Nara

Nara Full-day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

Badge of ExcellenceNara, Japan
Nara Half day Private Custom Tour from Osaka Kyoto with National Licensed Guide
  • 6 hours
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

Discover both the traditional and contemporary sides of the ancient Japanese city of Nara. This private half-day walking tour allows you customize your itinerary to your own interests and soak yourself in the history and culture of the dynamic city. Select which places you want to see, from Nara Park and Mt. Wakakusa to Todai-ji Temple and Nara National Museum.
  • Discover Nara on a walking tour of the city
  • Private tour, exclusively for your party: A personalized experience
  • Flexibility to customize the itinerary to your interests

What's Included

  • Licensed Local English Speaking Guide
  • Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list
  • Meet up with guide on foot within designated area of Nara
  • Transportation fees, Entrance fees, Lunch, and Other personal expenses
  • Private Vehicle
  • You cannot combine multiple tour groups.
  • Guide Entry fees are only covered for sights listed under What to Expect.

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

This private tour is a walking day tour with a meet up in Nara only. A private vehicle is not included. Public transportation or local taxis maybe used to transfer between sites. Exact transportation costs can be discussed with the guide after a reservation is finalized. Please have Japanese Yen on hand for your transportation costs. If you wish to meet your guide outside of Nara, please book our Nara with Osaka/Kyoto departure tours.

What To Expect

Todai-ji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Nara Park

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kasuga Taisha

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Wakakusayama Hill

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Horyu-ji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Naramachi

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Kofuku-ji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Yakushiji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Shinyakushiji Temple

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Nara National Museum

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Heijō Palace Site Historical Park

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Toshodai-ji Temple

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Isuien Garden

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Yoshikien

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Stroller accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This is a walking tour. Pick up is on foot.
  • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Reviews

5.0
85 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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0
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 85 reviews
Junichi is Amazing!
ShellieM_K, May 2024
Junichi was fantastic! We could not ask for a better tour guide, this man is a treasure! We enjoyed the tour so very much.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you for the great review. Guiding you both was fun and rewarding because you asked me a lot of questions, showing me that you were keenly interested in culture in ancient Nara and religions. This was one of the rare occasions that made me talk about Hellenism and Buddhism. You made me think about the West and the East in the 8th century, when they were not very far apart. Thank you for letting me learn a lot while being your guide. Junichi
Fun time in Nara with Hiro
Chloe_T, Apr 2024
Hiro was a great guide. He had lots on interesting facts to share and picked a great spot for lunch on the fly, based on my specific tastes.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for your supreme review. I also enjoyed the day with sunny guests like you. There are lots of attractive places to visit in Japan. Hopefully, accompanying you again at the next opportunity. Hiro
Sakura Season in Nara
Nick_D, Apr 2024
Our tour guide, Yoshi, took special care to take us to some amazing shrines and temples in Nara and participate in some of the local attractions along the way. Outside of the Todaiji temple we got to feed the local deer and at learn to bow and make wishes at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine. One thing that Yoshi was amazing about is he also helped me set up a surprise marriage proposal by the Kofukuji Temple in a beautiful are near the pond. I couldn’t have been happier with my experience with the tour and our amazing tour guide Yoshi!
Fantastic day in the sun and park
Rebecca_K, Apr 2024
My Guide was Ken and he was an excellent local guide with a lot of knowledge of the area and Japan. He was very friendly It is a walking tour and not for people with mobility issues as we kept a good pace to get around three major sites and we also used public transport for short parts. The Sakura was in full bloom and so Nara park was a lovely place for a packed lunch. Todaji temple is amazing and the museum attached to the Heijo palace site is a fantastic place to visit and great for kids. I highly recommend this tour and Ken as a guide he saw me safely in to the train back to Osaka.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for giving me a favorable review. Great to hear you have enjoyed eating picnic lunch while seated on bench with roof in Deer-roaming Nara Park. It was literally under blue sky with Sakura cherry blossoms in full bloom. One of the best days in Nara. Wishing your husband could make it next time. Ken
Pleasant day in Nara
Alexandra_A, Apr 2024
We had a very pleasant day in Nara with Bell. She guided through the temples, shrines and deer park. Bell is very delicate and easy to be around.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
We appreciate your kind feedback and our guides do too! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with your guide. We look forward to your next visit to Japan. Japan Guide Agency
Private day trip to Nara
Angela_C, Mar 2024
Toshi was an excellent guide and tailored his cultural knowledge so my 7 and 11 year old could understand. They were engaged and asked questions about the temples, shrines, Shintoism and Buddhisms. The Nara deers were everywhere and they could get a bit aggressive at times but we thoroughly enjoyed giving them crackers and watching them bow for them. Toshi also shared what was local to Nara (socks, calligraphy brush, ink, & strawberries) and did origami with the kids! I highly recommend the tour with Toshi especially if you want to learn about history, culture, and food in the area.
Highlight of our Trip
Carrie_L, Mar 2024
We had Junichi as a guide. It was clear from the start that he had a deep love and appreciation for Nara. He shared his experiences about living in Nara as well as the rich history of each side. He asked about our interests to plan a personalized tour. I will definitely request him again next time we are in Japan. He made this tour a highlight of our week.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
What an enjoyable day for me as a guide! Guests got very much interested in whatever I talked about. Not only the history, preciousness and beauty of UNESCO World Heritage Nara, but even the stupid stories about my youth in Nara seems to have appealed to the guests. Thank you, Guests! Thank you all the staff who organized this tour for letting me have the best part! Junichi
Our first visit of Nara
Ting_L, Dec 2023
This is our first time visit Nara, we know very little about it. Our guide is a retired history teacher in high school, his introduction lead us through all places that we visited. There’s too much to see, our guide not only shows us temple and shrine, but also the nature beautiful fall foliage. We love it.
Unforgettable tour
Anna_T, Nov 2023
I can’t recommend this tour more! Our guide Junichi Taguchi is an amazing person and one of the best guides I dealt with. He gave us so much of information about the places we visited, told so many other stories that made that tour unforgettable.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Kofukuji Temple was about to totally demolished in the late 19th century by Meiji government's policy and the temple's land ripped of by the government became the peaceful Nara Deer Park. This is part of what I talked about in the course of guiding. In Nara, just sight seeing is not good enough. I would like to share Nara's over 1300 year history with my guests who, I am sure, have survived the history they faced. I thank the guests who talked about their own life history and made me learn a lot. Junichi
Great Private Tour with Excellent Guide Junichi
David_L, Nov 2023
We took a fantastic private tour in Nara, led by our guide Junichi. He was so lovely and knowledgeable which made our day trip to Nara one of our highlights of the entire Japan trip. Ask for Junichi as your tour guide if you have the chance - you will not regret it!
Response from Host, Nov 2023
The guests kept asking me questions after questions, which made it easier to be a guide explaining the histories and meanings of the places we were walking. Nara for tourists are mainly a huge deer park area comprising famous Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples, of course Nara park etc. The guests enjoyed all the walk and we were so lucky that we got invited by a mere chance to a temple which is not open to tourists. Sake tasting completed the day's tour. I am very thankful to the guests for allowing me to learn a lot from them. It is so nice to be a guide in Nara. Junichi
Just what we hoped for
gramenz, Nov 2023
We got very good understanding of Buddhism Shinto histories and interactions between the two plus interactions with Shogun and emperors Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable we were limited only by our lack of stamina
Response from Host, Nov 2023
Thank you so much for your review message for which I am very greatful. It's my honor and pleasure if you could enjoy the 2-day tour in Kyoto and Nara with me a lot. You said you will stay in Japan for more days, still long way to go in your Japan journey of uncharted territories. Please make sure to take good care of yourself, sleeping well, eating well. Then “ All systems are go ! ” See you and Bon Voyage ! Kazu
Fabulous Day!!
Mike_R, Oct 2023
Our Tour Guide - Ken was absolutely THE BEST! He has a wealth of knowledge and wisdom and easily provided us with a LOT of historical information about the places we visited. At the end of our tour we were unsure of how to return to our accommodation - Ken just took over and guided us safely to where we were staying. To date we have visited - Tokyo, Kyota, Nara and Osaka. Ken is our top choice as a guide because of his knowledge and concern. PS he needs to be recognised for his performance!!
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Thanks for giving me a favorable review. I feel that's too much praise or credit. It was truly my pleasure and I enjoyed tour guiding for wonderful people. Thank you for coming to Japan. I wish you and your family will be fine for many years to come. Looking forward to meeting each other again soon. Ken
Great Personalized Nara Tour
Chrisrine_C, Aug 2023
Our guide Toshi was great !!! The communication was seamless!!! Toshi met us at the Nara Kinetetsu station as we chose to take a faster local train. Toshi took us to so many beautiful shrines, temples, parks of Nara in the mornings while beating the rain and the harsh summer heat. Toshi was knowledgeable, professional, and very personable. We had a memorable 6 hr highlight tour of Nara😀 and will highly recommend him to other travelers
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you very much for your positive review on my performance. It does boost my motivation for my future guiding. I'm pleased to know you had a great time in Nara despite the harsh rain. I hope you will come back to Japan soon and share the time with me again. With best regards, Toshi
The tour back into history.
Bill_H, Aug 2023
It was a very informative and historical tour. Our guide's English was great. He was very organized in the way he conducted the tour and had every detail planned out.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Thank you for coming to Nara and a favorable review. I was impressed with Guests' prior knowledge they already have. And their challenge to take a one day rund trip to Nara from Tokyo. Touching time with Nara Park Deer and eyewitnessing world's biggest Great Buddha bronze statue could have been once in a lifetime and worthwhile effort. See you again soon. Ken
Great experience
Kathy_C, Jul 2023
Seeing all what Nara has to offer. Our tour guide knows the ins and outs of city, history and culture. He has very good knowledge and information of the country. Toshi speaks English very well. He has all the answers to our questions. It was a 6 hr walking tour. We will certainly go back again and choose Toshi.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
I appreciate your positive comment on my performance as a guide. It is a big help for my future guiding in west Japan, including Nara. The time we shared still remain in my memory. Thank you again and I'll look forward to seeing you. With best regards, Toshi
Full Day in Nara with Must Sees and Hidden Gems
KristenK_L, Jun 2023
My teenage daughter and I had a wonderful day in Nara with our guide, Noriko. We got to experience not only the “must-sees” but also some hidden places that we never would have found on our own. Noriko obviously loves Nara and sharing that love with others. We walked all over the park and grounds, enjoying the deer and the sights. Noriko was informative and even had a book with pictures of the festivals held there which really helped us understand a lot more. We had a quiet and rejuvenating lunch then explored old Nara, touring restored homes and an interactive toy exhibit. The tour was tailored to our likes and we appreciate the attention and information we received. I would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Thank you for attending the tour in Nara. I am glad you enjoyed the tour and I also enjoyed it. I appreciate deeply that I have shared the memorable experiences with you. I hope you come back again and explore some other fascinating spots in Japan. Noriko
Great Nara half day tour with Akira
Minhchau_N, Apr 2023
Akira is one of the best tour guide we ever met ! So caring and thoughtful ! He made our half day tour went so smoothly! We were able to see a lot of essential Nara sights in a short period of time. Thank you so much Akira!!!
Insider insights we wouldn’t have otherwise known
Helen_A, Apr 2023
Our tour guide Toshi was absolutely fantastic. So warm, friendly and knowledgable. We went to places I would not have known to go. He tried to tailor the tour as much as possible to our personal likes and interests. And despite a confusion on the meeting place initially (my fault!) , he was very understanding. Super guy. Super tour.
Response from Host, May 2023
Thank you very much for your positive comment. I expect our shared time in Nara will remain as fresh as ever. Our tour started out with confusion but ended up with unforgettable memories. Your inquisitive interest in Japan and Japanese culture gave me fresh insight into my culture. Pleasure is all mine and I hope we get to see you again. Best regrds Toshi
Amazing guide!
Loren_S, Apr 2023
Our guide Ken was awesome. He created a custom tour that made for an exciting and memorable experience. He had great people skills and everyone in our family thought he was fantastic.
Make certain to book this with transportation option
JENNIFER_C, Apr 2023
We took the train from Osaka to Nara which was easy enough. The communication between our Guide, Tomoko, and us prior to meeting was very good. As much as she is a very nice person she really didn’t offer much information. We cut the day short, because getting from one side to another, was a problem due to lack of transportation. Taxis were unavailable even through Uber. Best to book this tour with the transportation option when available. It was unavailable to us on the day needed.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
We thank you for choosing our experience and taking your time to leave us the honest feedback. We are so sorry to hear that you could not enjoy the tour with our guide. We are constantly striving to further improve our service and apologize for not being able to provide you with the experience you expected this time. Please let us know if there is anything further we can do for you.

From $137.88

Price varies by group size

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

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