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
- 9:30 Meet at JR Nara Station – Guest was 30 minutes late
- 10:00 Nara Park
- 10:40 Todaiji Temple
- 12:00 Nigatsudo Hall
- 12:30 Wakakusayama
- 12:50 Kasuga Taisha Shrine
- 14:00 Lunch
- 15:00 End at Kintetsu Nara Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The tour started at 9:30 at JR Nara Station – Guest was 30 minutes late and ended at 15:00. The day ran to 5 hours and 30 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch at 14:00.
Over the course of the day the route took in Nara Park at 10:00, Todaiji Temple at 10:40, Nigatsudo Hall at 12:00, Wakakusayama at 12:30 and Kasuga Taisha Shrine at 12:50.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: JR Nara Station by bus (250JPY); Todaiji Daibutsuden by Nara Kotsu～Kintetsu Nara Station / Nara Kotsu (250JPY). Across 2 sections the fare came to 500JPY per person.
What Is a Private Nara Park Day Tour Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. They seemed to have packed their schedule from early morning until late at night every day, and appeared a little tired. At Nara Park, they very much enjoyed spending time interacting with the deer. Photography also seemed to be a hobby of theirs, and they enjoyed taking a variety of photos with a single-lens reflex camera. The weather was fine and the cherry blossoms were beautiful, making it a wonderful day for sightseeing. For lunch, they enjoyed Chinese food (gyoza, ramen, and so on) near Kintetsu Nara Station. After the tour, they mentioned they were going to Kyoto for evening temple viewings and other activities.
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 | JR Nara Station / Nara Kotsu～Todaiji Daibutsuden / Nara Kotsu | 250JPY |
| Section 2 | Other | Todaiji Daibutsuden / Nara Kotsu～Kintetsu Nara Station / Nara Kotsu | 250JPY |
| Total | 500JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Nara tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at JR Nara Station – Guest was 30 minutes late at 9:30, and the tour finished at Kintetsu Nara Station at 15:00.
How long does the tour last?
About 5 hours and 30 minutes in total, from 9:30 to 15:00.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Nara Park, Todaiji Temple, Nigatsudo Hall, Wakakusayama and Kasuga Taisha Shrine.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 500JPY per person across 2 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?
Kuni 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 I am Kunihiro ARAKAWA, National government licensed tour guide.
Please call me first name Kuni.
My original city is Nagoya, but I lived in Tokyo for 20 years,
and also lived in London and Paris for work.
Now I live in Kyoto city. I moved here because I love Kyoto.
I like taking photos and also sell my own photos on website.
I’d love to take memorable photos for you at great photo spots.
I also like history and gourmet food.
I’d love to introduce some local recommendations.
I’ll ask your request and create your special tour.
Please feel free to let us know your thoughts.
Looking forward to meeting you !
Kuni
Jul 18, 2026
M2443VKandrewl
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Kuni-san was an excellent guide and…
Jul 18, 2026
M2443VKandrewl
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Excellent guide and support
Kuni-san was an excellent guide and very friendly and knowledgable. Kuni-san greatly assisted with meeting one of our family member medical needs on the day and was very helpful in supporting us and changing the itinerary and assisting our family member.
I would HIGHLY recommend Kuni-san as a guide and this tour defintely met our needs as a group of 4.
Jun 9, 2026
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The communication was very good. It began prior to the trip with emails from our guide,
Kuni. We worked on the best itinerary for our day tour to Kyoto, both Kuni and our driver were
very efficient, organized and personable. My family had a great experience.
Jun 5, 2026
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We had a great time exploring Kyoto. Our guide did a fantastic job helping us navigate the
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10/10 private tour of Kyoto!
Kuni was amazing as our private tour…
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sydneybA4751LA
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10/10 private tour of Kyoto!
Kuni was amazing as our private tour guide! Before the tour, he reached out to ask about the specific itinerary we wanted to do. He took into consideration all of our thoughts. The tour was amazing. He was very informative and it was very special to see all of the sites. Would recommend highly!