Nara Early Morning Tour (Kyoto or Osaka Departure Available)

Overview

Available languages

English

4 hours 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Nara gets very crowded during the afternoon and it could be hard to take great photos. Therefore, in our tour we go to the main sites of Nara (Kofuku-ji Temple, Todaiji Temple, Nara Park, and Kasuga Grand Shrine) before the crowd comes.

⬇︎PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY⬇︎

*Please be at the meeting spot, 10 minutes early than the scheduled time. Since we have other groups in the tour, we CANNOT accept any late guests. and will not be given a refund.

* For guests that book the Kyoto/Osaka Station Pickup option, the fee from Kyoto/Osaka to Nara Station is included in the tour but the fee on the way back is not included.

*This tour has up to 12 guests.

*In this tour, we will walk about 10,000 steps. (stairs and hills included)

*We will be using the train to go from Kyoto/Osaka to Nara which each takes around 1 hour.

*Please note that the 4.5-hour tour duration applies only to the Kyoto and Osaka Station Departure Option. For the Kintetsu Nara Station Meet-up, it is 3.5 hours.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

We will walk about 10,000 steps during this tour.

Not recommended for guests over 75.

Guests under the age of 6 cannot join.

Cancellation Policy

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

What‘s Included

Transportation Fee from Kyoto/Osaka to Nara (Only if you select the option)

English-Speaking guide

Food and Drinks

Transportation Fee for returning from Nara to Kyoto/Osaka

Todai-ji Temple

What To Expect

Kofuku-ji Temple

Kofuku-ji Temple was established in Nara at the same time as the capital in 710. It is famous for it's five-storied pagoda, the second tallest wooden pagoda in Japan just seven meters shorter than the five-storied pagoda at Kyoto's Toji Temple. See this temple for yourself at sunrise!

30 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Kasuga Grand Shrine

Kasuga Grand Shrine is famous for it's lanterns, which have been donated by worshippers. There are approximately 3000 stone and bronze lanterns, standing as one of Japan's most historical shrines. It holds significance as the sacred grounds that inspired the presence of deer in Nara Park.

1 hour • Admission Not Applicable

Options

Osaka Station Pickup

Starting point:
Osaka Tourist Information Center, Japan, 530-0001 Osaka, Kita Ward, Umeda, 3-chōme1１ JR大阪駅中央コンコース

Kintetsu Nara Station Meet Up

Kintetsu Nara Station: We will meet you at in front of the Gyoki Bosatsu statue near Exit 2 or East Exist of Kintetsu Nara Station. (NOT JR Nara)
Starting point:
Kintetsu-Nara Station, Japan, 630-8215 Nara, Nishimikadochō, 東向中町29

Kyoto Station Pickup

Kyoto Station Pickup: We will meet at Kyoto Station Central Ticket Gate, the northern side of the station where you can see Kyoto Tower outside.
Starting point:
Kyoto Station, Higashishiokoji Kamadonocho, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, 600-8216, Japan

Reviews

4.92

588 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

561

Nice tour with a small group
Roam47220939034,
Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide Rina was very nice, patient and attentive. She gave us time to enjoy the day and was very helpful. We had a wonderful day!
Great tour in Nara
Navigate496566,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had a great tour yesterday in Nara. Futaba is an amazing guide, knowledgeable, interesting and very pleasant. Petting the dears was a very fun experience and Futaba helped making sure they are not too pushy :) Highly recommended!
Fun with the deer!!
Culture84792,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Futaba is an amazing tour guide. She knew so much history and answered our many questions. Feeding the deer was so much fun, you have to try it! Futaba knew how to kindly keep them from nipping at us and showed us how to best feed them. She also gave us many great recommendations for us to explore in our own after the tour. So much fun
Great day trip
Rachel P,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Rina was a great tour guide! We learned so much on the tour and appreciated all the knowledge. It was a great day trip from Kyoto.
Tour guide was great at showing us around Nara
696caitlinp,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide, Seishiro, was extremely kind and knowledgeable. Took great photos and gave great recommendations. He even looked out for the children in the group. There were a ton of deer and they were all wanting food. Some even nipped at our clothes and ate a paper bag from a group member. Doing the tour in November was great, it wasnt hot and the fall colors were amazing. There weren't too many people, so we didn't have to wait in any lines.
Great Tour, Great Experience
Coastal38994684603,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We were a small group of 6 persons (couples). The guide was very friendly and supportive during the 4 hours tour enabling us a pleasant visit of the city Nara. The "Early Morning" tour can be highly recommended enabling a visit during the somewhat less busy morning hours. As the tour finishes at around noon one can continue exploring the city on one's own... overall the tour was a great experience.
Fun, cute, informative experience!
Emma P,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We had a great experience on our day trip to Nara! Our guide, Futaba, was extremely helpful and knowledgeable, from navigating the train stations to interesting facts about Japanese culture. The deer were super cute and friendly and it was nice to learn about the difference between Buddhism and Shinto religion. Thank you, Futaba, for an unforgettable experience!
A Nara tour with a good friend
edwardoP602UR,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our tour guide was Futaba Tsuda and she was awesome! She knew an amazing amount of history, had slides to show us, was extremely considerate, made sure the pace was good for each of us, and gave us dining suggestions for after the trip. She became a good friend to each of us. I would highly recommend her as a tour guide.
Amazing experience with Rina
samgL6517JF,
Nov 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Rina was amazing and gave us a great experience! The communication was very clear, and we learned a lot about each site. The transportation was easy and there was friendly deer everywhere! Certainly a must-do experience for a first time in Kyoto or Osaka.
Great Day Trip with Our Guide Satoshi!
Paradise01803926781,
Nov 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a fantastic day trip to Nara, and our guide Satoshi made the experience truly special. He was super friendly, fun to be around, and shared so many interesting stories and details about each sightseeing spot, including Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga-Taisha, Nara Park, and Tōdai-ji. We even got lost on the way to the meeting point, but Satoshi handled it with humor and kindness. He came to pick us up with a smile, which immediately made us feel comfortable. He was incredibly understanding and patient - すごくやさしい！ Overall, the tour was excellent, and we would highly recommend it to anyone. Thank you so much, Satoshi - ありがとう！とてもたのしかった！ Super friendly, super helpful and a guide we would happily tour with again!