Nara private tour (Shore excursion available from Osaka or Kobe port)

We had a wonderful day with Minako. The communication with her prior to the tour was excellent. She organized a day trip from Kobe to Nara for us. Minako met us at our hotel in Kobe which made it so much easier for us since we had to take a taxi and train to get to Nara. Once we arrived in Nara Minako had planned out a route to see all the main attractions in Nara. She adjusted the itinerary to meet the needs of our small group. We had a lovely lunch in a restaurant that Minako picked out for us. She was very professional and friendly. Don’t hesitate to book a tour with Minako and All Star Osaka Walks, you will have a great day!

We had an excellent private tour of Nara with our guide, Ichiro (Ichi). He met us right at Osaka Port soon after our ship arrived - early and ready to go - which made the start of our day smooth and stress-free. He expertly guided us through the trains to Nara, and from the moment we arrived, he took great care of our group of six, which included three seniors (ages 79, 78, and 73) who needed breaks throughout the day. There is quite a bit of walking and some steps at the shrine and temple, but Ichi made sure they always had time to rest, and at one point even arranged a taxi so they could skip a long walk and meet us at the next stop. His patience, kindness, and flexibility really stood out. Our sightseeing started at Kasuga Taisha, a beautiful and peaceful shrine filled with hundreds of stone and bronze lanterns - plus the famous Nara deer wandering everywhere. From there we walked to Tōdai-ji to see the massive Great Buddha inside the incredible wooden hall. Afterward, we fed even more deer at Nara Park before heading back toward Nara Station for a delicious Japanese lunch. We ended the day strolling through the shops around the station and even got to watch a live mochi pounding demonstration. The hojicha-flavored mochi was especially good! Overall, this tour was well-planned, memorable, and made even better by Ichi’s thoughtful guidance. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Nara, especially if you have seniors or mixed-ability travelers in your group. Aloha Ichi!

Nara park and the temples were a beautiful experience. We enjoyed the atmosphere and our guide Ichiro spoke flawless English and was very informative. He also was very helpful explaining many things about Japanese culture.

We were a group of solo travellers from a cruise ship. Akie was a terrific guide. She was punctual meeting us at our ship and returning us to port. We had an amazing day at Nara with the deer and beautiful shrine. We also got to try some local cuisine.

We had a wonderful time on this private tour to Nara. Ichiru was instrumental is getting us through the public transportation system from the Kobe Port to Nara. He was so patient with us as we got sidetracked with feeding the bowing deer. It was a worthwhile, unforgettable excursion.

Our tour guide, Aki-san, was awesome! She paid attention to every detail, answered all of our questions and was extremely patient with my two grandchildren. She even entertained us at the end of the tour with fun clapping songs to end our tour in a very happy and dynamic mood.

From beginning to end, my husband and I had a wonderful day trip to Nara with our excellent guide, Miyo. She first met us at our hotel to greet us. From there, we walked, took the subway, and made our way to Nara. Using the subway system was so much easier with a guide around, especially since we are new travelers to Japan. During our tour to visit various sites within Nara, we learned a lot about the history. Miyo also answered the many questions we had about Japan and its culture. She also provided us with some tips on where to eat, etc. After visiting Nara, Miyo guided us through some Osaka spots that we weren't aware of previously. I can't express enough how wonderful it is to have a private guide, but to have one that we connect with. She made our day special and memorable. Definitely recommend it.

From beginning to end, my husband and I had a wonderful day trip to Nara with our excellent guide, Miyo. She first met us at our hotel to greet us. From there, we walked, took the subway, and made our way to Nara. Using the subway system was so much easier with a guide around, especially since we are new travelers to Japan. During our tour to visit various sites within Nara, we learned a lot about the history. Miyo also answered the many questions we had about Japan and its culture. She also provided us with some tips on where to eat, etc. After visiting Nara, Miyo guided us through some Osaka spots that we weren't aware of previously. I can't express enough how wonderful it is to have a private guide, but to have one that we connect with. She made our day special and memorable. Definitely recommend it.

We did this tour to Nara from the cruise ship in a group of 8 friends. Communication was great beforehand and Kaori was easy to find at the cruise.port. The taxi van was also comfortable with a good driver. We drove to Nara with Kaori telling us lots of facts and history to pass the time - not boring but very informative. On arriving in to Nara, we went to the parks and fed the deer (fab) and then went to see the Buddha and the temple. Kaori was our own personal tour guide and was just brilliant. We then went to the old town and wandered through with several stops to old houses and even saki tasting as we said we'd like to try! Then lunch which was well organised and delicious. Kaori went out of her way to find some gifts that a couple of our party wanted and a cash machine with instructions on how to use!! We then went to the shrine but unfortunately it was partly closed that day and Kaori was very apologetic but it wasn't her fault and couldn't be helped. It didn't spoil our day and she more than made up for it. Kaori took lots of photos of us which was great. We then travelled back to the port getting back in plenty of time. She even found us some treats to eat on the way back! A fantastic tour and Kaori was brilliant, thank you. Highly recommended.

I can't say enough about this tour. Minako met us as we came off the cruise ship in Kobe and escorted us via train to see Nara. She was helpful, pleasant and full of information without trying to bore us with too many details. She seemed to know just how much we wanted to talk without being too intrusive. I felt like I had a relative showing me the city rather than an official tour guide. We fed the deer at Nara park and visited the Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines. Minako even went out of her way to try to find a souvenir mug that my wife was looking for. Anyone visiting Kobe/Osaka/Nara must use All Star Osaka Walk if they want a tour of the area.