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
- 8:50 Meet at Kyoto Station→9:07 Board JR bound for Nara →9:53 Arrive at JR Nara Station→10:05 Nara Park・Todaiji Temple→11:50 Lunch→12:50 Kofukuji National Treasure Museum→13:30 Kasuga Taisha Shrine→14:40 JR Nara Station→15:07 Board JR bound for Kyoto →15:53 Arrive at Kyoto Station→16:00 Disband
What Is a Private Nara Day Tour from Kyoto Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests were visitors from North America. One of them had visited Japan several times before through work. That person had a cheerful personality and shared many stories about Japan and their work. Their native language was Spanish, but as they used English for work, they were the easiest to understand. At first it was only cloudy and the tour proceeded smoothly, but rain began to fall in the early afternoon. One of the guests was wearing sandal-like footwear, and because of the rain the path to Kasuga Taisha Shrine became muddy, which made walking difficult. This person seemed to make the decisions for the group, and after Kasuga Taisha Shrine we had intended to go to Naramachi, but they said they wanted to return to Kyoto. It was a little disappointing, as the others were wearing sturdy shoes and could easily have continued. However, everyone followed the decision, and we returned to Kyoto about an hour early and parted ways. The photo was taken at lunchtime.
Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Kyoto: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | JR Kyoto～JR Nara | 720JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | JR Nara Station～Todaiji Temple Front | 600JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | Todaiji Temple Front～Kintetsu Nara Station Front | 0JPY |
| Section 4 | Free Pass | Prefectural Office Front～Kasuga Taisha Shrine Approach | 0JPY |
| Section 5 | Free Pass | Kasuga Taisha Shrine Main Hall Front～JR Nara Station | 0JPY |
| Section 6 | Train | JR Nara～JR Kyoto | 720JPY |
| Total | 2,040JPY | ||
I was born and grew up in Kyoto and now live near Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. I used to be a schoolteacher of English and welcome a lot of students from foreign countries. I really enjoyed showing them around Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Himeji, and Hiroshima. I have been a professional tour guide for about 8 years. I always try to let my guests learn Japanese traditional and modern culture. Since I was born in Kyoto, I know a lot about its culture and people. I myself enjoyed several sports, such as soccer, judo, and marathon when I was young. I’m much interested in baseball and sumo. My motto as a tour guide is to let my guests learn about our tradition and culture precisely and really enjoy themselves. I strongly hope you will enjoy the tour in Japan with me.
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep…
Jul 24, 2026
Trail65429092687
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Tour
Kazua Sumi is a very accomplished guide.He has deep knowledge about the history and culture of Japan. He is flexible and accommodates changes if you so desire. He is also very empathetic. I had a sprained back and he ensured we took elevators everywhere. You will be lucky if he is assigned as your guide .
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience…
Jul 23, 2026
489caelinp
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Kyoto Guided Tour
My friend and I had a great experience on the tour. We travelled all around Kyoto with our guide Kazuo Sumi. He is a sweet older gentleman who had a great depth of knowledge about each place we went to. We told him places we wanted to go and he made the itinerary for us. There is no one better to have as your guide!!
Jul 16, 2026
margaretsM7923ON
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Great way to see Kyoto
Wonderful tour and exceptional guide.
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided…
Jul 9, 2026
Sandra_B
Kazuo was great and…
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
Kazuo was great and provided some excellent recommendations. There’s a lot of walking so make sure you are prepared.