Nara Private Tour Guides

“Great time with Yoshi”

We spent 2.5 days with Yoshi at Nara and Kyoto area. The weather was mixed sun and rain but this doesn’t prevent the enjoyment and learning we recieved. Yoshi was previously a teacher which really helped him explain so clearly. Our highlights were all the gardens we gardened we experienced on the silver pavilion tour.,Amazing.

Yoshihisa T.

(280 reviews)

Hi Chris. Thank you so much for your kind comment on my tours in Nara and Kyoto. I am very pleased to learn that you enjoyed viewing beautiful gardens in Nara and Kyoto. I wish you two the bery best of luck. Yoshie

Sam F.

5 / 5

Apr 15, 2026

One day trip of Nara Park

Apr 15, 2026

Nara

6 hours

“Makoto gave us a splendid tour of Nara Park ”

My husband and I spent his birthday in Nara with Makoto, who was a pleasure to be with. Our guide skillfully set a strong pace to allow us to see and enjoy the sights on our itinerary while also threading the needle through the crowds. I am collecting goshuins, special stamps with calligraphy found at temples and shrines, and Makoto helped me locate the goshuin stations within the temple complexes. This is a fun keepsake of any trip to Japan and you can purchase a designated accordion notebook at your first religious sight. Makoto brought some very helpful educational papers for us to keep, helping us better understand the important history of this ancient capital and root of Japanese Buddhism. He also explained what we were seeing along the way and told us about the very colorful and interesting festivals, which even involve monks carrying a fiery torch of burning spruce through a wooden temple complex at night while crowds watch the sparks fly. Nara is full of ancient rituals that mystify the foreign visitor. Nara Park is a lovely and relaxing place to spend a day. We saw the Kofukuji Temple, the National Treasure House of Buddhist statues, the Todaiji Temple with the enormous wooden Buddha, the thousand beautiful lanterns at the Kasuga Taisha Shrine. Don't miss the dark room where it simulates night and the lanterns are all aglow. Of course we had the opportunity to meet, pet and even feed wafer crackers to the sacred deer, whom Makoto asked to bow. Many of the deer would oblige by nodding their heads. Makoto has a a good sense of humor -- he bought my husband a headband of deer antlers as a birthday present so of course Sam had to wear them through the park. Very cute! Makoto also arranged a gift of deer origami for him. We highly recommend Makoto as a knowledgeable and skillful.guide. He selected a very tasty Japanese restaurant for lunch. Our final stop in the park was a quiet garden where we took a few minutes to contemplate a Zen rock garden.

Makoto Y.

(130 reviews)

Dear Sam and Pringle, Thank you very much for your nice comments and message about Nara tour. Nara was the end of Silk Road and this is the reason why we see many mysterious sight, statue, and events. Still the background can not explain sometime. This is kind of ancient romance, which we could share in the tour. Therefore, I also enjoyed very much to guide you, who has keen interest in Nara. I have to apologize that I could not prepare the blossoming of wisteria this time. Please come back to Nara again. Thanks again for your choosing me of your guide. Please have a nice trip back to U.S. Makoto

“Fantastic historical tour”

Masahisa-san was an incredible guide, navigating the side-streets with ease and allowing us to see even more of Nara and Osaka than we had hoped! He has a wealth of life experiences to share and is a very calming presence throughout the day. He is committed to making sure you get the best photographs and has a great eye for what will make a good picture. I would highly recommend touring with him and look forward to hopefully doing so again in the future!

Masahisa M.

(70 reviews)

Katie Thank you so much for traveling all the way from afar to visit us. I’m relieved to hear that you might have returned home safely. Hearing the recent news about NYK and the new young mayor made me feel as if I were chatting with both of you at Madison Square Garden. If you have the chance, please do come visit us again. Thanks Masahisa