we parted ways.

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…