What You Will Do
We at Explorer Tours provide luxury and comfortable small group tours with a max capacity of 12 passengers per vehicle. Our tour conductors take our passengers to each destination and attend to every passenger on board our tour. All entry tickets are included in our price. Unlike big bus tours, we offer a more personal touch with every tours we operate.
Ancient city of Nara,
a place where Nara's culture can be experienced today.
A Tour Around World Heritage Sites and Japanese Sake Tasting.
• We do not supply any extra pick up & drop off service.
• Tour is not customizable.
• Customers will walk include stairs and hills in each places.
• Not recommended for travelers who can not walk long distance. This tour includes walking.
• Due to the weather and traffic conditions, time schedule might change.
• If you select, “I’ll decide later” for the meeting point, please message us on viator
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Meet your tour conductor in Umeda on the north side ground level of Umeda DT tower at 10:15AM. Please be at the spot on time.
1
Osaka
1 hour
Meet your tour conductor either in Shinsaibashi or Umeda DT Tower, and board our comfortable, luxurious private vehicle and travel 1 hr from Osaka to Nara Park.
2
Yumekaze Plaza
10 minutes
Arrive in Nara Park and disembark with your tour conductor here at Yumekaze Plaza.
3
Todai-ji Namdaimon (Grand South Gate)
30 minutes
Walk toward The Great South Gate, or Nandaimon, the main gates of Todai-ji temple, and bask in its size of this great structure. The Nandaimon gate, which stands at the entrance of the approach to Todaiji Temple, is a massive structure with a height of about 25.5m, and the Ni-o guardian statues located in Nandaimon are also a site to behold. Walk through this great gate, and see the magnificent large wooden Ni-o statues. housed in the great Nandaimon Gates.
4
Todai-ji Temple
1 hour 10 minutes
Todaiji Temple was built to pray for the peace of the country. The Great Buddha Hall, where the Great Buddha sits, is one of the largest wooden structure in the world, with a width of about 57m, a depth of about 50m, and a height of about 48m. Originally completed in 751, the structure was destroyed in 1181 and 1567. The current building we see today was rebuilt in 1709, and was registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
5
Kasuga Grand Shrine
1 hour
Make your way to Kasuga Grand Shrine on foot with your tour conductor. You will have the chance to see and touch the deers roaming freely in the park. Established in 768, Kasuga-Taisha shrine has been rebuilt or restored once every 20 years without changing the position of the main hall. Registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. Numerous lanterns are found on the grounds, representing the passion of the worshipers. There are 352 national treasures stored in this shrine.
6
Naramachi
1 hour
Naramachi is the main town area of Nara, where you will be spending your free-time and lunch break. Enjoy a walk around on your own and find a local lunch spot for you and your group. Enjoy some local delicacies, or
have a sit-down meal in one of the local restaurants in the area. This is also a good area to look for souvenirs. During WW2, this charming area was spared from air raid damage, preserving the old structures and facade of the old town of Nara. You can find several town houses, galleries, restaurants, and shops that are refurbished in contemporary style, while keeping its original machiya facade. Many of the structures here where originally built in the late Edo period to Meiji period.
7
Nanen-do
20 minutes
After lunch, meet your tour conductor and make your way to Nan-endo Temple. Nan-endo is an elegant and beautiful octagonal structure built by Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu, dedicated to the peace of his father's passing. A national treasure statue is housed in the temple.
8
Kofuku-ji Temple
45 minutes
Make your way to Kofuku-ji temple on foot and visit the Central Golden Hall. Originally founded in 669 as Yamashina temple in Kyoto, then moved to its current location in 710. Major damage occurred during the war in 1181, and the current building we see now was built after that time. Kofuku-ji was registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.
9
Kofuku-ji Temple 5 Stories Pagoda
20 minutes
After visiting the Central Golden Hall, walk towards the five storied pagoda and be amazed with the structure of this wooden tower. Built in 730 by the founder of Kofuku-ji, this five-storied pagoda has endured disasters and rebuilt 5 times over the years. The pagoda we see now was reconstructed in 1426, standing in 50.1m tall. The five roofs symbolize land, water, fire, air, and sky, representing the 5 dimensions of our world.
10
Harushika Brewery
45 minutes
In this sake brewery, you can enjoy Kikizake, a taste testing set of 5 kinds of sake with explanation by the brewery staff. Established in 1884, Harushika is a historical sake brewery. 100 years later, in 1984, Harushika started exporting Japanese sake to the world. The name Harushika comes from the legend that gods of Kasugataisha shrine came from the heavens riding a deer from Nara. Enjoy the taste of traditional Japanese sake at Harushika.
11
Osaka
1 hour
After your visit to Harushika Sake Brewery, board our private vehicle and you will be driven back to Osaka on our private vehicle. You will be dropped off at your pick-up point.
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