Shore Excursion: Full Day Private Nara Tour from Osaka /Kobe port
Description
Exclusively designed for cruise travelers docking in Kobe or Osaka, this customizable Nara tour takes you to iconic sights like Kofuku-ji Temple, Todaiji Temple, and the famous Nara Deer Park. Perfect for families and culture seekers, it offers a seamless, stress-free day with insider knowledge, sacred shrines like Kasuga Taisha, and unforgettable encounters with friendly deer—all while ensuring timely return to your ship Tour itinerary is designed based on hiring a car/van for 10 hours (Please carefully check the Inclusions & exclusions and the booking and payment options) to provide ample time to visit Nara's most iconic cultural & historic landmarks, ensuring a comprehensive experience of the city's rich heritage. Itinerary (Customizable): 08:00 Meeting at Osaka or Kobe port (depending on your cruise ship dock time) 09:30 Kofuku-ji Temple 11:00 Nara Deer Park 12:00 Lunch Break 13:30 Todaiji Temple 15:00 Kasuga Taisha Shrine 16:00 Back to the Port 18:00 Drop off at the port
Tour Options
Itinerary
Nara Park is famous for its hundreds of freely roaming sika deer, considered sacred and protected as national treasures. These friendly deer often approach visitors, especially if offered special deer crackers (shika senbei) sold throughout the park. The peaceful coexistence of wildlife, historic temples, and lush greenery makes it a uniquely charming experience.
A historic Buddhist temple in Nara, once the powerful family temple of the influential Fujiwara clan. Known for its striking Five-Story Pagoda (one of Japan's tallest) and elegant Eastern Golden Hall, the temple showcases exquisite examples of Nara-period architecture. As part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara" UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kōfuku-ji offers a serene atmosphere near Nara Park.
Todaiji Temple in Nara is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples, known for housing the Great Buddha (Daibutsu), one of the largest bronze statues of Buddha in the world. Originally built in the 8th century, the temple served as the head of all provincial Buddhist temples in Japan. Surrounded by beautiful parkland and friendly deer, Todaiji offers a serene and culturally rich experience.
Kasuga Taisha Shrine is Nara’s most celebrated Shinto shrine, famous for its hundreds of bronze and stone lanterns that line the pathways and hang throughout the grounds. Founded in 768 AD, the shrine is dedicated to the deity responsible for the protection of the city. Nestled within a tranquil forest, it offers a spiritual atmosphere and a glimpse into traditional Japanese architecture and customs.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your driver will be waiting exactly at the passenger exit of the cruise port, holding a sign with your name for easy identification. If your required pick-up location is not the cruise port, please specify in advance, and we’ll gladly accommodate your request.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(10)
Fantastic!! Our guide Ahmed understood totally what we wanted to get out of the day! He mixed history with stories about the cities and environments- perfect - thank you Ahmed!!
We thought the car fee was in but realized a day before that its not, so we had to pay it in cash to the driver, and we do not regret it. Our guide Kazz was fantastic!! He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Japan and the sites we visited, including Todaiji Temple and Nara Park with its friendly deer. He was very kind and considerate, making sure everyone in our group was comfortable, especially my elderly mother, and allowed time for rest when needed. Thank vou. Kazz!
The full-day private Nara tour was a fantastic experience! We learned so much about the city, its history, and the surrounding areas. Our guide Fumiaki was knowledgeable and friendly, spoke English well, and made the day smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. Seeing Todaiji Temple and its huge gate was unforgettable. It's definitely a 5-star experience and highly recommended
An absolutely amazing experience. We are so glad we booked it, even at the last minute! Our guide Hideki was fantastic, helping us customize the tour to exactly what we wanted. We visited Todaiji Temple and had a wonderful time with the friendly deer in Nara Park. Hiring a private car for the day made the whole experience comfortable and completely flexible. Do yourself a favor and book this tour, you won't regret it!
Mike was a fantastic guide. I let him know before the tour what I was interested in seeing and he made it all happen. We visited Todaiji Temple, deer parks and museumand Mike was knowledgeable, approachable, and very flexible throughout the tour. We also stopped at a wonderful local restaurant –WGYU Beef-for lunch, which was a highlight of the day. As travelers who do not speak Japanese, having a private guide like Mike made the experience easy and stress-free. Highly recommended!
The van was spacious and relaxing. Sohmiya was an excellent guide, providing us with exactly the tour we wanted and accommodating the early start we requested. We visited Nara Park, the temple with the big Buddha statue, and Kasuga taisha, and loved interacting with the friendly Nara deer, which was a real highlight of the day. As a bonus, Sohmiya is both personable and funny, making the experience even more enjoyable. If we return to the area -and we certainly hope we can, we would not hesitate to book another tour with Sohmiya.
Our day in Nara was truly unforgettable with Yukie as our guide. Nara was one of the reasons we came to Japan. We visited Todaiji temple to see the big Buddha statue and then wandered through Nara deer park. Despite a full schedule, Yukie made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy each site. She spoke excellent English and made the day smooth and enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a personalized and memorable Nara experience!
We really enjoyed our full day in Nara with Kazz, who showed us the best of the city’s highlights and temples. We enjoyed the deer park the most, but we were also astonished to see the big Buddha in Todaiji temple and the lanterns in Kasuga taisha shrine, and Kazz shared a lot insights about each stop. Thank you Kazz
Nice easy going guided tour by Keiko, she took us to places we wouldnt go / find ourselves. Easy to talk to with nice personality. We had a great time.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We are pleased to know you had a great time with Keiko. It is wonderful to hear she made your tour so enjoyable. We look forward to welcoming you back in the future.
We booked a tour with JETC company, and accepted the car hired fee and we do not regret it. The car nad the guide met us at the port and we visited the deer park and some temples in Nara, enjoyed Todaiji the most. Our guide , Toshiaki, was such a great friendly and knowledgeable guide, we highly recommend him. The car took us back to the port on time.
Thank you so much and are looking forward to serving you again
