Kyoto & Nara Private Tour From Osaka Kyoto Hotel Pick-up

We had a great experience with our tour guide Phil. He’s a very knowledgeable young man who cares about his guests and their experiences. He made sure to communicate with us prior to the trip so that we had all the information we needed ahead of time. I highly recommend this tour and I highly recommend you have Phil as your guide.

We did a private tour with Kazu to Nara Park and the Todaiji Temple. We then visited Kyoto Arashiyama - Tagetsu Bridge, Kimono Forrest and the Bamboo Grove. Kazu explained the Buddhist and Shinto religions and how they are interwoven in Japan. He shared history of the Temples and Shrines we visited. He’s so knowledgeable about these areas, the history and Japanese culture. Answered all of my questions and kept us engaged! Our last stop was Kyoto Fushimi-inari Temple and we went through a small section of the 10,000 Tori gates. We covered a lot of ground and history today, but so worth it!

Jin was a 5 star tour guide for us. He had a pre-set plan he discussed with us before we started out. It was exactly what we wanted to see. Jin noticed I had an issue with walking and modified the amount of walking he had planned. In addition to that consideration, he lent me an arm while using stairs. It was obvious he was keeping watch on the terrain and stepping forward to help if I needed it. This was greatly appreciated. In addition to regular tourist sites, Jin took us to some places locals frequent. We ended the day with a great dinner at a neighborhood restaurant. Jin is friendly, outgoing, informative and a pleasure to be around.

Our guide, Yuki, and our driver were outstanding. Yuki went above and beyond to confirm pickup details with us and was right on time to pick us up at our hotel. She is extremely knowledgeable about history and local culture. She anticipated our needs and taught us the best ways to enjoy each site. We never could have explored so much in one day without her leading the way. We had so much fun talking to her as well. She was easy to understand in English, and she taught us some Japanese, too! The van was very clean and comfortable. Our driver was great at navigating to each spot quickly and safely. He dropped us off very close to all of the attractions.

This was an excellent tour. We traveled with our daughter as well as my mother and the tour was loved by all. Our tour guide Darlene was sweet, kind, and knowledgeable about all things Japan. She happily answered any questions and made the trip for us. We were able to see so many incredible sights in a day. I highly recommend this tour. It was worth every penny.

Darlene was our tour guide and was nothing short of excellent. She was warm, friendly as well as extremely knowledgeable about all things we wanted to know. We traveled with our daughter as well as my mother and was appreciated by all. She made our day and I highly recommend this tour as we saw many highlights of Japan and felt it was worth every penny.

We booked this tour at the last minute and were very happy with our experience. Ben was a professional, friendly, and energetic guide. He shared interesting stories about the history of Kyoto and Nara, as well as Japanese culture and traditions. We especially enjoyed learning about the deer in Nara and the right way to feed them safely. We really enjoyed the tour and would happily recommend Ben and his company to our friends

Perfect day! Thanks to our lovely guide Ben who did a good & professional job. We really recommend your service

it was a fabulous amazing day with our tour guide! Not only that she’s very knowledgeable, but also very friendly. We visited Kyoto and Nara in a day, pick up directly from our hotel, a very comfortable five seater car a day pass very quick with our tour guide! I really recommend you to book this company and they also have a Osaka tour that we booked the day after. thank you so much for amazing day in Kyoto and Nara!

it was a full day of Kyoto and Nora. We saw a lot in a day from the bamboo forest, the golden temple the shrine, and also the great Buddha. my favorite was the great Buddha. It was so huge if you compare it in real life and photo. we visited a lot of UNESCO Heritage sites, but this is one of my favorite. bonus is the feeding Deers in Nara Park, be careful because this deer, sometimes is aggressive. my tips is if you’re scared with deers do not purchase the cookies, you can just draw around the part which is enjoyable enough. Thank you, Christine for a great day

Best tour guide I have ever met in Japan! Kyoto & Nara are wonderful cities, very peaceful althoygh a little bit crowded but we really enjoyed thoroughly.

Greeted by Akira our Guide who wore full Kimono and looked exceptional. Timing of tour was perfect. Not rushed either. Akira had great knowledge to share with us along our trip. He guided us through a meal that we probably wouldn’t have attempted alone. Many new happy experiences made a heap of understanding because of our guide. Our vehicle was top notch. So comfortable along with the pleasant driver who popped up everywhere to escort us to the next destination. So well planned. I would absolutely recommend this trip. Thank you from our heart. Memories made. Thank you Akira for your photos too.

Kazu was an awesome guide! Nara and Kyoto were beautiful, worth going

Highly recommended Sept 2026. Family Our guide Akira and the driver were brilliant! Akira is friendly, approachable, good at explaining and knowledgeable. We felt really comfortable especially touring around with our elderly mother with mobility issues. Also thanks to the tour operator, Christine for organising the amazing service for our last minute request! Overall, the tour had exceeded our expectations and so glad we chose this tour company! We would love to tour with Akira again and will be recommending to family and friends. Well done team!!!

This was an excellent tour. Our tour guide Somei was very friendly and knowledgeable. He was very accommodating to any special requests and knew all the tips to avoid the crowds and get good pictures. Also took a ton of pictures and videos for us. The convenience and overall experience was well worth the price. Highly recommend!

It was very family-friendly, allowing us to visit many attractions in one day without having to research or plan our own routes. The group tour was convenient and enjoyable, and our guide, Ben, made a smooth and entertaining trip. Even our two children loved the trip! It was a very pleasant experience. ☺️

I was initially hesitant because of the price, worried about potential shopping stops, but the overall experience was fantastic! There was absolutely no hard selling, and our guide explained a lot about Japanese history and tourist attractions in English. They even recommended good restaurants. The overall experience was excellent, and I'll definitely choose this tour again next time I'm in Japan!

The itinerary for this day trip was well-planned. I was worried about getting lost in the morning, so I opted for hotel pick-up and drop-off, and the vehicle came directly to my hotel. The customer service contacted us responsibly the day before the trip, and Yoshi the driver/guide was very patient and provided excellent service. This trip was unforgettable; it wasn't too tiring, and it saved a lot of time compared to figuring out how to get to the attractions on my own. There was also plenty of time to visit the attractions, and the itinerary was very well-organized! It was great value for money.

We had a marvelous day with our guide, Caroline. She picked us up from the station (we came from Osaka), and everything was arranged seamlessly. Caroline drives steadily, knows the routes well, skillfully avoids crowds, and arranges parking. Her historical explanations are vivid, and she recommended some places not originally in our plan, which turned out to be delightful surprises—one of them might become our favorite spot from our two-week trip! Also, She's photography skills are amazing! She greatly elevated the quality of our travel photos. Thank you, Caroline, for showing us Kyoto!

Guide Christine's kindness during this trip left a deep impression on me. She explained the entire itinerary in detail, and best of all, I appreciated being able to follow the schedule comfortably without any pressure. In particular, Todaiji Temple and Kinkakuji Temple was a magnificent sight, with the temple harmonizing with nature amidst a clear and tranquil atmosphere. Also, if you are traveling with children, I recommend Nara Deer Park. Overall, it was a satisfying trip, and I would like to recommend it to families.

This was an amazing tour! Caroline our tour guide was outstanding and very knowledgeable of the area . She was very engaging and truly appeared to love what she does! Thank you for a wonderful experience with my family.

Very informative and learned a lot about Japanese culture. We were able to be flexible in our decisions.

We enjoyed our Nara & Kyoto day tour so much. The shabu shabu was delicious and the spots they bring us to visit are all fantastic spots, not just great for photo taking but also to enjoy as a family. We had 2 guides in he bus which is great. Both Yujiro and Ben are great guides and explained the history of each places well. Overall is great and highly recommend.

This tour is incredible. Our guide Lewis was so friendly and knowledgeable. He made the experience 100% better. It was an extremely hot day and he made sure we had water, rehydrating drops and a/c when needed. The stops were better than expected as well. And plenty of time at each to really explore. We opted for the Shabu Shabu lunch, which was also very good and relaxing. Lewis also gave us lots of tips for other things to do in Kyoto and Osaka.

A great day trip to Kyoto and Nara was great! it was well organized! Our tour guide Christine was great, she was very informative of our trip. She was excellent at keeping the group on time and clearly informed us of the directions that we needed! I found her very impressive to speak great English as well. Finaly my partner and I were really happy with our day trip! If you plan to visit Osaka, Kyoto, or the nearby cities l, i highly recommend booking a tour because of the convenience and organized efficiencies that it affords…thanks for a great trip Christine!

Ben, our tour guide, was incredibly friendly, kind, and knowledgeable. He provided in-depth and engaging introductions to the attractions, explaining everything clearly and entertainingly. The itinerary was well-organized and flowed smoothly. He was attentive to everyone's needs throughout the trip, making the entire experience relaxing and enjoyable. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience Kyoto and Nara!

Christine was awesome , provided a great experience for the family and made adjustments as required for our needs.

It was well arranged tour. All places given in the schedule were shown. Very comfortable vehicle. But guide cum driver’s English was nowhere near required standards. We couldn’t understand single word he said. You should take care in arranging driver cum guide where the tourists will understand the importance of places they visited.

If you’re wanting to see the highlights and are limited on time this tour is perfect. Caroline was a great guide and was super with children and teens.

Our tour guide Ben went above and beyond our expectations when it comes to tour guides. And thanks to his tour guide trainee, Yuhey for the help. He gave us so much knowledge about the culture. And he made us enjoyed Kyoto and Nara every minute that we were there. This is indeed recommended to book a tour, avoid the chaos using the public transpo, the crowd, especially when it is your first time visiting Japan. It was really a big help that we have our own van especially we have a toddler. We can also travel at our own phase. Out time in Japan became even more memorable. Kudos to our tour guide.

Shaniece was an excellent guide with lots of patience and knowledge. She took us to an amazing lunch place with vegan option. She watched out for our kids . Amazing trip over all

THE BEST TOUR! We had the best time with our guide, Somei! We explored beautiful parts of Kyoto & Nara while learning so many things about the history and architecture. It was such a wonderful day! I was worried about taking a 5 year old for a full day but she had so much fun! Somei interacted with her and made sure to do stuff that she wanted to do too. We all had such a wonderful time and loved seeing the beautiful photos that Somei captured! Book the tour..... it's worth it!

This tour was absolutely amazing! Every place we visited was breathtaking, but what truly made the experience special was our guide, Somei. He was such a blessing—by the end of the day, he felt like part of our family. His knowledge, kindness, and warmth made the entire experience unforgettable. It was truly a wonderful day spent together, and I couldn’t recommend it more!

Bo was great! Lots to see lots to do, try to pace your time and maximize the experience! Pay attention to the lunch schedule.

Honestly the best tour we did in pur 19 days in Japan Nozo our tour guide was a delight full of information about the sites we visited Without him we wouldnt know .amazing day .The best tour guide if ypu book this day tour i hope he is your guide .Nozo took us to a Aurhenic Japanese Restaurant for lunch dateing back to 1856.OMG to say the food was amazing doesnt begin to describe our experience traditional sit on cushions we had Beef Shabu and Chicken Shabu..they had a low stool to sitbon if you cant sit on cushins .Was highlight of our food experiences .highy recomend you booking this tour

Loved this tour. Our tour guide Christine was phenomenal, so knowledgeable and made sure every detail was perfect. We saw all the amazing sites in Nara and Kyoto and logistically, it couldn’t have been easier. She really catered to what we wanted. Brought us to a great spot for ramon too. So grateful for this experience.

Yujirio who went by Ben was awesome. Very knowledgeable and knew all the great spots for everything you want to see without the crowds. He was super patient because we had our toddler with us. We had him for the day but time was never an issue. Highly recommend a day with him. Thanks again Ben

We had a fantastic private Kyoto and Nara tour with Lewis, who collected us directly from our hotel. He was extremely knowledgeable, shared great insights into the history and culture of each site, and tailored the day perfectly to our pace and interests. Everything ran smoothly and stress‑free. Highly recommend Lewis if you’re looking for a professional, informative, and enjoyable private tour.

Ho did a great job and helped us get to see what we wanted after we communicated our choices with him. Based on that we out together a pretty non'stressful, well-rounded tour. Great explanations. Our only complaint was that the transportation was cramped. Seats were fine, but no leg room for the long rides.

We had an amazing day with Christine! We had a larger family group that included an infant & toddler and Christine was very warm and hospitable & made sure everyone in our group was comfortable. She gave us a lot of historical background on the various sites we visited & gave us some great suggestions on things to see and do in the areas as well as some tips & great photo shots to enhance our experience. We didn’t originally have Nashiki Market on our itinerary, but when we told Christine that we were interested in going there she was very accommodating and adjusted our plans so we had enough time to visit the market. Definitely a highlight of our trip and some great family memories were made thanks to Christine!

Fantastic Tour Guide! We had an exceptional experience on our Nara/Kyoto tour from Osaka thanks to our wonderful driver, Somei. He was incredibly kind, friendly, and easy to connect with, and his excellent English made the entire day smooth and enjoyable. From the moment we booked, Somei’s communication was outstanding—clear, prompt, and thoughtful before, during, and even after the tour. He shared so much knowledge about the history and culture of each place we visited, and he explained everything in a way that was engaging and easy to understand. We learned a lot while still feeling relaxed and unhurried. Throughout the day, he was professional, patient, and genuinely committed to making sure we had the best possible experience. It’s rare to find someone who combines expertise, hospitality, and warmth so naturally. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and driver. We highly recommend Somei to anyone visiting the area.

Must do experience! Our guide, Ben, was fantastic. He was passionate about sharing his culture and history with us. He spoke wonderful English and had such a comfortable van. He planned our day perfectly even during peak season even including an authentic ramen meal. Highly recommend!!!

This review is long overdue. I had the pleasure of going on two tours in Kyoto with Ben. He is the best tour guide in all of Kyoto. He is enthusiastic, professional, and very kind. He knows all the hidden spots and took EXCELLENT pictures. Even though we went during a busy time, he designed the itinerary to visit the major sightseeing spots at the right time. We avoided all the crowds! Ben is also very humble even though he is extremely knowledgeable. You can tell he is very passionate about Japan and its history/culture. Thank you for the excellent two days, Ben! You are amazing!

We had one day to see the sights in Kyoto and we were highly disappointed by this experience. We booked a tour believing the guide would be a local expert and get us to all the sights promised in a day. The guide was late, he didn’t seem to know where he was going and we only accomplished one of the three promised sights. I do not recommend this tour.

Our guide, Ben, was incredibly knowledgeable, polite, and pleasant. Local to the area, you could feel his love for his culture. He taught us much about the customs of the shrines and temples. Nara was especially great as he helped us feed the deer and showed us how to bow with them. He took care of all the practical stuff and was a safe and professional driver. Would tour with him anytime.

Our day with Ben (Yujiro) was the highlight of an incredible time in Nara and Kyoto. He was super knowledgeable and sweet, able (and happy) to answer every single question asked, he (and Christine!) were patient and flexible with my ever-changing itinerary and ideas- and when I kept changing my mind, Ben emphatically recommended a site that he knew we would love- and of course it was our favorite of the day! He taught us so much about the sites, history, culture, and even how to take a selfie with a deer in Nara :). I’ve yet to have a guide in the same league as Ben. He was just the best. And the car was absolutely fantastic, comfortable and luxurious and allowed us to cover so much ground. I can’t say enough good things about Ben and Japan with Christine. Thank you so much !!!!!

Our family had an amazing experience with Christine as our tour guide. Everything was so seamless, we didn't have to worry about anything but to enjoy our trip. Absolutely would recommend Christine, she's the best!

We had an awesome time on the Kyoto and Nara tour with our guide, Somei. He was punctual, friendly, and really knowledgable about the places we visited. He answered all of our random questions about life in Kyoto, and made the whole experience feel super relaxed. He also took amazing picture of us at the temples! What we loved most was how flexible Somei was with the tour. We were able to go at our own pace and see what we wanted. The temples and shrines we visited were absolutely stunning, and Somei gave us some great insights into both Shinto and Buddhist traditions. We would definitely recommend this tour — especially if you get Somei as your guide. You won’t regret it!

We had such a great day with our tour guide, Yujiro (Ben) He was super friendly and knowledgeable the whole time. We got to see and feed the deers at the deer park and the Great Buddha Temple, both were amazing. The Arashiyama Bamboo is also very serene peaceful although it was a little bit crowded. I especially loved the visit to the Golden Temple, it was so peaceful and beautiful. Thanks, Ben, for making the day so fun and memorable! We’ll definitely recommend this tour to our friends