Tour Itinerary
- 10:00 Start of Tour (Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower)
- Tour begins (Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower Dojimahama)
- Car By car
- 11:00-12:00 Horyuji Temple Horyuji Temple
- Car By car
- 12:30-13:00 Yakushiji Temple Yakushiji Temple
- Car By car
- 13:10-30 Lunch Shabaton 124-1 Rokujo-cho, Nara City Northeast corner of the intersection just by Yakushiji Temple
- Car By car
- 14:00-14:30 Todaiji Temple Nandaimon Gate and Ukigumo Enchi Park
- Walk 5 minutes
- 14:40-15:10 Todaiji Temple Great Buddha Hall Great Buddha Hall
- On foot
- 15:20 Todaiji Temple Shoro Bell Tower Bell Tower
- On foot
- 15:30-16:00 Todaiji Temple Nigatsu-do Hall Nigatsu-do Hall
- On foot
- 16:10ｰ20 Foot of Mount Wakakusa
- On foot
- 16:30-17:00 Kasuga-taisha Shrine Kasuga-taisha Shrine
- （If we take our time viewing Kasuga-taisha Shrine, it won't fit within the time, so shall we extend?
- After getting the guest's consent, only the car was extended in time. As the guide, I said farewell in Nara within the time limit.）
- By car
- 17:25 JR Nara (Guided tour ends. Tour with car continues)
- （From here on the guide is not needed, so I entrusted it to the driver.
- As stated above, this was done with the consent of both the driver and the guest）
- By car
- 18:30? Tour with car ends (Candeo Hotels Osaka The Tower Dojimahama)
- Due to traffic congestion, it seemed it would take quite a long time. The end time is unknown.
# What's a Private Day Trip from Osaka to Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report The guests' original request was to see, in addition to the deer and Nara Park, Horyuji, Yakushiji, Kofukuji, Todaiji, and Kasuga Taisha — all of them if possible. Since the five-story pagoda at Kofukuji was under repair and could not be viewed, the guests decided to give up on that one. However, beforehand we had the following exchange: "It will be difficult to fit everything else into an 8-hour tour from Osaka with a car, so would it be all right if we extended the time?" "Of course, that's fine." "Extending the time for both the car and the guide would be expensive, so how about the guide (myself) saying goodbye in Nara, and extending only the car?" During these exchanges, I also showed [Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/)'s overtime extension fee regulations: Extension fee per hour for the driver and the guide is 21,000 yen. Extension fee per hour for the driver is 14,000 yen. ● Within my guiding hours, I said goodbye in Nara. I asked the driver to take the guests to their hotel in Osaka on the assumption that the time would be extended. According to the taxi company's regulations, an extension of within 30 minutes is 3,150 yen, and the guests agreed to this. Since the navigation showed considerable traffic congestion, it is unclear whether the extension was kept within 30 minutes or ended up being one hour. ● This time, since it was a tour expected not to fit within 8 hours, I was able to communicate with the guests in advance with that in mind. So here is my question. If a tour that is scheduled to finish within the time runs over due to traffic congestion or the like, what happens to the vehicle fee? (To avoid such situations, I usually allow plenty of buffer, wrap up sightseeing early, and head back with the vehicle. But there is always the risk of exceeding 8 hours.) ● The tour itself, thanks in part to the deer and the cherry blossoms, was very much enjoyed. It seems that one of the guests' relatives, who is around my age and also formerly worked in education like me, may also come to Nara. If that happens, I might be able to hear firsthand stories from the era of the civil rights movement, famous for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Osaka by Private Car with Licensed Guide
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.
May 16, 2026
I3520JTcristinat
Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nara with family
Excellent tour with Junichi!!! Perfect English speaking guide and…
May 16, 2026
I3520JTcristinat
Tripadvisor review: Nara 6hr Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide
Nara with family
Excellent tour with Junichi!!! Perfect English speaking guide and highly knowledgeable.
Highly recommend this tour!!!!
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…
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 Taguchi and were impressed by how much we were able to see and learn in that time. Traveling as a group of seven adults, we visited Kasuga Taisha, enjoyed lunch at Mizuya Chaya, and explored Tōdai-ji—including the Great Buddha Hall and surrounding grounds. We also spent time at Yoshikien Garden and Irie Taikichi Memorial Museum of Photography, along with encounters with Nara’s famous bowing deer.
Junichi shared clear, informative context throughout the day, adding depth to each stop without ever feeling overwhelming. His pacing was thoughtful, and he kept our group moving smoothly while still allowing time to take things in.
A well-organized and engaging tour—highly recommend Junichi for anyone visiting Nara.
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…
Mar 30, 2026
dpadillachavez
Tripadvisor review: Nara 8hr Private Tour – Kyoto DEP. with Licensed Guide
Great day at Nara!
Best tour on Nara, Junichi is great during the tour! He definitely knows and shows the best
parts of the city.
