Half-Day Group: Nara World Heritage Sites Tour

► Meeting Place: Sunrise Tours Desk at Kyoto Avanti B1F 
► How to Get: Reach Kyoto Station by Karasuma Line or bus No. 9, 50, 100, 101, or 206, and Kyoto Avanti is right across from its Hachijo Exit.
► Advice for Hotel Selection: It’s recommended to book a hotel near Kyoto Station or a station on the Karasuma Line for direct access to Kyoto Station by subway.

* For your information: Our Nara tour can also depart from Osaka. If you’re interested, please contact our travel consultant for more details.

After gathering in Kyoto, the guide will accompany you on a one-hour charter bus ride to Nara, during which you can enjoy the changing scenery outside the window while listening to a brief introduction about our Nara day tour. Nara is an ancient city with a history of 1,300 years, and was once Japan’s capital in the 8th century. Due to its relatively small size, Nara’s attractions are compact, making it possible to walk to nearly every spot with just the occasional charter bus ride. During the journey, there are some uphill sections, so remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Upon arrival, our first destination is Kasuga Taisha Shrine, a significant World Cultural Heritage site in Nara and the birthplace of the deer culture that has become the city’s symbol. Legend has it that the main enshrined deity of Kasuga Taisha Shrine arrived riding a white deer, and so did other fellow deities. Since then, deer have been regarded as messengers of the deities and are honored and protected by the locals. Along the path to the shrine, nestled in a primeval forest, numerous stone lanterns line both sides, each with hundreds of years of history, mostly donated by local believers. Occasionally, cute deer poke their heads out from behind the stone lanterns, captivating you with their moist eyes. Upon entering the shrine, we’ll walk through a corridor adorned with countless bronze lanterns to the special visit area, where you can better appreciate the solemn architectural beauty of the Main Sanctuary in a more sacred and tranquil atmosphere.

Then, you can expect to see herds of deer during our 20 to 30-minute leisurely walk through Nara Park. Despite their cuteness, deer are still wild animals and may sometimes act aggressively, so avoid touching them. If you want to feed them deer biscuits, it’s safer to choose a relatively docile female deer or scatter fawns in a secluded area to prevent being chased and robbed of food by the herd.

Afterward, we’ll reach another World Heritage Site, the Great Eastern Temple (Todai-ji Temple), which features the Great Buddha Hall, one of the world’s largest wooden buildings. From a distance, the tourists in the front square appear no larger than beans, highlighting the temple’s enormous presence. Stepping into the hall to see the 15-meter-high (49-foot) bronze Vairocana Buddha statue, which makes even this vast space feel cramped, you’ll discover a unique aspect of Japanese architecture where spatial senses of large and small coexist within a single building. Furthermore, the Great Eastern Temple is one of the few temples in Japan that allows photography inside the Buddha hall, so don’t miss this rare opportunity to capture its grandeur with your camera.

Ultimately, the guide will escort you back to Kyoto Avanti, where our journey ends. You can then return to the hotel on your own or explore some popular nightlife spots as you like.

► Where to Spend Your Free Evening in Kyoto
You may enjoy dinner in the high-rise Kyoto Station Building or on the Kyoto Tower Observation Deck, where you can savor delicious cuisine while taking in Kyoto’s night view. You can also catch the Karasuma Line to the heart of Kyoto’s nightlife in just over ten minutes. Appreciate the traditional charm of century-old townhouses along the lantern-lit path of Pontocho, relish the romantic night view with a cool breeze by the Kamo River, or drink to your heart’s content in the Kiyamachi-dori, which attracts a youthful crowd.

► We also offer the ‘Kyoto Day Tour’ and ‘Kyoto-Nara Day Tour’ in small group service. If you are looking for a more personalized travel plan, whether it’s to Nara, Kyoto, or extending to other popular destinations like Osaka and Tokyo, please feel free to contact us to customize a private tour.