Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day — Guide Toshi

July, 2024

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

  • 1. 10:30 Meet up @ JR Nara Station
  • 2. 10:45 Kofuku-ji Temple tour
  • 3. 11:15 Nara Park tour
  • 4. 12:00 Okumura Research Institute tour
  • 5. 13:30 Great Buddha Hall tour
  • 6. 14:30 Lunch @ Azekuraya
  • 7. 15:30 Kasuga Taisha Shrine tour
  • 8. 16:30 Disband @ JR Nara Station

What Does a Private Nara Walking Tour Cover? A Licensed Guide's Report from Nara Station to Todaiji and Kasuga Taisha

The guests today were a group visiting from Europe. We met at Nara Station and walked from there toward Kofukuji Temple, guiding them through Nara along the way. After showing them the temple grounds of Kofukuji, including the Jizo Bosatsu statue and the three-story pagoda, the guests enjoyed feeding the deer in the park behind Kofukuji. While admiring the many deer, we continued toward Todaiji Temple and stopped by the Okumura Research Laboratory in front of the Nara National Museum, where the guests experienced cutting-edge earthquake-resistant technology. However, one of the guests began to feel unwell, so we took a break at the Okumura Research Laboratory for a while. After resting, we moved on to Todaiji Temple, walked from the Nandaimon Gate to the Great Buddha Hall, and I guided them to the Great Buddha. After the Great Buddha Hall, we had a noodle lunch at a restaurant, where unfortunately one of the guests had to withdraw and returned alone by taxi to JR Nara Station and then to a hotel in Kyoto. The rest of the group continued the tour, and I guided them to Nigatsudo Hall, Wakakusayama, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Finally, we took a city bus from Kasuga Taisha to the shopping district, and from there walked slowly to JR Nara Station, where we parted ways with the guests.

Click here for more details: Nara Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide

Transportation cost per person

No.TransportationRouteFare
Section 1BusIn front of Kasuga Taisha Main Shrine～In front of Kintetsu Nara Station100JPY
Total100JPY

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…