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NARA - Journey into Shinto and Buddhism
Joined 2023
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.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel or at the train station.
- The guide will meet you at your hotel (for accommodations in Kyoto or in Nara) or at JR Nara Station/ Kintetsu-Nara Station.
Fushimi-Inari Shrine -1000-torii gate passage (South-East of Kyoto)
Famous for its beautiful vermillion torii gate passages on Mt. Inari, Fushimi-Inari Shrine will be our first stop on the itinerary and the only one in Kyoto before leaving for Nara. The grounds of the shrine on the sacred mountain are best to be enjoyed before rush hour.
Kasuga Shrine
The journey in Nara will start with visiting Kasuga Shrine, located in old forests and guarded by deer. We will walk in hinoki forests (Japanese cypress) and interact with the local deer considered messengers of God.
Nara Park
This 660-hectare park is renowned for its free-roaming deer and world-famous temples. Feeding the deer with special crackers is an attraction in itself.
Lunch break on Higashimuki Street
*bookings for lunch will be made in advance based on the tour participants' number and food restrictions.
Todai-ji - The Great Eastern Temple
One of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, Todai-ji hosts Japan's tallest Buddha statue. The Main Hall is the world's largest standing wooden structure and represents the peak of 8th-century architecture.
End of Tour
We will say our goodbyes at the station of your choice: JR Nara or Kintetsu Nara Station.
Ending Point
JR Nara Station
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
Guidance Fee
Entrance Tickets (guide + guests): 800 yen/person @Todaiji
Transportation meet up and during the tour (guide + guests): approx. 2700 yen/person with departure from Kyoto.
Meals
Tour Important Information
This tour involves walking and using public transportation.
Please bring appropriate walking shoes ( parts of the paths are cobblestones that can get slippery on rainy days)
If you wish to customize the tour ( e.g. drop the visit to Fushimi-Inari Shrine) please contact me in advance.
Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
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 2023
About Tour Guide Ana I.
Hello everyone!
My name is Ana. I am an experienced tour conductor who guides clients throughout Japan. I am Romanian and have been living in Japan for over 10 years.
I am versed in creating customized on-the-budget one-day and half-day tours for solo travelers, families, or groups.
Please allow me to show you the natural beauty, traditions, history and amazing food of KYOTO and NARA.
Feel free to contact me for a standard package OR a customized trip. I will put my best effort into meeting your needs and creating an amazing journey.
WELCOME TO JAPAN!
Reviews
“Best of Kyoto Tour”
Had a great day trip in Kyoto with Ana. We had to change our date at the last minute due to illness and she was very accommodating to ensure our trip wasn't spoiled. Her english was great, and she was friendly, funny and highly knowledgeable about the various sites we visited (Kinka-kuji Golden Pavillion, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, and Fushimi Inari Shrine). We would definitely use Ana again if we manage to get back to Japan and would strongly recommend her to anyone seeking a guide in the Kyoto/Osaka area. Thanks again for making our family trip so enjoyable Ana and we hope you enjoyed the NZ chocolate. Steve, Michele and Liam Armstrong
Ana I.
Dear Steve, Michele and Liam - Thank you for your warmth, kindness and patience on the tour. I had a blast showing you Kyoto and sharing stories with you all. Your gift was delicious and well enjoyed every morning with a nice cup of coffee. I wish you a wonderful end of year and much health to everyone! Thank you for the beautiful review!
“Amazing Tour through Kyoto”
Ana guided us so well through all the interesting and also less crowded places in Kyoto. She planned everything so well, oftentimes we would see masses of people coming to places that we were just about to leave, so just in time. What I found really incredible is that she even go to the vegan place beforehard to try it out, just because she didn't want to go with us anywhere that she didn't know beforehand! Thank you so much for the amazing day Ana!
Ana I.
Dear Mats, Thank you for the beautiful review!! I had lots of fun walking through Kyoto with you and Alexandra. I have learned how to improve my tours, thanks to you! I am very grateful for your questions and opinions. I wish you much health and safe travels!
“The best of Kyoto”
I want to thank Ana for touring us around this beautiful city. She made us feel like family and is very knowledgeable and really the best tour guide I have ever had. Ana took us all over Kyoto and Nara, we had some amazing food, saw the most incredible temples, even got see few geisha. I can't thank Ana enough for making my trip so great. I would recommend her to anyone coming to Kyoto, she is the best. Thank you.
Ana I.
Dear Daniel, thank you for the kind words. Your passion for Japan and interest in deeply understanding the culture and its society was refreshing. I greatly enjoyed walking in Kyoto and Nara with you both. May your efforts bring you back to Japan with the same energy soon. All the best and thank you!!
$162/ per group
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Other Popular Art, Culture, & Historical Tours in Nara
One day tour in Nara
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.
Dear deer Nara! ~Nara Park & Nara-machi~
We will visit Nara Park, where historic monuments and nature create calm and peaceful atmosphere. You'll see wild deer roaming hear and there. Walking in Nara-machi district will give us a chance to see an old merchants' townscape.
Nara Sightseeing & the World of Buddhist Statuary
Through this tour you will be intrigued with the charm of Buddhist statuary, which represents people's wishes and prayers. Figures of statues vary according to the development of eras from Asuka period to Muromachi period. At the same time you can visit Nara Park, where you can feed deer. Also you can visit a nice sake tasting place after the tour if you like.
Tour of the Great Buddha of Nara
(Highlights) The Great Buddha of Nara is a magnificent structure weighing some 500 tons. Originally built in 752 AD, the stature is 15.9 meters high excluding the pedestal and its face 4.8 meters long. Subsequently, it was damaged by natural disasasters, fires and wars and was repaired several times. It was completely rebuilt in the Edo period (1603-1867). You will be amazed at the splendid image of the Great Buddha calmly seated on the pedestal with the look of a perfect repose and passionless calm. His right hand shows mercy and left hand, the wisdom of the universe. The building housing this huge image, The Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple, is the largest existing wooden structure in the world, having an area of 54 meters by 49 meters and a height of 45 meters. It was burned down by a fire twice, but was rebuilt in the Edo period. (How to enjoy) You will be amazed at how huge the Buddha image is. Immerse yourself in the solemn atmosphere it creates amid the odor of burning incense, wonder at the ancient technology and the wisdom and the devotion of people. After all, you will never end up not being deeply impressed with the aura the "Daibutsu-sama" Great Buddha emits. Everywhere around the Great Buddha Hall, in the meantime, you can enjoy mixing with tame deer which do you no harm but ask you for food, "shika-sembei", which is being sold at the nearby stalls for 150 yen a pack containing some 50 grams of the deer food. You will feel very happy feeding, stroking and hugging the cute animal whose number exceeds, perhaps, 100. (Others) The transportation fare between Kyoto and Nara on a Kintetsu train is 620 yen (plus 510 yen if you take a limited express train). The entrance fee to Todaiji temple is 600 yen.
