Nara Private Tours & Local Tour Guides
Discover Things to Do and Plan a Trip to Nara, Japan with a Local Guide
Popular Nara Tour Guides
Yosshi S.
Japan
Thank you for visiting my page. I will guide you to the ancient capital cities with 1000 years of urban development and 100 years of filming and screening history. I grew up in Osaka, studied in Kyoto, and worked for 20 years as an urban planning expert for the national and local governments. During this time, I surveyed many community development sites throughout Japan. I welcomed business leaders to encourage investment in the cities. After quitting my career, I became a film-loving professional engineer. I visited unique cities in foreign countries to see urban planning and locations that appeared in picturesque film scenes and posted photos on social media (90 cities in 30 countries up to now). The more I saw foreign cities, the more I loved my hometown. I wanted to know about the travel industry and got a national license as a Guide-Interpreter and Travel Service Manager. I have started guiding based in the old capital cities. The entire area of old Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara has been a Metropolitan area centered on the Imperial Palace, and the actual location of the Palace has changed 15 times since the 7th century. This area has many historical spots and hidden attractions in different times and places: the townscape, temples, shrines, landscaped gardens, and historical drama locations (SAMURAI drama). I will create your favorite tour using my list, and guide you leisurely. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yasuhisa K.
4.97 / 5
(40 reviews)
Japan
I have worked in the multi-national organizations including UN agency for around 30 years and stationed at various cities including Rome, Bangkok and Hanoi. Although I have retired from those international carriers, I wish to keep the international cooperation and develop the friendship with people who visits our country. As I like history and am practicing Noh song and wood curving of Buddha images, I have decided to live in Nara where is surrounded by many historical places and traditional cultures, when I returned back to Japan in 2017. I wish to offer you custom made trip ideas to be able to enjoy the atmosphere of old city, Nara. I am also planning to develop trip plans to enjoy the local cultures. Please call me Yasu.
Hiroyuki T.
4.97 / 5
(164 reviews)
Japan
Hi! I had been working for Wakayama Prefectural Government for 38 years, mainly in the field of cultural heritage management and international relations. I am a national certificated English guide and I have a lot of knowledge and experience in the field of cultural heritage management and international relations. I am very good at cultural heritages. And Koyasan and Kumano in Wakayama Prefecture are inscribed in the World Heritage List as parts of “Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range". I was a project manager of "the Koyasan and Kumano World Heritage Inscription Project” at Wakayama Prefectural Government. I know inside and out of Koyasan, Kumano, Wakayama and other places in the Kansai area. I have a lot of experience of guiding as I was also in charge of international relations for a long time at the government. I will be able to provide interpretive guiding service for you around Koyasan, Wakayama, Osaka and other places in the Kansai area as I am a cultural heritage management and international relations professional. I am sure you will be able to get deeper understandings on Japanese culture and that your trip with me will be memorable one.
Koichi W.
4.96 / 5
(72 reviews)
Japan
Hi! I'm Koichi. I was born in Osaka, I studied in Kyoto when I was a university student. Now I live in Shiga next to Kyoto. I am a national government licensed tour guide. I have been guiding about 160 groups over the past twelve months. I usually guide my customers mainly in Kansai region including Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe and Shiga by public transportation systems. Well, I am curious about Japanese history, especially the history of Japan's ancient times since I was raised next to the world biggest mausoleum of the ancient Emperor called "Nintoku" in Sakai city Osaka which has just become one of the world cultural heritage sites. I dug out some ancient earthen ware vessels around there when I was a primary school student like the adventure archaeologist “Indiana Jones" (It’s our secret!!). That was my hobby. Now, one of my hobbies is outdoor activities such as mountaineering, kayaking, skiing and others. So I would like to take you to some good places where you can enjoy Japanese unique nature. I love to guide foreign visitors from all over the world. I think it is my calling or heavenly given job. Let's go and enjoy together! I hope to see you soon.
New Nara Tour Guides
Marcelo M.
Japan
Maru is from San Diego California. Has been in Japan over a decade. Maru has come for the love of video games and anime. Enticed by the beauty of Japanese art. Maru is happy to share Japanese food and quirky cultural differences to take unique memories back home. Maru es de San Diego California. Lleva en Japón más de una década. Maru llegó por su amor a los video juegos y el anime. Seducido por la belleza del arte Japonés, está feliz de compartir la comida Japonesa y las peculiares diferencias culturales para que puedan llevarse recuerdos únicos a casa.
Jungo S.
Japan
Nice to meet you. My name is Jungo, and I was born in Osaka. I have spent most of my 31 years living here in Osaka. The reason I decided to become a tour guide is that I lived in Canada and Australia for two years each. During that time, my family visited me several times, and I guided them with all my effort, helping them enjoy their travels to the fullest. They were extremely satisfied with my guidance. Based on this experience, I decided that I wanted to help tourists from all over the world explore Japan and fully enjoy this country that I am so proud of. I also love traveling by car from Osaka, and I am confident that I can offer wonderful travel plans to everyone. Please let me help make your trip a great experience. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Menshawi F.
5.00 / 5
(1 reviews)
Japan
Konnichiwa! I'm a passionate licensed tour guide and for me, being a tour guide isn't just a job. Its a way to share my love for Kyoto city and create meaningful connection with people from around the world. I enjoy helping travelers feel at home, discover new perspectives and leave with cherished memories. I look forward to welcoming you on a journey of discovery, whether you're a first-time visitor or returning to explore even deeper. Let's make your trip truly special together. If you're looking for an adventure off the beaten path or a deep dive into local tradition, my goal is to make every moment memorable.Let me guide you on a journey you'll cherish forever
Hiroki K.
5.00 / 5
(1 reviews)
Japan
Konnichiwa and welcome to Japan! I have been doing tour guide as my side business since 2019. I am happy to announce that I became 'super host' in the area in Osaka on CityUnscripted (The tour company based in UK) I will continue to work hard to cover more area with more tours guest coming from abroad. Through my tours, my goal is to make my guests want to come back to Japan again and to recommend them to their friends. Having lived and worked in 7 cities, 3 countries and traveled to 45 countries, I believe that my mission is to efficiently guide you through the cities I love in a limited amount of time through my unique perspective. I am originally from Gifu Prefecture, Japan and I am Japanese. While a student studying international business management, I spent time in Shiga, near Nagoya and Kyoto and a short study abroad experience in Australia, UK and Israel. After working in Israel and Ireland, I came back to Kobe. So far, I have hosted over 30 tours in Kyoto and Kobe and I enjoy meeting tour guests from all over the world. I always try my best to get prepared for you to enjoy your visit to my home country. I'm constantly learning to be able to provide an enriching experience. If we come across some questions I cannot answer right away, I will be happy to do some research and get back with a full answer. For foodie, I can give you good places for all type of requirements, such as Vegetarian, vegan, Kosher or Halal. If you are coming with your parents/kids, I will arrange the tour for a shorter walking distance. IELTS Band 6.0 (English Proficiency level)
Popular Nara Private Tours
Mixed Scenery with Towns and Temples, Nara
Nara
5 hours 30 min
Enjoy the beauty of the temples in rural scenery and old townscapes. Ikaruga is Japan's oldest temple town, dating back to the 7th century. Even today, the pagodas from that time rise and create a beautiful rural landscape surrounded by mountains. Naramachi is within the grounds of a temple built near the Imperial Palace in the 8th century. Commercial and industrial houses lined its grounds from the Middle Ages, and the temples blended into the traditional townscape.
FROM$206/ per group
Yosshi S.
One day tour in Nara
Nara
7 hours
Highlights of the tour are feeding deers in Nara Park and overwhelmed by the great Budha, Daibutu. Tour also visits several historcal sites. As all historical sites are located in the Nara park, we will mainly walk through the park ( 5~8km ) The tour also can customized in line with the customer's interest, historical sites, cultural sites or shopping.
FROM$265/ per group
Yasuhisa K.
4.97 / 5
(40 reviews)
Historic Monuments of Ancient Capital of Nara - from Osaka
Nara
8 hours
In Nara, eight Buddhism temples and Shintoism Shrines are included in the World Heritage as “Historic Monuments in Ancient Capital of Nara” as those represent close cultural exchanges between Japan and China, and even Hellenism culture in the 8th century. On this tour we will visit three of them in a day from Osaka.
FROM$259/ per group
Hiroyuki T.
4.97 / 5
(164 reviews)
Full-Day Nara tour from Kyoto with a private guide
Nara
8 hours
Nara is a very beautiful and interesting city known by the old name of "Yamato". It was established as the first permanent Japan's capital in the year 710. There are a lot of historical monuments in this ancient city, such as Todaiji Great Buddha Hall, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, Kofukuji Temple and so on. Nara"deer"park is also one of must-see areas. Let's walk around and play with the lovely deer!!
FROM$352/ per group
Koichi W.
4.96 / 5
(72 reviews)
New Nara Private Tours
Stroll through Nara Park stopping here and there
Nara
5 hours 30 min
Experience the unique charm of the old capital. Nara was the capital in the 8th century and was marked by splendid cultural assets. In the 19th century, its heart area and surrounding hills were developed into Nara Park. It has been a fabulous place among locals, tourists, and deer with religious rituals, a giant Buddha statue representing the emperor’s and people's wishes, chill out with divine messengers of deity, and a conventional townhouse renovated into a museum, gallery, and café.
FROM$206/ per group
Yosshi S.
Nara park & Wazuka tea plantation visit
Nara
7 hours 30 min
In the morning, we will visit Nara Park, Todaiji temple, Kasuga grand shrine. You will have a chance to see, take photos and feed deer. After lunch, we will have a short trip to Wazuka village, the hometown of Uji tea, excellent quality of green tea. The landscape of tea plantations, built on the mountain slope, has 800 years of history. It was designated as the first scenic property of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as one of the Japan Heritages.
FROM$217/ per group
Michiko T.
5.00 / 5
(65 reviews)
Uji-tea plantation visit
Nara
4 hours
We will visit Wazuka village, the hometown of Uji tea, excellent quality of green tea. The landscape of tea plantations, built on the mountain slope, has 800 years of history. It was designated as the first scenic property of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as one of the Japan Heritages.
FROM$133/ per group
Michiko T.
5.00 / 5
(65 reviews)
NARA - Journey into Shinto and Buddhism
Nara
8 hours
The ancient city of Nara hosts 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with breathtaking architectural examples of the 8th century. This tour covers the historical sites in the journey of better understanding Buddhism and Shinto, interacting with some of the hundreds of deer in Nara Park, and enjoying walks in old forests.
FROM$100/ per person
Ana I.
5.00 / 5
(18 reviews)
Popular Nara Private Cars
Nara Day Tour with a Private Car
Nara
3 hours
Experienced local taxi drivers will cordially show you around the area so that you can visit both must-see and hidden sightseeing spots and enjoy local food.
FROM$219/ per group
TR Taxi
4.88 / 5
(268 reviews)
Nara 1 Day Tour
Nara
10 hours
Nara Prefecture is an ancient capital where Heijo-kyo was built during the Nara period. There are many spots and Buddhist statues designated as national treasures and world cultural heritage sites, such as Todaiji and Horyuji. We also recommend visiting Mt. Yoshino for cherry blossoms, Asuka Village, and other spots surrounded by nature.
FROM$464/ per group
SoQ Bright Taxi
4.96 / 5
(26 reviews)
Car ride to the Top of Mt. wakakusa to mini-hiking towards Deer park!
Nara
5 hours
*Available from March 22 to December 14, 2025 This tour offeres you a panoramic view at the top of Mt Wakakusa is located behind the Nara park, and get down into the Nara park by 1 hour hikes to see the cultural monuments such as Todaiji. This is a experienced-based tour that provides you to short-hike, and you also can see the historical landmarks.
FROM$173/ per group
Tom K.
Nara Day Tour with a Private Car
Nara
6 hours
Experienced local taxi drivers will cordially show you around the area so that you can visit both must-see and hidden sightseeing spots and enjoy local food.
FROM$383/ per group
TR Taxi
4.88 / 5
(268 reviews)
Nara Tour Reviews
Kelly A.
5 / 5
Mar 19, 2025
“Your Guide for Kyoto, Osaka & Nara is Yuta! ”
Yuta was a great guide. He took us to all the big temples and shrines, but best was he took us to smaller, less crowded locations that were absolutely beautiful. He is so knowledgeable and was so great answering all of our questions. Would’ve never been able to navigate the trains and subways without him. He’s fluent in Japanese, English and German. If you want to see the real Japan, Yuta is your guide!
Yuta I.
Thank you so much for your kind review! I had a wonderful time showing you around Kyoto, Nara and I’m really happy to hear that you enjoyed both the famous spots and the quieter, hidden gems. I also really enjoyed our conversations! Hearing about your city and your experiences with cruise ships was completely new to me and so interesting. That’s one of the things I love most about these tours—not just sharing Japan with you, but also learning from my guests. It was a pleasure guiding you, and I’m so glad I could help with navigating the trains and subways. I hope you have more amazing travels ahead, and if you ever come back to Japan, I’d love to show you even more! See you again:)
Rowena S.
5 / 5
Mar 18, 2025
“The guest enjoyed the tour”
Hello Kaneo san, We have received good feedback again and told us that they really like the guide, Thank you always for taking care of our guests.
Yasuhisa K.
Thank you very much for your nice review for the tour on 16th March. I also enjoyed to be able to accompanied with such a nice family as Sabala. By the way, the review is for my tour or for Kaneo? Yasu
B
Brandi D.
5 / 5
Mar 16, 2025
“Kyoto and Nara Tour”
Masahisa (or Mike for short) was an absolute joy to spend our day with yesterday. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable and kind, he was also very flexible! We had originally booked him to take us from our Kyoto hotel to Nara for the day, but we had a change of plans on our end and ended up staying in Kyoto until almost 2 pm. He pivoted and showed us around our area on foot, and then we took a taxi to an incredible museum with 1000 statues, then a food court and a Japanese department store. Finally we headed to Nara where he took us through the temple, got us crackers to feed the deer and took us to a cool visitors center to check out an earthquake simulator and to get out of the rain. We truly treasured our time with Masahisa—he shared so much with us about the Japanese culture and traditions. He was a wealth of knowledge and we are so grateful to have spent the day with him. I almost forgot to mention that he accompanied us from Nara (where he lives) to Osaka to make sure we made it to our hotel! He also put together a packet for us for our stay in Osaka. Above and beyond!! Thank you Masahisa aka Mike
Masahisa M.
Brandi Thank you so much for traveling all the way from afar the city I cherished deeply during my active years. Although the forecast predicts serene spring days starting mid-week, the weather in Kyoto during this transitional season from winter to spring can be quite unpredictable. This time, your tour happened to coincide with a cold and rainy day, and I was concerned about whether everyone managed to stay in good health. I sincerely thank for your long journey to visit us. I hope you continue to have a wonderful trip and that you return home safely with delightful memories of your family travels. Safe and enjoyable journeys to you all. Thanks Masahisa
Nara Private Tour Guide
Whether it’s your first time to Nara or you are back to discover more, a good tour guide can make all the difference. Enjoy the best of what Nara has to offer, without all the fuss of planning everything by yourself!
You can pick your favorite itinerary from the Nara tours offered by our local guides, but feel free to ask for customizations based on your preferences. We want to help travelers get the most out of their trips, and we believe a good tour with a local guide is the best way to ensure that.
There is so much to see and do in Nara, and the best way to get the most out of your time there is to have a local expert with you. GoWithGuide is committed to delivering unforgettable tour experiences, so let us help you create your next favorite memory.
Latest Nara Articles
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Top 5 Things to do in Nara on TripAdvisor
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If you are planning a trip to Nara, then a great place to start would be with the five top rated attractions on TripAdvisor. See the amazing great Buddha in Todaiji, experience the sight of deer as you travel around Nara Park, or enjoy a 1,200 year old ni...
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