• Nara was the capital of Japan in the 8th century prior to Kyoto and is located within an hour’s train ride from Osaka or Kyoto. In this tour we will stroll around a 19th century town area in the morning, and then visit a solemn shrine hidden in the forest and a huge temple, both of which were founded in the 8th century. In addition to that, we will have interesting encounters with the wild but friendly deer roaming around Nara Park.
• In this tour you will be able to appreciate the difference between Nara and Kyoto, the development of culture, architecture and lifestyles in these two periods in Japanese history.
• We will pick you up at Osaka or Kyoto so there will be no problems with the transfer to Nara.

We will start our tour by visiting Naramachi area which was originally founded as temple town in the 8th century and turned into a merchant town. Traditional-style latticed houses 100 years old and more are preserved well here. We will actually enter one of them once owned by a wealthy merchant and explore its luxurious interior. It tells a tale of how Japanese people used to live a hundred years ago. On the other hand, you can also find some new shops among the old houses operated by young, present-day merchants selling cute accessories. Enjoy the combination of 19th and 21st century culture.