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
- 10:15 Meet up JR Nara Station
- 10:40 to 11:30 Kasuga Taisha Shrine
- 11:45 to 12:35 Todaiji Temple
- 12:50 to 13:15 Nigatsudo Hall
- 13:40 to 14:00 Kofukuji Temple
- 14:10 to 14:45 Lunch (ramen at Higashimuki Shopping Street)
- 15:10 to 16:00 Toshodaiji Temple
- 16:30 Disband JR Nara Station
Tour Itinerary in Detail
Meeting at JR Nara Station at 10:15, the group explored Nara until the tour ended at 16:30. The day ran to 6 hours and 15 minutes from start to finish. It included lunch (ramen at Higashimuki Shopping Street) at 14:10.
The itinerary covered Kasuga Taisha Shrine at 10:40, Todaiji Temple at 11:45, Nigatsudo Hall at 12:50, Kofukuji Temple at 13:40 and Toshodaiji Temple at 15:10.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: JR Nara Station to In front of Kasuga Taisha Main Hall by bus (250JPY); Kintetsu Nara Station to Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station by train (300JPY); Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station to Kintetsu Nara Station by train (300JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 850JPY per person.
What Is a Private Guided Day Tour of Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
Today's guests were a group visiting Japan from North America. The plan was for them to travel from Kyoto to Nara and meet me at JR Nara Station. They boarded a local train instead of the rapid express from Kyoto Station, so our meeting was delayed by about 15 minutes. They mentioned that they had come to Japan partly to look around ahead of an upcoming study-abroad stay at Doshisha University starting in April of next year. The guests seemed very happy about it.
[Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.)](https://www.j-g-a.org/) is one of Japan's largest networks of government-licensed, English-speaking private tour guides, serving all 47 prefectures. Winner of Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Best of the Best. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.
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～In front of Kasuga Taisha Main Hall | 250JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Kintetsu Nara Station～Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station | 300JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Kintetsu Nishinokyo Station～Kintetsu Nara Station | 300JPY |
| Total | 850JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does this Nara tour start and finish?
The guide met the guests at JR Nara Station at 10:15, and the tour finished at JR Nara Station at 16:30.
How long does the tour last?
About 6 hours and 15 minutes in total, from 10:15 to 16:30.
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Todaiji Temple, Nigatsudo Hall, Kofukuji Temple and Toshodaiji Temple.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 850JPY per person across 3 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 Nara 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.