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
- 9:00 Meet at hotel 10:15 JR Nara Station 10:30 Nara Park & Todai-ji Temple 12:15 Lunch (sushi restaurant near Kintetsu Nara Station) 13:25 Kasuga Taisha Shrine
- 14:20 Naramachi (Lattice House, sake tasting at Harushika) 15:55 JR Nara Station 17:10 JR Osaka Castle Park Station 17:15 Tour ends in front of hotel
What Is a Private Day Tour of Nara Like? A Licensed Guide's Report
The guests visited Japan from North America. They were a quiet group who did not talk much. Today turned out to be another hot day, so we walked while making the most of shady spots wherever possible. After Todai-ji, I considered continuing on to Kasuga Taisha, but given the heat we decided not to push ourselves and stopped for lunch instead. After discussing options, we went to a sushi restaurant at the group's request. In Naramachi, when I suggested a sake tasting at "Harushika," the group expressed interest, so we decided to go. The tasting was enjoyed with respect for one another's wishes. I was a little surprised to see one of the tastings finished in a single gulp, and thought it might have been nicer to savor it a bit more. For the most part the sake tasting was taken lightly, with only a small amount consumed. The photo was taken at the sushi restaurant where we had lunch.
Click here for more details: Nara Day Trip from Osaka: Customized Tour, Licensed Guide
Transportation cost per person
| No. | Transportation | Route | Fare |
| Section 1 | Train | Osaka Castle Park～Nara | 740JPY |
| Section 2 | Free Pass | JR Nara Station～JR Nara Station | 600JPY |
| Section 3 | Train | Nara～Osaka Castle Park | 740JPY |
| Total | 2,080JPY | ||
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.