Nara Highlights from Kyoto or Osaka
Joined 2018
Nara is located about 40km south from Kyoto and 30km east from Osaka.
It is an older capital than Kyoto and as old as Osaka.
It was about 1300 years ago.
There are ancient temples. Most of them are older than Kyoto and are not Zen temple.
Nara is quieter than Kyoto and Osaka.
More than one thousand friendly deer live with Nara citizens.
And also Nara has a lot of local food like Sushi, Ramen and so on.
You would be able to have unique experience.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At the lobby in your Hotel in Kyoto city or Osaka city
Meet at the lobby of your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka
Kasuga-Taisha Shrine
It is a central Shinto shrine of Kasuga-shrines which are there about 1000 branches in Japan.
Three deities were enshrined to protect Nara from evils. And the forest in the shrine has not been touched by human for more than 1000 years. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Lunch
Todai-ji temple(The Great Buddha)
Todai-ji is also famous for the "Big Buddha statue". It is 14.7 meters height bronze statue.
The statue is kept in Great Buddha Hall, the main building whose height is about 50 meters.
About 1300 years ago, the temple and statue were built for playing to stop natural disaster, famine, the pandemic and so on. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Koufuku-ji temple
Koufuku-ji is a Buddhist temple and tutelary temple of Fujiwara clan. Fujiwara clan had been the most influential power over imperial government in ancient Japan. Kamatari Fujiwara implemented Taika Reform which built the basis of ancient Japanese central government.
It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Nara-machi
Nara-machi is an area where is southern from national road 369.
It has old town scape with narrow road. There are many traditional style houses which are Japanese cuisine restaurant, tea room, traditional goods shop and so on.
Return to your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka
Ending Point
Your Hotel in Kyoto city or Osaka city
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Guide fee,
Hotel pick-up fee in Kyoto city or Osaka city
Transportation fee between guide's house and your hotel in Kyoto or Osaka.
Transportation fee(you and guide) during this tour.
Lunch, dinner, entrance fee(you and guide),
Entrance fees are 600yen for Todai-ji, 500yen for Kasuga-taisha, 700yen for Koufuku-ji.
Tour Important Information
We will walk long (more than 5km). So you should wear walking shoes.
Important message from the supplier
I can guide you from Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara if you pay the pick up fee.
Please ask the fee.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2018
About Tour Guide Yoshiharu K.
Hi! I'm Yoshiharu. Please call me Yoshi. Yoshi means "good" in Japanese! I'm a good man (^^);;;.
I was born in Kyoto but I lived there 3 months. Then my family moved to Osaka and I grew up in Osaka.
So I am almost Osakan.
When I was young, my hobby was traveling by bicycle. I went cycling around most part of Japan except Shikoku.
In my family rule, Shikoku is in bad direction because my grand father died just after his Shikoku pilgrimage.
So I want to have a cycling tour not only in Kyoto (coming soon!) but also all part of Japan someday.
I am interested in Japanese history.
I am a National Certificated Guide. And I have "Kyoto Tourism Culture Certification 3rd grade", "Osaka Expert Certification 3rd grade", "Nara Concierge 2nd grade" and "Karuizawa Web test 3rd grade".
So I have expert knowledge about Kyoto, Osaka, Nara and Karuizawa and common knowledge about Kobe.
Besides I like gadgets, so I can guide you DenDen town in Osaka.
When you have a chance to visit Kyoto or Osaka or other city in this area,
please contact me anytime and join my tour!
I'll be looking forward to seeing you, spending wonderful time with you.
Reviews
Jay W.
“Bamboo Forest and Quiet Temple Tours”
After a couple crazy bus tours, and people packed sight seeing in Gion/Kyoto we went on a much needed and enjoyed quieter temple tour with Yoishiharu. Yoshi met us at our hotel in Osaka and then whisked us away to Arashiyama in Kyoto. We toured several temples, shrines and bamboo forests before stopping for an amazing local soba lunch. Yoshi provided a lot of history and information about the area and specifcs about each stop as we strolled around quiet streets and paths around Arashiyama. We took the train back to Osaka with Yoshi and we returned back at hotel on time and without any issues. All and all a very lovely day.
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Jay Thank you for your evaluation! I remember your wife was always laughing and the tour was very delightful. I was wondering your Himeji tour was good for you. Anyway I hope you will have good time in Japan. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Andrea F.
“First Day in Kyoto”
Yoshiharu was our guide for our first day in Kyoto. He was prompt and very sweet. It was a bit difficult for us to understand him as he tried to explain things to us, but he got us around and made suggestions to visit less busy temples that were interesting. We were just looking for a local guide that could navigate us around as we found our bearings and Yoshiharu did just that.
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Andrea Thank you for your evaluation. But I could not find what you were interested in. You seemed to be satisfied. And maybe my explanations were difficult. When you felt difficult in my explanation, I wish you had asked me questions. My explanation could become easier. Maybe you walked long. But Higashiyama and Kawaramachi area have to be busy and have no good transportation. Next time I will improve my guide to have more fun in mind of mentions above. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
Lindsey C.
“Great Osaka tour with Yoshi!”
My husband and I had a great guided tour with Yoshi in January 2024. Yoshi is very knowledgeable and it was fun spending the day with him! Yoshi created a great itinerary, and we were able to see a lot in a short amount of time. His extensive knowledge of Osaka’s history was truly impressive, particularly his detailed explanations about Osaka Castle. He also shared engaging insights about other historical events and landmarks, bringing the city's rich cultural significance to life. Thanks to Yoshi, we were able to get so much out of our short amount of time in Osaka and gained meaningful insights that enriched the rest of our time in Japan. We are so grateful for Yoshi’s guidance and kindness and we recommend his tour to anyone visiting Osaka. Thank you, Yoshi, for making our trip so special—you’ve given us memories we will not forget!
Yoshiharu K.
Dear Lindsey Thank you for your evaluation. I am very happy that you enjoyed Osaka in spite of closing shops in Kitchen ware street. If you visit around this area, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe or Nara again, I will make the tour as you like. Anyway thank you so much. Yours sincerely, Yoshi
$267/ per group
More tours by Yoshiharu K.
Kyoto highlights (Kyoto departure)
This Kyoto highlight tour includes the most popular destinations in Kyoto, Arashiyama Bamboo trail, Golden Pavilion, Gion (Geisha district), Fushimi-Inari shrine(Hundreds of Shrine gates) in one day. I believe this tour is suitable for beginner of Kyoto travelers.
Osaka Highlights (Osaka departure)
This Osaka highlights tour includes popular destinations in Osaka, Osaka castle, Kuromon Ichiba Market, Dotonboti district in one day. I believe this tour is suitable for beginner of Osaka travelers.
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Hyogo prefecture is about 150km long in north-south direction. There are many sight seeing spots, not only Kobe, Himeji but also Izush-Toyooka, Tanba-Sasayama Awaji island. So Hyogo government decleared "Hyogo Golden Route" as recommended tours. I would like to guide those areas where tourists do not know well. Each area is one day tour. You can have a different experience from Kyoto or Osaka.
Penetralia Arashiyama and Sagano (Kyoto departure)
Arashiyama used to be a resort of aristocracies having a 1200 years history and birth place of Japanese anthology of one hundred poets. We will walk around quiet area of Sagano in Arashiyama for 6 hours. We will visit Tenryuu temple(World Heritage), Bamboo trail around Arashiyama and Adashino-Nenbutu-ji , Otagi-Nenbutu-ji aroud deep Sagano area which have unique 8000 statues and another bamboo forest.
Other Popular Highlights Tours in Nara
Your most memorable tour to Nara (Kyoto or Osaka departure)
In Nara deer Park, you can feed many cute wild deers. After playing with deers, you will go to Toudaiji Temple. You can see huge buddaha statue. Next, you will go to kasuga shrine After lunch, you will viist Koufukuji Temple and you can see a five-storied pagoda. Morover, based on your request, I will take you to other spots.
Nara, the oldest capital in Japan, Walking tour
We'll visit Todaiji temple, one of the largest wooden structures in the world, Kasugataisha shrine whose god is believed to have come to Nara riding on a white deer, popular Japanese gardens if you like. We can enjoy pretty plum trees from late February to early March and cherry blossoms in spring. 1300 wild deer are roaming around in Nara park, where you can feed them deer crackers. In June Rokuen, the deer protection center, is open to the public, where mother deer feed their cute newborns.
One day trip of Nara Park
-Nara Park is famous and known as Deer Park, and more than one thousand deer roam freely in the park.-Numerous important temples, shrines, gardens and museums are within minutes of one another within the park.-The most famous sites are Todai-ji temple, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and Kofuku-ji temple.-These temples and shrines were originally built in Nara period, 1,300 years ago.
One Day Tour in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nara
Nara was once the ancient capital of Japan. There are many historical sites, artefacts, relics, temples and shrines. There is a proof that the capital flourished in the 8th century. Nara is also rich in nature. Mountains, primitive forests and parks enhance the attraction of Nara. This tour includes Kofukuji Temple, Todaiji Temple and Kasuga Shrine, which are World Heritage Sites. We will also visit the Nara Park which is famous for deer. Let's enjoy the tour in Nara together !
