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Private tour in Nara Akiko M
Ancient Power Spots - Day Tour from Nara
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8 hours
1
Tour date
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8 hours
1
Akiko M.
5.0
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54
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16 hrs
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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.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Akiko M.
A full-day private tour to explore the spiritual sites in Yamato
Overview of your Nara tour
I spent the early stage of my life in this area and have many precious memories, including annual year's greetings with my family, etc. Explore the Yamato region of Nara as we visit the oldest shrine and temple full of legends and traditions that date back more than 2, 000 years. You will feel the presence of the ancient spirits surrounding us in nature deep in your heart. We will explore Ohmiwa shrine- the oldest and highest-ranking shrine in the Yamato region. Here we will drink the holy spring water of Sai shrine from sacred Mt. Miwa, believed to heal any disease. Nearby we will see the grand view of the Yamato region from the oldest tomb mound of a mysterious figure, the shaman queen, Himiko. Afterward, we will take a short train to Hasedera- a temple deep in the beautiful mountains with seasonal flowers.
Your Nara tour itinerary
● Meet at the JR Nara station and take a local train to Miwa Station. (25 mins JR train ride) ● Visit Ohmiwa shrine (大神神社), said to be the oldest shrine in Japan. Countless legends and stories are connected with this shrine and many dedicated believers across the nation visit here on many occasions. ● Lunch at a local traditional restaurant. ● Take Kintetsu line to Hasedera where will walk through the old Pilgrimage routes lined with traditional inns and shops, sampling traditional sweets along the way. At the temple we will see many important cultural properties including the main hall and the largest wooden statue in Japan. ● We will take the train back to Nara. Please note this tour can be customized. Use the 'message guide' button to contact me for a customized tour.
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Transport details
Type: Public Transportation / Category: Train
We will be taking a couple of train rides and walking. From Nara to Miwa, a local JR train ride (you can use JR Pass) is about 25 minutes. To save the time of waiting for a transfer and walking, we can hire a taxi as an option.
What's included
What's not included
Meeting location
Nara, Nara, 630-8122, Japan
JR Nara station at the ticket gate on the 2nd floor of the station building
- You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
Other details
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English
JapaneseActivity level
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8 hours
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8 hours
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
How it works
- Your credit card will be authorized only for the deposit amount.
- Funds will not be withdrawn until your tour booking is fully processed.
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