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.
Tour Itinerary
- 09:00 Meet at Hotel Alza Kyoto
- 10:20 to 11:00 Kofuku-ji Temple
- 11:10 to 11:30 Nara Park
- 11:45 to 12:30 Todai-ji Temple
- 12:45 to 13:00 Nigatsu-do Hall
- 13:20 to 13:55 Kasuga Taisha Shrine
- 14:15 to 14:45 Lunch at Tenkaippin
- 15:05 to 15:50 Heijo Palace Ruins
- 17:00 Disband at Keihan Tofukuji Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
This private tour of Osaka began at 09:00, when the guide met the guests at Hotel Alza Kyoto, and finished at 17:00. The day ran to 8 hours from start to finish. It included lunch at Tenkaippin at 14:15.
From there the group visited Kofuku-ji Temple at 10:20, Nara Park at 11:10, Todai-ji Temple at 11:45, Nigatsu-do Hall at 12:45, Kasuga Taisha Shrine at 13:20 and Heijo Palace Ruins at 15:05.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Gion-Shijo to Tanbabashi by train (320JPY); Kintetsu Tanbabashi to Kintetsu Nara by train (680JPY); Kintetsu Nara Station／Nara Kotsu to Todai-ji Daibutsuden／Nara Kotsu by bus (250JPY); Todai-ji Daibutsuden／Nara Kotsu to Kasuga Taisha Honden／Nara Kotsu by train (250JPY); Kasuga Taisha Honden／Nara Kotsu to Kintetsu Nara by bus (250JPY); Kintetsu Nara to Tanbabashi by train (680JPY); Tanbabashi to Tofukuji by train (240JPY). Across 7 sections the fare came to 2,670JPY per person.
What's a Private Nara Day Tour Like on a Rainy Day? A Licensed Guide's Report
Today's guests were a group visiting from North America. Since rain was forecast for the afternoon, we discussed finishing the tour a little earlier than planned. In the morning, a light rain was falling steadily. I thought the uphill climb to Nigatsu-do Hall might be a bit difficult in the rain, so I suggested skipping it, but one of the guests strongly wished to go, so we went. As we made our way, the rain stopped and patches of blue sky began to appear. We were then also able to visit the Heijo Palace ruins. I am sure it turned out to be a fulfilling tour.
Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Osaka: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Gion-Shijo～Tanbabashi | 320JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kintetsu Tanbabashi～Kintetsu Nara | 680JPY |
| Section 3 | Bus | Kintetsu Nara Station／Nara Kotsu～Todai-ji Daibutsuden／Nara Kotsu | 250JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Todai-ji Daibutsuden／Nara Kotsu～Kasuga Taisha Honden／Nara Kotsu | 250JPY |
| Section 5 | Bus | Kasuga Taisha Honden／Nara Kotsu～Kintetsu Nara | 250JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | Kintetsu Nara～Tanbabashi | 680JPY |
| Section 7 | Train | Tanbabashi～Tofukuji | 240JPY |
| Total | 2,670JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Osaka tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at Hotel Alza Kyoto at 09:00, and the tour finished at Keihan Tofukuji Station at 17:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 8 hours in total, from 09:00 to 17:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Kofuku-ji Temple, Nara Park, Todai-ji Temple, Nigatsu-do Hall, Kasuga Taisha Shrine and Heijo Palace Ruins.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,670JPY per person across 7 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?
Haru 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 Osaka itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
Personal data
Born in : May 1st, 1957
Hobby : Visiting scenic places,
historic spots, Japanese
gardens and old townscape
Former career : Worked for electric
company and engaged in
international sales for
about 40 years.
Travel history in the former career :
Visited about 20 countries about 200 times
Career as guide interpreter
Acquisition of guide license : 2016
Career of guide : 8 years
Genre of my specialty :
Japanese historic structures such as
temple, shrine, castle and garden.
Area of guide : Kyoto, Nara, Osaka &
Himeji
Let’s enjoy Japan with me !!
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained…
Dec 30, 2024
shannono1010
Haru is a Rock Star
Viator review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a fantastic guide. He explained the history of the sites on our tour. He even prepared a book that helped explain the historical significance of each site we visited. He was really fantastic, funny and engaging and connected with every member (young and old) in our group. We all learned a lot! Thank u Haru!
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was…
Dec 29, 2024
Ali O
Amazing!
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was amazing on our tour of Nara. He was very knowledgeable about the various cites and came prepared with a binder and useful images. He was organized and even found a delicious ramen place for our family of 6 (not an easy task in the middle of busy Nara). He really cared about the cites and the history of the temples and spoke great English. Highly recommend!
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with…
Dec 4, 2024
D5658ZEjohnr
Trip to some of the Kyoto sites on our visit to Japan.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Full-Day Private Tour (Osaka departure) with Government-Licensed Guide
We were able to customize our trip to the top places we wanted to see. We were able to get to all of them. Our guide Haru was great and the places we visited were amazing and interesting. Our guide gave us a lot of history around the different sites. Our favorites were Kiyomizudera temple, Sanjyu Sangendo Temple and Kinkakuji Temple. We also visited the Fushimi Inari Shrine which was pretty great. We did a lot of walking and public transportation to get around. All in all it wasn’t bad and our guide got us to all the sites with ease. Haru was great as he took most of our family pictures. He did a great job.
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He…
Dec 3, 2024
Charlie_Jane00
Kyoto Tour
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Haru was a well organised and very informative guide. He added a lot to our trip and
allowed us to experience a lot in the limited time we had available.