Tour guide in Kyoto Akiko M.

Explore Japan's spirituality in Nara with me! Hello everyone, my name is Akiko. I'm a nationally licensed tour guide in Nara focusing on the Yamato area. Here, you can still feel the presence of the ancient spirits in the air as you enjoy Japan's seasonal natural beauty. Nara is famous as the ancient capital of Japan. Here, there are many historical UNESCO World Heritage sites. When the ancient capital was later moved to Kyoto (794 A. D. ) many sacred sites in Nara remained important and have been worshiped for over 1300 years. As I have experienced my own spiritual growth, both in and beyond Japan, I came to realize the true value of the spiritual heritage of Yamato, which is rarely explained to visitors in English. As we say in Japanese, 「温故知新」 or "Onko chishin". This means- if we want to learn about the future, we should consult the past. I believe history has much to teach us. True heritage is the spiritual teaching and wisdom of those who came before us. These are not religious, but universal teachings. In this sense, Yamato has a lot to offer. It is my passion, mission and honor to share what I've discovered about the long and rich cultural and spiritual history of Yamato. I truly hope you'll have the most memorable and meaningful trip ever as I guide you in Japan! I am a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter since 2009. As we travel through the town we will utilize public transportation, taxis or walking. I am not a driver, but I can arrange for a taxi and a driver for you.