Nara Deer Park, Uji Matcha, & Hot Spring Full-Day Tour from Osaka

Overview

Available languages

Chinese (Taiwan)

Japanese

English

9 hours

Mobile ticket

Embark on an enchanting day tour through Nara and Uji, perfect for culture enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. Begin your adventure at Nara Park, where you can feed and interact with the friendly deer amidst stunning autumn foliage. Explore the historical Todai-ji Temple with its towering Great Buddha statue and the serene Kasuga Taisha Shrine, adorned with hundreds of lanterns. Enjoy a traditional lunch surrounded by nature before heading to Uji, a haven for matcha lovers. Stroll down Byodo-in Omotesando Street, indulging in matcha treats, and visit the picturesque Byodo-in Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Conclude your day with a relaxing soak in the natural hot springs of Genji-no-Yu, where you can unwind and rejuvenate in a tranquil Japanese setting. This tour offers a perfect blend of cultural immersion, scenic beauty, and relaxation, making it ideal for those seeking an unforgettable Japanese experience.

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Public transportation options are available nearby

Specialized infant seats are available

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

1. Due to traffic, weather, or other unforeseen circumstances, the itinerary may change. We recommend avoiding other evening plans.

2. Guests with tattoos are not permitted in most Japanese hot springs. Bathing is done without clothing in Japan.

3. Vehicle type varies based on group size (10–45 seats). If fewer than 13 participants, the guide may also serve as driver with basic commentary.

4. Look for the guide holding a yellow ‘Gogoday’ flag at the meeting point. Arrive 15 minutes early; no refunds for late arrivals or no-shows.

5. Be cautious when feeding the deer—some may be playful or persistent.

6. If the number of participants is fewer than 13, the tour guide will also serve as the driver and provide only basic explanations.

7. This is a shared group tour with guests from various countries. The guide will provide multilingual explanations.

8. You’ll receive an email the evening before your tour with the guide and driver’s contact details.

9. Bring cash, as some attractions and shops may not accept credit cards.

10. The Uji Onsen shuttle bus runs on a fixed schedule. In case of delays or itinerary changes, it may not be possible to catch the bus.

11. The final image in the product gallery shows the actual meeting point—please review before your tour.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Nara Park

After meeting your driver and tour guide at meeting point,: 8: 40 am Nipponbashi Exit 2 (Namba Shinsaibashi area). 9: 50 am Head to Nara Park, home to thousands of freely roaming deer, at the foot of Mt. Wakakusa in Nara City. Get some crackers to feed the deer, take a stroll through the urban park, or grab a snack from one of the many tea houses around.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Todai-ji Temple

Reach the Todaiji Temple . Discover a priceless trove of history and culture at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. See one of Japan's most famous and historically significant Buddhist temple complexes. Enter the Daibutsuden to see a 15-meter-tall bronze statue of Buddha.

40 minutes • Admission Not Included

What‘s Included

Professional multilingual guide (English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese)

Pick-up from designated meeting point in Osaka

Round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle

Driver and guide service fees

Lunch

Todaiji Temple admission

Hot spring entry

Options

Nara + Uji Tour + Uji Onsen

Nara + Uji tour(without Onsen)

Reviews

3.90

21 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great activity, worst Guide ever
Therese B,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
1.00
The activity itself was great- I would Book an indoor viewing of the phoenix temple though. The Guide Eider Liao was the worst we ever had He hardly greeted and only told us (in a terrible English) Rules Rules Rules but nothing about the sights He is Chinese and clearly Only served the Chinese Touristen in the Bus All europeans and americans were second class for him Nara deer Park is Great and he couldnt do anything wrong there But we had no idea about uji and he could not tell us anything His spoken english cannot be understood
Nara and uji trip
PRETTY,,Oct 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Great start to learn about Nara, all the temple we visited is worth the time and dime definitely highly recommended to my friends and family, kudos to Leo on his amazing navigational instruction and tidbits on places and temples to check in. This trip is highly recommended
Lazy, thoughtless and poorly organized tour of Osaka
H7451LBchristianh,,Oct 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00
I should have known it was going to be a problem when the night before the tour, the tour guide, Yoyo sent a QR Code for the meeting spot which led to a dodgy website instead of google maps. Either way we arrived at the appointed time and place and were pointed in the general direction of the bus. The first stop was Nara Park, which was generally nice, but tour wise we were just dropped in the middle, given a pack of cookies for the deer and told to meet back there at a certain time to walk back with the group to the bus or just meet back at the bus if you wanted to walk there at your own pace. Knowing that we would likely get lost trying to find the bus, we opted to meet at the appointed spot and walk with the group. Despite saying we were going to leave the meeting spot at 20 past the hour, the group didn't start walking until 35 past the hour, at which point the group walked very quickly. We were behind the pack, but still with other group members. Upon reaching the bus, the people in front of us got on the bus, the doors closed and the bus started pulling away. I had to chase down the bus at the end of the parking lot with my family to avoid being left behind. Upon getting on the bus, we were given a lecture about being on time, even though we were at the meeting point early, but fell behind due to the speed the group was moving. The tour guide Yoyo then had the gall to call us all family after almost leaving us and a few other people behind. The next stop was Uji where we were brought to the ticket counter and given vague directions and instructions to meet back at the parking lot at the appointed time. There was no actual tour and we were left to figure out where to go ourselves. Not wanting to be left behind again, we got back to the bus 30 minutes early. The last stop was the worst of all in that there was no explanation when booking the tour that if you had a tattoo that you would not be able to enter the hot spring. This was only explained after we left Uji on the way to the hot spring. Those that couldn't enter were told to go to the 7-Eleven or stay on the bus for an hour. There were no real alternatives at the location, as it was far from anything else to see. This was a complete insult and waste of money and the tour guide implied that only criminals and people that aren't normal had tattoos. Save your money and book with a reputable tour company that is actually geared to foreign tourists. The other tours that we took in Tokyo and Kyoto by Japan Panoramic Tours were much better organized.
Leo is the best!
Rashida D,,Oct 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Leo was such an awesome tour guide, he is extremely knowledgeable on ALL things Japan. The deer park was my our favorite, super cute and you get lots of time at this stop. The hot springs was a cool way to end the trip!
It's a glorified private shuttle
PituS,,Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
2.00
It's just a private shuttle. The tour guide doesn't really tell you what to expect or what to do at all, except that we have to be back by a certain amount of time. When we got to the deer park, there was not a lot of explaining how to get to deer park or the temple. We wandered for a bit before realizing there was much more. At Uji, he focused on the shrines rather than the matcha that was supposed to be the highlight of the stop. Most tours are informative and they speak so much, you're just wanting to go to the site. This tour was underwhelming
Amazing tour. Our your...
Blanca R,,Sep 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Amazing tour. Our your guide Etta was so fun and charismatic person. The deer at the Nara park are so cute and the Toda-ji temple amazing. At Uji, the matcha ice cream so good. Better way to finish the tour having a relaxing bath at a onsen. 100% recommended 👌
The trip was very good...
Alice F,,Jul 27, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The tour was very good. Always punctual on departure times. The guide, Etta, was very friendly and lively. We love all the places we visit. I recommend!
Etta was great! She was...
Giovanni T,,Jul 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Etta was great! She was informative and funny! She gave good tips on how to feed the deer at Nara Park and gave us insights on things to do in Osaka.
Wonderful experience. Would recommend
binyamg2025,,Jun 28, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Thank you to Kou Tan our guide for a wonderful trip of Kyoto, Nara park, Todaiji temple and Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine the main attractions. It was a good snap shot of everything in Kyoto area. I really loved every part of the trip and Kou was knowledgeable about the history and was able to answer questions and guide the group professionally.
English was clearly not...
Darius D,,Jun 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
English was clearly not the language that the tour operator wanted to communicate with. They spoke each time for a half hour in Chinese and then maybe 2 sentences in English almost as an afterthought. We felt very left out of the conversation for a lot of the time.