Top Nara Prefecture Cultural Tours

Join the highlights Tour at Nara Cycle Tours and meet other travelers, or do it in private and your guide can make this day special for your own group.

If you don’t speak Japanese, it can be hard to navigate Japan like a local. This tour of Nara, Japan’s ancient capital, is designed to  help you do just that. Leave the crowds of Kyoto behind and discover the peaceful city of Nara: its temples, shrines, traditional houses and divine deer. Explore the backstreets and alleys of the merchants district, and try authentic street food.

Explore Nara away from all tourists, on a bike, reach the top of Wakakusayama Mountain, explore a lost temple in the forest, admire hidden Buddhist statues carved in stone... A tour that mixes sport, nature and Japanese history for a very unique experience and amazing memories.

The ideal introduction for first-time visitors, this half-day, small-group walking tour of Nara covers a mix of must-see and under-the-radar sights. Enter a historic merchant’s house, discover a hidden Japanese pyramid, and visit the iconic shrines of the temple complex—with plenty of time to interact with Nara’s resident deer. A tasty lunch and admission tickets to all shrines are included.

Explore Nara with a government-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 National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

Nara's charm is not only deers but also its traditional country lifestyle, which has been inherited from generations to generations.Half a day off-the-beaten walk to an oldest road "Yamanobe no michi" will lead you to deep cultural understanding on satoyama villages. You will come across small farm stands and people's life.

Come with me to discover Yoshino, in the South of Nara prefecture! Surrounded by nature and inside mountains, Yoshino is the place to visit especially during the beautiful sakura season, better between April 13~15. But even out season, Yoshino is a high place of History, mostly with Kukai, Buddhist monk from the 9th century the Southern Imperial Court of Japan (14th century).

This is a guided walking tour covering all must-sees of Nara Park area. Instead of looking down at your smartphones or guidebooks for information, look up and around to enjoy the city. Our guide is sure to tell you history, picture spots, about deer and so on. The tour usually ends around 1 pm; you have enough time to explore the city on your own afterwards.

You will visit three world heritages of the eight in Nara on this tour! If you like Japanese architecture, history or art you better book this tour right now! Each of the spots you will visit has interesting features such as a three-storied pagoda which looks like to have six stories and a small five-storied pagoda stored in a room. If you are lucky, you can take pictures of the illuminated five-storied pagoda with deer around it! To visit all those spots, you will have to use public transportation which is troublesome in a foreign country, but you have your otomo guide on this tour who will take you around! Don’t forget to book your tour to visit the world heritage with your otomo guide!

Are you excited to hear there is a 1300 years old remain under reconstruction? If yes there is no way to skip this tour! Its been more than 60 years since a research team started digging and reconstructing Heijo Palace but it is said that only one-third of it is revealed so far. But in 2018 a memorial park was built where you can visit reproduced huge buildings by bikes and Segway! You will also a dynamic video showing the ancient days on a five dimension screen in a VR theater. You can enjoy the thousand-year-old remain and the latest technology at the same time on this tour! Don’t forget to book your tour to visit a famous remain, with your otomo guide!

Don’t miss the famous Buddhist image of Todai-Ji temple and the three thousand bamboo lamps at “Kasuga-Taisha” if you come to Nara! We will take you there and give detail explanation about them on this tour. You will first visit the popular hall of the great Buddha which is a national treasure and world cultural heritage. “Nigatsu-do” which is located behind Todai-Ji temple is not so popular, but the view of the whole city from there is superb! After hiking through a forest with wild deer and visiting a famous Japanese sword shop, we will get to “Kasuga Taisha”. The three thousand bamboo lamps there is beyond description! Don’t forget to book your photogenic tour!

Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. Well known for its roaming deer, the ancient capital of Japan is a wonderful place to visit, filled with history, nature, and fresh air aplenty. With a great combination of shrines, temples, parks, and amazing views, it makes for a stress-free wandering experience. Where is the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world found in Nara? You will have a chance to explore the city while hearing fascinating facts and legends. Did you know deers found on Nara Deer Park are believed to be the messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion? If you bow to the deer (with senbei in hand), they might just bow back! You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings, and corners of Nara. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it!

This is the perfect tour for first-time visitors to Nara who want to get a good overview in a short space of time. You won’t have to worry about navigating as a guide takes you around a shortlist of Nara’s best sights. See the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Todai-ji Temple, and Kasuga Taisha Shrine, visit the traditional houses of Naramachi, and see the city’s many semi-wild deer.

This is a walking tour with your private tour guide who have lived Nara more than 10 years and have worked at tourist information center before.

Nara is the ancient capital of Japan prior to Kyoto, and the Japanese dynasty started from this area. In this tour, you will visit representing sightseeing and photo spots in Nara. This tour is designed to enable you to enjoy spots in a completely relaxed way while strolling around early in the morning with fresh air and fewer tourists. Nara is the only place in the world where about 1,300 wild deer roam freely. You can get really close to those cute animals and feed them while they bow begging for deer crackers. Let's experience ancient Japanese culture and enjoy the site of adorable animals.

Nara has flourished as a central city of Japan more than 1,000 years ago so it still has many remains and streets with ancient atmosphere! You will visit those streets on this tour, but also a café where you can play with owls and a spot where you can make your own plastic food model! You will also rent a “kimono”! Imagine the pictures you will take on historical streets wearing a “kimono”. No doubt that it will be the best souvenir for yourself of this tour! Talking about souvenirs for yourself, you will also make an Incense and an accessory made from deer horn! Don’t forget to book your tour to discover Nara and walk around the city in a “kimono”, with your otomo guide!

This tour helps you uncover the best of Japan’s ancient capital—Nara in half a day. Visit multiple temples, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Todai-ji Temple, and Kofukuji Temple. Learn about the semi-tame deer that freely roam Nara Park, and visit a sake brewery too. You’ll save hours researching Nara’s highlights by having a guide to lead the way and take you to a shortlist of the city’s best sights.

How about visiting the oldest five-storied pagoda in the world and world heritage, Horyuji Temple with your otomo guide? Horyuji Temple has brought the dawn of Japanese Buddhism and is the oldest world heritage in Japan. There are many historical Buddhist image and structures that will make you excited and overwhelmed! The five-storied pagoda there is the oldest one in the world, but its quake-proof technique of the structure is the same as used in TOKYO SKYTREE! You will also visit an ancient tomb, a unique temple, the countryside with fields and rice fields, and a café peculiar to a historical city! Don’t forget to book your tour to visit the oldest world heritage in Japan!

In Old Japan, many enjoyed a visit to the temple via a long, crowded highway where the town flourished around it. It is in Nara this atmosphere remains to this day! Firstly, we will visit "Hase temple." Drop by an old liquor shop or Japanese confectionary shop to experience the travels of the past. Go up the 399 stairs of Hase temple where a dynamic view and main hall awaits! The view from the theatre is super, there is also no doubt you will be overwhelmed by the size. Later we will visit Odamo, a castle town that flourished along the Ise road to Ise-Shrine. There are several old stores, including sake breweries, Japanese confectionary stores and old private cafes. A great atmosphere!

Explore Nara with a government-licensed and experienced multilingual guide! Your guide will help you efficiently enjoy a full-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 full-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 six-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 National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history.

~Explore numerous national treasures with a local guide in the early but quiet morning ~ Our certified guide who lives in Nara will take you to all the highlights. Be an early bird and take advantage of fewer tourists and the fresh air on a placid morning in the ancient capital. It is a great pleasure for us to take you to our beloved Nara and its highlights.

This is a Nara private tour using by public transportation from Kyoto. The guide will pick you up at the hotel. No problem with train and bus transfers, as the guides are with you! The destinations of the tour includes Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha, deer park, and other UNESCO World Heritage Site temples! For details of the tour, you can look at the what to expect section and inclusions excursions section of this web page.

This tour is the occasion to present you a Japanese village with a glorious past. Asuka dates from Japanese protohistory. Yamato land sometimes established there its capital which were not fixed in the 6th~7th century before moving "for good" to Heijo-kyo in 710. Asuka is nowadays a big village with 5620 inhabitants. Relatively close to nearby cities, farmers and townsmen willing for better living standards live together. This village is still proud of its past and shows it to us. This ancient capital place also aims to be registered as UNESCO World Heritage in 2024 as "Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological sites of Japan’s Ancient Capitals and Related Properties". Furthermore, unlike other cities, Japanese urbanism is well respected. We can visit an old town as it was during Edo Period (1600-1868) between all the historical sites. This Edo atmosphere is also worth it.

Imaicho in Kashihara City, which preserves Japan's unique cityscape, It is a very precious place in Japan that has been designated as an important traditional building preservation area. Why don't you experience Japanese culture in a wonderful place where the unique history of Japan is protected? Have a relaxing time to relieve your travel fatigue.