Nara: the must-see place in Japan.
Nara was the capital of ancient Japan before Kyoto became the capital.
In the Nara era, Buddhism played an important role in stabilizing the country. So you can see many big old temples there. Many of these are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites and are concentrated in a small area. So, if you have only one free day to spend in the Kansai area, I highly recommend visiting Nara.
At you hotel lobby
At your hotel in Osaka
There are two train services from Osaka to Nara
It's very beautiful. You will experience the ancient atmosphere here. You will learn something about Japanese culture.
If you're lucky (I'm often lucky), you'll see a wedding ceremony here.
There are many friendly wild deer in the beautiful natural garden
Buddhism has a long history in Nara. Sangatsudo has unique Buddha statues such as the Fukukenjaku-kannon. Please enjoy my presentation.
You can enjoy the view of Nara city from there. You will find the stage used for the dynamic "omizutan" ritual held in February.
Lunch at a casual local restaurant near Nigatsudo Temple
Let's go down to the most important area of Nara
You will see two of the most important sites here. The largest Buddha statue(Great Buddha) and the largest wooden building(Todaiji) in the world, are listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. You can take photos inside.
You will play with many lovely deer.
You will see the most popular statue in the museum. This is the best today.
Take a train from Nara Station
Your hotel or where you never get lost
At you hotel lobby or the station
-Guide fee
-Hotel pick-up
-Transportation fee (you and the guide) about 2000~3500 yen/per person (train, bus)
-Lunch (you and the guide) about 2000~4000/per person
-Admission fees (you only) 2000yen/per person
We walk about 2 miles down hills,
There are nice train services between Nara and Osaka. If you like, you can choose a nicer train service between Namba to Nara with a 520 yen additional fare.
Available in the all year around
I can guide you in Hiroshima or Kanazawa if you pay my transportation fee.
“A great day”
Shuji was an excellent guide, we had a wonderful, interesting day.
Shuji O.
(12 reviews)Thanks for the great review. We enjoyed the beautiful roses in the Nakanoshima Garden and were lucky enough to get nice seats at the riverside cafe. Above all, visiting the Sky Building was an unexpected opportunity for your wife, a professional architect. We really had a great time today. Thank you very much.
Jee M.
Osaka Castle and waterfront view of downtown Osaka
Customized
“Osaka tour”
Suji is a responsible guide.
Shuji O.
(12 reviews)Thank you for your high rating. We found that Osaka Castle and Aqualiner can be enjoyed even if you use a wheelchair. Thank you for listening to some stories about Nakanoshima and Osaka Castle. I hope I could satisfy your interests. Have a nice time for the rest of your trip to Japan.
“Great guide with good historical knowledge ”
Shuji’s English was very good and we really enjoyed our conversations with him. As a former history teacher his in depth knowledge of the region provided us with a better understanding of Japanese history, religion, and culture. He was well prepared for our day trip to Nara. We would highly recommend him.
Shuji O.
(12 reviews)Thank you very much for your kind words. Even though we changed our itinerary drastically just two days before, we were very happy with our trip. Yes, I can be flexible. We had a lot in common that made me feel special. I'm so glad you had a good last day in Japan. I hope your long flight home is comfortable. Thank you very much.