Nara City

Amazing tour covering Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Nara Park, and Fushimi Inari Shrine. Although it was raining, the scenery was still stunning, from the peaceful bamboo groves to the friendly deer, a bit aggressive to snacks for some in Nara and the breathtaking Thousand Torii Gates. The itinerary was well paced and never felt rushed. Special thanks to our guide Eric, who was knowledgeable, friendly, and very attentive. His insights into Japanese culture and history made the experience even more enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Kyoto and Nara!

The itinerary was well-paced, neither rushed nor hurried, striking a good balance between comfort and depth. Although we encountered light rain along the way, it added a touch of tranquility and poetry to the journey. The air was fresh, the crowds were gentle, and the overall atmosphere was more relaxed and pleasant. The tour guide was kind and attentive, and also allowed everyone time to explore freely, making the entire trip more leisurely and comfortable.

The kids loved feeding the deer in Nara, the Uji matcha ice cream was delicious, and everyone said the hot springs were excellent. Our tour leader, Richard, was incredibly attentive and provided detailed explanations of the entire itinerary in both English and Chinese. Thumbs up! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

The day trip went very smoothly. Our guide, Nancy, was punctual and friendly, provided very clear explanations, and arranged the itinerary perfectly, avoiding any rush hour crowds. There was absolutely no hard selling, allowing us to focus on enjoying each attraction, making it a very comfortable travel experience.

It was rare to encounter a group entirely composed of Taiwanese people with a few from Hong Kong. Everyone was very punctual, and there were quite a few families with children, making it very lively. At Rokko Ski Resort, it takes about 45 minutes from renting clothes and putting on ski equipment to actually skiing, so the actual time to learn to ski is only about two hours. This is perfect for those who have never skied before and want to try it, as two hours is enough to exhaust a beginner's energy 😆. In the afternoon, we visited Nara Park and Todai-ji Temple, and then returned to Namba area for dinner. It was a rare experience of celebrating the Lunar New Year in Japan.

I highly recommend this day trip. You don't need to worry about transportation, and you can easily visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Nara Park, and Todai-ji Temple in Kyoto. Todai-ji is truly magnificent and definitely worth buying a ticket to go inside. Feeding the deer in Nara is a lot of fun, and our tour leader, Hugo, was very attentive to the group and provided excellent itinerary explanations. Kiyomizu-dera was very crowded and lively, but luckily the weather was fantastic – blue skies and white clouds made for beautiful photos. We were also happy to leave Fushimi Inari Shrine, where it even snowed for a while.

This day trip to Nara, Uji, and Fushimi Inari Shrine was a wonderful experience. Guided by Tracy, we gained a much deeper understanding of Japanese culture. Before getting off at each site, she provided explanations and thoughtful reminders. Most impressively, she explained everything in both Chinese and English, and her Japanese was incredibly fluent when communicating with the driver – I was truly impressed! Although it was a short day trip, I could feel her dedication to creating many precious experiences and memories for the travelers. She was incredibly attentive, genuine, and meticulous. Five stars for a three-star guide! 👍👍👍