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
- 8;45 Meet at hotel
- 9:07 Board JR bound for Nara
- 10:01 Arrive at JR Horyuji Station
- 10:07 Board Nara Kotsu bus bound for Horyuji
- 10:12 Horyuji
- 11:53 Board bus bound for Horyuji Station
- 12:07 Board JR bound for Nara
- 12:20 Arrive at JR Nara Station
- 12:40. Lunch
- 13:25 Nara Park
- 13:45 Todaiji
- 15:25. Kasuga Taisha
- 17:07 Board JR bound for Kyoto
- 17:53 Arrive at Kyoto Station
- 18:00. Tour ends
Tour Itinerary in Detail
The itinerary covered Board JR bound for Nara at 9:07, JR Horyuji Station at 10:01, Board Nara Kotsu bus bound for Horyuji at 10:07, Horyuji at 10:12, Board bus bound for Horyuji Station at 11:53, Board JR bound for Nara at 12:07, JR Nara Station at 12:20, Nara Park at 13:25, Todaiji at 13:45, Kasuga Taisha at 15:25, Board JR bound for Kyoto at 17:07 and Kyoto Station at 17:53.
Travel between the sites was by public transport: Kyoto to Horyuji by train (990JPY); Horyuji to Nara by train (240JPY); Nara to Kyoto by train (720JPY). Across 3 sections the fare came to 2,550JPY per person.
What Is a Private Day Trip to Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report on Horyuji, Todaiji, and Kasuga Taisha
The guests were a group visiting from Europe. Some of them had visited Japan several times before, but it was everyone's first time in Nara. Heavy rain had been forecast, so I was worried about whether the tour could go ahead as planned, but luckily the trains ran on schedule and we were able to complete the tour without encountering any severe rain. Looking outside from the train heading to Nara, it had been raining the whole way, but by the time we reached Horyuji the rain had stopped and the sun was shining. After Horyuji, we returned to Nara and headed for lunch, though it was already past noon. Since it was a popular tonkatsu restaurant, I was concerned about whether there would be seats available, but we were lucky here too and managed to secure seats for the group. At Todaiji, the deer crackers had sold out by just after 3:00, so unfortunately we could not feed the deer, but everyone enjoyed playing with them. The last place we visited, Kasuga Taisha, had a calm and serene atmosphere after the rain, which everyone was delighted with. The photo was taken at Horyuji.
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 | Kyoto～Horyuji | 990JPY |
| Section 2 | Train | Horyuji～Nara | 240JPY |
| Section 3 | Free Pass | JR Nara～JR Nara | 600JPY |
| Section 4 | Train | Nara～Kyoto | 720JPY |
| Total | 2,550JPY | ||
Frequently Asked Questions
Which places does this itinerary cover?
This tour visited Board JR bound for Nara, JR Horyuji Station, Board Nara Kotsu bus bound for Horyuji, Horyuji, Board bus bound for Horyuji Station, Board JR bound for Nara, JR Nara Station, Nara Park, Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Board JR bound for Kyoto and Kyoto Station.
How much did transport cost on this tour?
Public transport came to 2,550JPY per person across 4 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?
Kazu 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 Kyoto itinerary is built around the guests, so the places, the pace and the starting point can all be changed before the tour.
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.
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo.…
Sep 28, 2026
Miguel_E
Amazing Service
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a wonderful time with Kazuo. He had such insightful knowledge of each area we wanted to visit and had all the best spots to take photos and was very patient with us.
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi…
Sep 27, 2026
T
TrailBlazer47194
Kazuo Sumi is a great guide.
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Full-Day Private Tour with Licensed Guide
Our guide Kazuo Sumi was excellent. We had a wonderful time, learned a lot of new things about Japanese culture and history, practiced navigating transport, enjoyed a perfect lunch. Kazuo-San even facilitated a purchase of a UV blocking umbrella, which was much needed on that sunny day.
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour…
Sep 1, 2026
Steve6172014
Excellent tour of Kyoto
Tripadvisor review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour in 1 Day with Licensed Guide
We had a great tour with Kazuo, our guide. Days before arrival he communicated directly with me to set up the tour according to sites we wanted to see and he made good suggestions. Besides listening to his Kyoto detailed knowledge, we enjoyed the local walking of streets, taking buses and trains between sites. Kazuo has excellent English and has travelled himself so being with him for the day was a pleasure. I highly recommend using him as your guide
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had…
Aug 7, 2026
Pascale_Q
Viator review: Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide
Very good private tour of Kyoto with Kazuo
We had a wonderful experience during our Kyoto Customized Private Tour by Car with Licensed Guide. Our guide, Kazuo, was truly outstanding from start to finish. He shared an impressive amount of knowledge about Kyoto’s history, culture, temples, and daily life. You can feel how passionate he is about his city, and he explains everything with the calm, precision and kindness so typical of Japanese guides. His English was clear and easy to follow, which made the whole day even more enjoyable. Kazuo was also extremely friendly, attentive and careful. He always made sure we were comfortable, took the time to answer all our questions, adapted the pace of the tour, and anticipated our needs without us even asking. Travelling by car made the experience smooth and relaxing, allowing us to see more places without rushing. We felt very well taken care of throughout the day, and we learned so much thanks to him. We highly recommend Kazuo to anyone looking for a personalized, insightful and stress‑free discovery of Kyoto.