All must-sees in 3 hours - Nara Park Classic Tour! From JR Nara!
Nara, Japanby NARAWALK
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation
- Instant confirmation
- Up to 15 travelers
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guide: English
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Overview
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. *This tour is not a private tour. This is a group tour with other guests. *The tour starts punctually. As this is a group tour, we do not wait for those who cannot or does not appear on time at the meeting spot. If you arrive late, unfortunately you cannot join the tour.
What's included
- One bus ride from JR Nara Station to Nara Park area
- Admission to Great Buddha Hall
- Meals and Drinks
Itinerary
- 1
Stop 1
5 min
Our meeting spot is JR Nara Station. You will find our guide in front of the ticket gates. There is only one location for ticket gates at JR Nara Station. So just come out, and find our guide with a white NaraWalk flag. *Note: If you find ticket gates at underground level, you are at Kintetsu Nara Station which is a station about 15 min. away on foot from JR Nara Station.
- 2
Kasuga Grand Shrine
30 min
Walk the precinct with the guide and most likely you can spot deer here and there. Find out why deer are freely roaming in Nara, the difference between Shinto and Buddhism and so on.
- 3
Todai-ji Temple
40 min
We visit the Great Buddha Hall to meet the Big Buddha. The guide will tell you stories behind the Big Buddha statue and the temple. It's a picture spot.
- 4
Nara Park
30 min
Our destinations, Todaiji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and Kofukuji Temple - it's not wrong to say all of them are in the Nara Park. Depending on the season and speed of the group, we may add more spots from the Nara Park.
- 5
Kofuku-ji Temple
20 min
We usually end the tour at this temple. The five-storied pagoda is photogenic. After informing you with history, we are happy to give you direction for train stations, afternoon plans, and a lunch. (*During June to September, when heatstroke is a concern, we may only visit Kasuga Grand Shrine, Nara Park and Todaiji Temple. If the temperature permits we may go to Kofukuji Temple. *Kofukuji Temple’s iconic five-storied pagoda is undergoing a major repair. It is scheduled to end in March 2031. You may not be able to see the tower till the project completes.)
Meeting and pickup
*Meet your guide in front of the ticket gate at JR Nara Station. JR Nara Station has only one ticket gate. Just come out, and find a NaraWalk guide with a white flag! (Ticket gate is a machine you tap your IC card or insert your train ticket.) *There are two "Nara Station" in Nara. Please come to JR Nara Station, not Kintetsu Nara Station. *If you have arrived at Kintetsu Nara Station, please come to JR Nara Station. This is not a private tour, and our only meeting place is JR Nara Station. *The tour starts punctually. As this is a group tour, we do not wait for those who cannot or does not appear on time at the meeting spot. If you arrive late, unfortunately you cannot join the tour.
End point
During June to September, we may not go to Kofukuji Temple but end the tour at Todaiji Temple to prevent heatstroke. Only on cooler days we would go to Kofukuji Temple. Within 10 min walking distance, there are restaurants, souvenir shops, Nara National Museum and a bus stop heading back to JR/Kintetsu Nara Station. Todaiji Temple is right next to the green of Nara Park, people who like deer might prefer ending the tour here irrelevant to heatstroke.
We usually finish at Kofukuji Temple. Walking from here to JR Nara Station is about 20 min, to Kintetsu Nara Station 5 min, to a bus stop heading to JR Nara Station 3 min, and to the nearest shopping and dining area 3 min.
Good to know
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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- The tour route includes steps and a gravel path where you would need to carry or need a harder push for your baby stroller.
- If you are arriving at Kintetsu Nara Station, please come to JR Nara Station. We cannot meet or pick you up at Kintetsu Nara Station, since this is not a private tour. We take a bus from JR Nara Station, and we do not stop at Kintetsu Nara Station.
- The tour starts punctually. As this is a group tour, we do not wait for those who cannot or does not appear on time at the meeting spot. If you arrive late, unfortunately you cannot join the tour.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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