Nara Day Trip from Kyoto by Private Car — Guide Toshi

Title: What Is a Private Day Tour of Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

Body:

Today's guests were a group from North America. We met at 9:00 as scheduled at their hotel and set off for sightseeing in Nara by arranged taxi. The guests were friendly and mentioned that some of their relatives had connections to Japan. They love traveling and have visited most tourist destinations around the world, but this was their first time in Japan.

In Nara, [Japan Guide Agency](https://www.j-g-a.org/) guide first showed them Kofuku-ji Temple, introducing the Jizo Bodhisattva, the three-storied pagoda, the North and South Octagonal Halls, and the gilt bronze works, then took a taxi to Nara Park, where they delightedly watched the many deer crowding around travelers looking for food. After that, we moved on to the Great South Gate and the Great Buddha Hall, and I introduced the highlights there. From the Great Buddha Hall, we walked past Wakakusa Hill and visited Kasuga Taisha Shrine, where I guided them around the shrine. A comparison between different religious traditions and Shinto became a topic of conversation.

After Kasuga Taisha, we took a break at a nearby teahouse for a snack that also served as lunch, and here too, discussions of various religious traditions became the main topic, offering many discoveries and a great deal to learn. After the break, we moved by taxi to the Heijo Palace ruins, where I explained the background of Heijo-kyo, making it the final stop of our Nara sightseeing.

Today's tour aimed to be a walking tour where we could take our time and enjoy conversation, and I was able to prioritize routes that avoided places crowded with tourists.

Also, perhaps knowing that I live in Nara, the guests told me, "We can get back to the hotel on our own, so you don't need to accompany us to Kyoto," and so we parted ways in Nara.

Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Kyoto by Private Car with Licensed Guide

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.