Top Things to do in Nara
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Top 10 City Tours in Nara, Kinki
Thirteen hundred years ago, Nara (then Heiju-kyu) was the imperial capital of Japan. "Old Japan" is still easy to spot here, from Great Buddha Hall to traditional ryokans and the serene Isuien garden. Travelers rave about walking tours of Nara, particularly in the historic Naramachi merchant area.
Restaurants in Nara
1. Nara private tour from Osaka (Shore excursion available from Osaka or Kobe port)
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Nara was an ancient capital of Japan from 710 to 784. You'll explore peaceful shrines, Great buddha hall in Nara park and amazing Japanese garden called Isuien. Nara has beautiful natural scenery, good traditional food, cultural and historical sites. Several historical sites have been resistered on UNESCO's World Heritage List. One of the most exciting things is deer in the park. They are so tamed and cute. Our professional friendly tour guide will show you the best route and some places that is hard to find for the first time visitors. Why don't you have a great day in Nara with us?
Inclusions: Professional guide, Hotel/port pickup, Drop-off at designated area, Private tour, Lunch
Exclusions: Transportation fee (2,000-3,000JPY per person for public transportation, 60,000JPY for a private van, Gratuities, Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Reviewed By Cheryl S
We loved our Kyoto tour! Our guides Aki and Minako made it so special, the whole tour guide team even came on the call to sing Happy Birthday for my daughter. They also made a lovely personalised video for her birthday. The entire experience was so interesting and enjoyable. Definitely recommend!
2. Nara Private tour with local guide
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
In this private tour, you can visit principal attractive sites in Nara using your time the most efficiently. Of course, you can customize the tour as you'd like. For example, if you omit ''Nara-machi, old merchant district '', you can add Fuishimiinari shrine in Kyoto. Visiting both Fushimiinari and Nara in one way would be very convenience and you will have enough time to enjoy both.
Inclusions: Private guide in English or Español, Pick up at your hotel in Kyoto
Exclusions: Entrance fee, Food and drink, Transportation
Reviewed By ajain240981
Mayako San was extremely supportive in organising a fantastic day tour of Kyoto. It was an extremely well planned tour. She is very kind and very accommodating for changes. Extremely helpful! Highly recommended for people who want to have a fantastic tour of Kyoto
3. Nara Half-day Private Tour Osaka/Kyoto departure with Nationally-Licensed Guide
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1 reviews
Explore Nara with a nationally-licensed and experienced multilingual guide! Your guide will help you efficiently enjoy a half-day walking tour of Nara and introduce both modern and traditional sides of this dynamic and ancient Japanese city. Nara's proximity to Kyoto and Osaka, and its rich collection of traditional sites, make it an ideal destination for a day trip from either of its larger neighbors. Your private guide can help you efficiently enjoy a half-day walking tour of this ancient Japanese city. You can start your day at your hotel in Osaka, Kyoto. Let us know what you would like to experience and we will customize a four-hour tour that's best for you! Note*1: Please select your must-see spots from a list in the tour information to create your customized itinerary. Note*2: The Nationally-licensed Tour Guide-Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.
Inclusions: Free Photos, Hotel Pick up and Drop-off, Licensed Local Guide
Exclusions: Other personal expenses, Lunch - Lunch (for yourself and your guide), Entrance fee (for yourself), Private Vehicle, Transportation fee (for yourself and your guide)
Reviewed By Cwshaman
The flexibility to chose locations that suited our wants and abilities was great. Hiro San was very quick to put together an itinerary that accommodated a family with a stroller-baby (no monkey park due to long unpacked walking paths). Taking in the beautiful temples and view of the Kyoto from the west was breath taking and the guide was able to explain many things we as new Japanese learners could not read or know through cultural knowledge. Overall a great experience, a wonderful and lively guide, and some great memories.
4. The Essence of Nara Cultural Tour: Big Buddha, Bambi and Backstreets
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 20 reviews
Explore the ancient capital of Japan with us and discover a peaceful city, brimming with dazzling temples, shrines, imperial tombs and machiya houses built in the traditional style. We’ll meet divine deer roaming the streets, grab some tasty street food, chat with locals about living and working here and show you our favourite hidden gems in the alleys of the old city. All this at your own pace, without the hassle or the crowds of a typical day in Kyoto. What are you waiting for?!
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, Entrance fees for all the sites mentioned, Local snacks
Exclusions: Additional food and drink, Gratuities for your guide
Reviewed By Ebayasianf
I booked a virtual tour of Kyoto's traditional Higashiyama neighborhood from Amazon Explore. We had the pleasure and good fortune to have Akemi as our tour guide. She spoke good English and was very accommodating to our requests for pictures, shopping, and information. We truly felt the Japan experience and enjoyed it so much, we want to do more travel explore segments. We had been to Japan but somehow missed this beautiful neighborhood. Akemi engaged the local people and introduced them to us and they would take the time to say hello! We saw geishas and couples getting married. Then Akemi helped us look for souvenirs, which we have already received back in the U.S.! The best part was Akemi writing on a monkey wish souvenir and hanging it at the temple. We are planning a trip to Japan and were so impressed with Akemi, we definitely will try to contact her for tour services and thank her in person for such a wonderful experience.
5. KYOTO & NARA by Minivan Toyota HIACE 2019 Customize Your Itinerary
Overall Ratings
4.6 based on 5 reviews
Private VIP Tour in KYOTO & NARA allows you to “Customize Your Itinerary” to fit your specific travel expectations. You have your own private Minivan Toyota HIACE 2019 and English speaking driver for approximately 8 hours. Our team assists you to manage the tour, give recommendations, make reservations and check information. <<< You customize your own Day Trip in KYOTO & NARA >>> STEP1: We propose list of famous destinations while you share with us your travel desires and special requests. STEP2: With careful communication and planning, we share and exchange our draft detailed itinerary. STEP3: We revise/finalize the itinerary. ***You can always change the itinerary even on the day while traveling on the van. Please feel free to reach our team and driver for recommendation at any time. ***Extra 1 ~ 2 hours will be given for free only in case of heavy traffic jam and unexpected delay(s). ***Extra charges will be applied for over time service.
Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Private transportation
Exclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Reviewed By iamwillbar
We chose this experience so we could fit a number of sights into a single day as we could since we were only spending 3 full days in Kyoto. This allowed us to focus on seeing the things we wanted to rather than transportation between each sight. Marine-san worked with us over email to come up with an itinerary that was efficient and included the majority of the sights that we wanted to see. On the day Shenji-san sent us a message so we had his contact details and arrived promptly at our hotel. He drove us to each location, took photos of us (so we could all be in them!), and gave us additional facts about each location. He was a fantastic host for the day and we'd highly recommend this experience.
6. Nara Like a Local: Customized Private Tour
Get to know the city through the eyes of a passionate local. With no set itinerary, you can customize the tour or leave it up to the local for an insightful introduction to the city. Make travel about the people you meet not just the places you see.
Inclusions: Local guide ("Lokafyer", Customized private walking tour
Exclusions: Personal expenses, Tips and gratuities (optional), Optional activity costs, Food and drinks, Transportation to/from attractions (It’s a walking tour, car transportation isn’t included)
7. Heijo Palace Walking Tour (Half Day)
Visit the “Heijo Palace;” one of the World Heritage site “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.” This is the remains of the ancient capital of Japan. Some of the architecture has been reconstructed in the same scale and style from ancient times; such as “Imperial Audience Hall” where various rituals were conducted, “Suzaku-mon Gate” which was the front gate to the palace, and “Suzaku-oji Avenue” which was the main street of the ancient capital. Let’s explore and think about the people who built the Japanese capital more than 1,300 years ago, and experience some of ancient lives and cultures.
Inclusions: Guide in English, Local bus ride from JR Nara Station (west exit) to Suzakumon-hiroba-mae Bus Stop (round trip)
Exclusions: Drinks, Shopping expenses, Other personal expenses
Reviewed By Muhammad Hilmi M
Spend 1/2 day here. once you reached the station, exit and take the 1 day pass that cost your Y500. Alternatively the tickets to NARA dear park is Y210 each way. The deer wont disappoint you as there's plenty of them. After Oct 2019, the cost of biscuit to feed the deer is Y200 instead of Y150. Plenty of temples around but you need good legs. Alternatively you can take the rickshaw for a small fee. For the muslims, there's a good halal outlet, PY Halal that offers 100% muslim food and the owner is pleasant. There an attached prayer room in the same restaurant. You wont miss it as it is where the shopping area is located.
8. Heijo Palace and Yamato Koriyama Walking Tour (Full Day)
In the morning, visit the “Heijo Palace;” one of the World Heritage site “Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara.” This is the remains of the ancient capital of Japan. Some of the architecture has been reconstructed in the same scale and style from ancient times; such as “Imperial Audience Hall” where various rituals were conducted, “Suzaku-mon Gate” which was the front gate to the palace, and “Suzaku-oji Avenue” which was the main street of the ancient capital. Let’s explore and think about the people who built the Japanese capital more than 1,300 years ago, and experience some of ancient lives and cultures. In the afternoon, you will visit a castle town “Yamato koriyama” prospered in and after the 16th century. Enjoy strolling through the castle town, where traditional Japanese streetscapes and lives still remain.
Inclusions: Guide in English, Local bus ride from JR Nara Station (west exit) to Suzakumon-hiroba-mae Bus Stop, Lunch, Local train ride from Kintetsu Yamatosaidaiji Station to Kintetsu Yamatokoriyama Station, Experience (Japanese confectionery and goldfish scooping)
Exclusions: Drinks, Shopping expenses, Other personal expenses
Reviewed By Muhammad Hilmi M
Spend 1/2 day here. once you reached the station, exit and take the 1 day pass that cost your Y500. Alternatively the tickets to NARA dear park is Y210 each way. The deer wont disappoint you as there's plenty of them. After Oct 2019, the cost of biscuit to feed the deer is Y200 instead of Y150. Plenty of temples around but you need good legs. Alternatively you can take the rickshaw for a small fee. For the muslims, there's a good halal outlet, PY Halal that offers 100% muslim food and the owner is pleasant. There an attached prayer room in the same restaurant. You wont miss it as it is where the shopping area is located.
9. Discover Traditional Nara Walking Tour (Half day)
This tour visits three must-see spots in deer park, Nara. Kasuga-taisha shrine - praised for its beautiful vermilion constructions and three thousand of stone lanterns and hanging lanterns, Todai-ji temple - renowned for its Great Buddha originally created in the eighth century, and Kofuku-ji temple - closely related to Fujiwara family, a noble family once at the summit of its prosperity. This tour is recommended not only for first-time visitors to Nara but also for repeat visitors to discover new charms of Nara.
Inclusions: Guide in English, Public transportation, Air-conditioned vehicle
Exclusions: Lunch, Drinks, Shopping expense, Other personal expense
Reviewed By Muhammad Hilmi M
Spend 1/2 day here. once you reached the station, exit and take the 1 day pass that cost your Y500. Alternatively the tickets to NARA dear park is Y210 each way. The deer wont disappoint you as there's plenty of them. After Oct 2019, the cost of biscuit to feed the deer is Y200 instead of Y150. Plenty of temples around but you need good legs. Alternatively you can take the rickshaw for a small fee. For the muslims, there's a good halal outlet, PY Halal that offers 100% muslim food and the owner is pleasant. There an attached prayer room in the same restaurant. You wont miss it as it is where the shopping area is located.
10. Nara Day Trip from Kyoto with a Local: Private & Personalized
Travel to Japan’s 8th century capital and immerse yourself in Nara’s ancient heritage and leafy green surroundings. With one of our hosts by your side, you will make the short journey from Kyoto to this city, which plays home to some of the most significant Zen temples and Shinto shrines in all of Japan. When lunch rolls around (which it inevitably does), you can enjoy authentic Kansai cuisine at a tranquil spot. Within 24 hours after booking you'll receive a short questionnaire about your personality and interests. Based on your responses, you'll be assigned a like-minded host. Your host will communicate with you directly to suggest an itinerary to help you discover what makes the city unique. You will also agree on a meeting time and place. Your itinerary is flexible, so during the experience, you can always change your mind about what you want to do.
Inclusions: Private and personalized experience, 9 hours with a host (including travel time from Kyoto), Tickets to Isui-en Garden, Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga-Taisha Shrine, Kofuku-ji Temple and other, Walking experience once in Nara (other transportation can be arranged)
Exclusions: Food and drinks, Tickets to attractions other than the ones listed above, Bicycle rentals, Transportation costs (Japan Rail Pass holders can travel free on the JR), Gratuities (optional)
Reviewed By Dream785864
We thoroughly enjoyed our walking tour of Kyoto despite the rain! Our guide Giada took us to three main sites of interest and a great market. Her English was perfect and we ate in a locals place for lunch. Highly recommend.
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