Private Nara Tour And Sake Tasting (Departing From Kyoto/nara)

The private Nara tour and Sake tasting with Ikki was *amazing*! Hemet us and helped us with transportation to Nara, which was wonderful. He is very knowledgeable about the cultural sights and conveys this information in an approachable way. We appreciated his guidance on appropriate respectful gestures/behavior which made us feel very comfortable. Todai-ji temple and Kasugataisha Shrine were stunning. We loved the deer! They do get quite close so be warned. The timing of the tour was perfect. We met early and were done before lunch, so we were able to fit a lot in within a reasonable 4 hours or so and the crowds weren't bad at all. Because we wanted to see as much as possible, it did include a *lot* of walking. So wear your comfy shoes. The sake tasting is extra, so bring cash because it is worth it. Ikki even took photos for us which we very much appreciated!

Ikki was an amazing tour guide and my family and I had the best time! Seeing the deer and getting to interact with them was the best part! Lots of walking so be prepared! Would definitely come back again!

Great tour of Nara. Beautiful area. Ikki has a great eye for photos helping capture memorable pics of our trip. Also knowledgeable and a great communicator. Lastly fantastic spirit and energy giving our family an amazing tour.

We had a great tour with Ikki. He was super knowledgeable and fun, and he took great pictures of us! I would recommend going to Nara with him, he’s a blast.

Our family had a fantastic day with Ikki! He is an eloquent, charming and polite young man, who was easy to communicate with ahead of time, and planned out great day in Nara. He met us at the Kyoto train station with easy instructions to find him. Nara is beautiful and worth a trip from Kyoto without question. Ikki knows the best spots to go and the fact that he brings his own camera and takes photos and videos was spectacular! We have our family Christmas card shot for this year! I couldn't recommend him more. Thanks Ikki for a great day! You were our favorite!

My boyfriend and I recently went on this tour, and it was such a highlight of our trip. Our tour guide, Ikki, was incredibly knowledgeable. Even more, he was such a kind and fun person to spend the day with. Could not recommended this experience enough.

We had such an amazing time. Ikki was a fantastic guide. He had so much knowledge to share with us and he was a great photographer.

We had a wonderful time with our guide Mariko, she was wonderful and very knowledgeable. The deer of Nara were very fun to see and feed. We would definitely recommend this tour and tour guide!

Our tour guide Ikki went above and beyond to give us the best day in Nara. We didn’t expect much more than deer and sake on this tour, and were amazed at how much Nara has to offer. Ikki brought to life the unique history and culture of this beautiful city and the ancient temples of Nara Park. He speaks perfect English (which he learned as an exchange student in the U.S.) and was happy to answer all our questions. We were so glad to have him as our guide! Ikki took photos of us throughout our tour and sent us 140+ pictures the next day via WhatsApp. He also sent us recommendations for restaurants and sites to visit for our next stop in Kyoto. I’ve taken dozens of tours but never felt as well cared for as I did with Ikki and Otaku Hopper. I would give 100 stars if I could!

We had an amazing day in Nara with our guide Ikki-san. The tour was the perfect balance of history, culture, hidden details, and fun for our whole family. He was incredibly kind, knowledgeable, patient, and made the experience feel personal instead of rushed or scripted. The deer, temples, and atmosphere of Nara were unforgettable, but what really elevated the day was Ikki himself. He also took some fantastic photos throughout the tour — honestly some of our favorite family pictures from Japan so far. If you are visiting Nara and want a guide who genuinely cares about giving you a memorable experience, we highly recommend Ikki-san. Arigato gozaimasu!

This tour covers all the highlights of Nara. Our tour guide, IKKI-San , was VERY knowledgeable and was able to answer any of our questions. The best part is he brings his own camera and captured all of our special moments which took stress out of us trying to capture these special memories. IKKI-San prioritized our experience and ensured that we had the best time possible. The highlight of the tour is the deer. IKKI-San showed us the best spot to feed the tour. We don’t want to give it away so make sure to book the tour to find out! You won’t regret booking this tour!

Ikki provided us a tailored tour and experience of Nara that gave us an appreciation not just of Nara from an aesthetic perspective but also its historic as well as religious importance in Japanese culture. All while being fun and engaging in the process, we would definitely recommend him and the tour as a whole for those looking to do a bit more of a deep dive into Nara.

We had a wonderfull day in Nara with Ikki guiding us! He was helpfull, friendly and was giving a lot of interesting explanation. Also, he took many lovely pictures of us. Very professional! We did enjoy fully!

This was a wonderful tour!! My guide IKKI was excellent! So knowledgeable about the area and so very helpful. Love it from start to finish. Only in Japan do the deer bow to you. Such an awesome experience!!

We had the best tour with Ikki! He was friendly, knowledgeable, engaging with our 13 and 14 year old, and a fantastic photographer to boot! I highly recommend doing the early tour (we met at 7:30) to get to Nara before it gets too busy. Ikki also knew the best places to feed the famous bowing deer. Thank you for a marvelous experience!

Ikki was a kind, knowledgeable, and oh so helpful tour guide! This was our second tour of Nara and we learned so much more about the history, shrines and temples than our first experience (with another guide). Ikki knew the best picture spots, as well as the best place to feed the deer. 10/10 recommendation!

We had the absolute pleasure of exploring Nara on a private tour with Ikki, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. From the moment we met, Ikki was warm, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. He shared fascinating history and cultural context throughout the day, which made every temple, garden, and street feel more meaningful. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does and takes pride in helping people experience Nara in a deeper way. What really stood out was how thoughtfully he organized the day. We were able to see so much without ever feeling rushed or overwhelmed. The pacing was perfect, and he clearly knows how to navigate the city to make the most of your time. Another unexpected bonus: Ikki took fantastic photos of us throughout the day. Traveling together often means one person is always behind the camera, so having beautiful photos of both of us in these amazing places is something we’ll truly treasure. If you’re considering a guided visit to Nara, I can’t recommend Ikki highly enough. He made the experience feel personal, relaxed, and memorable in the very best way.

Fantastic tour of Nara! We were visiting on our honeymoon and it was such a memorable experience. Our guide, Ikki, was knowledgeable, thoughtful, and even helped us capture some amazing photos throughout the day. It was the perfect way to explore Nara.”

We had the best experience with our Nara tour guide, Ikki. During our half-day trip we visited beautiful temples, fed the deer, and even enjoyed a sake tasting. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and explained the history and culture of Nara in a really engaging way. Ikki was also very friendly and made the whole tour feel relaxed and fun. On top of that, he was a fantastic photographer and helped capture some great memories from the day. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a great half-day experience in Nara.

My sister and I had a wonderful time with Ichi in Nara-we learned so much about the temples, shrines, and deer. He was so fun and engaging. 5 stars! More if I could give them. He also took so many pictures and helped us capture our trip so well!

Our guide was amazing! We learned so much about the temples, shrines, and the feet of Nara. Ichi was wonderful. He made our trip wonderful. 5 stars-more if I could!

We had an amazing day visiting Nara with our excellent guide Ikki. His English was perfect and he paced the trip brilliantly. We visited all the famous shrines and temples and of course couldn’t resist feeding the very tame and iconic deer. The train journey from Kyoto was smooth, easy and comfortable and we knew we were in very capable hands. We learned a lot about Japanese culture and would highly recommend!

Nara and the Temples were fantastic, fun and super interesting. Having said that the winning factor was our wonderful guide, Ikki. He made every step of the way even more enjoyable and exceeded all expectations!

Absolutely incredible day with Ikki. Hes bright and so thorough. Learned a ton. Very efficient day and covered a LOT of ground. Recommend him highly.

We loved Ikki! He was efficient, and so well informed. Was a really great morning from stsrt to finish including getting around, sight seeing, an end w a saki tasting. He is so well spoken and knowledgeable about the tour and all questions about Kyoto and Nara. Hignly recommend him.

We loved our Kyoto walking tour with Ikki-san so much that we booked the Nara tour with him for the following day, and I have zero regrets! This was an awesome way to see Nara, the shrines, temples, deer and sake tasting at the end. The whole family really enjoyed it - including my husband, 10 and 15 year olds. Listening to the history from Ikki was a pleasure and he took so many photos for us! Highly recommend this tour - it was a lot of fun. Thank you again, Ikki!

We did a tour to Nara with Ikki. He was great and shared some interesting facts and information about the sights! Would definitely recommend him!

Our private tour of Nara with Ikki was excellent from start to finish. He met us right on time at Kyoto Station, and everything ran smoothly from there. In Nara, we consistently stayed ahead of the crowds, enjoyed great conversation, and visited all the key sites at a comfortable pace. The experience wrapped up with a high-quality sake tasting before returning to the station. Before parting ways, Ikki also shared thoughtful tips for the rest of our day, including a perfect stop in Uji on the way back. Polished, well-timed, and genuinely enjoyable.

Great tour very interesting and great spots. The tour guide had a lot of knowledge about the city and had very good recommendations on different things

We had a fantastic tour of Nara with Ikki, and it was one of the highlights of our trip. He knew exactly where to find the deer, the best spots for photos, and how to avoid the crowds. Thanks to him, the experience felt effortless and incredibly enjoyable. It was also absolutely worth going early in the morning—the atmosphere was peaceful, the deer were calm, and the temples felt even more special at that hour. What impressed us most was how knowledgeable Ikki is. He explained the rich cultural and historical significance of Nara, the temples, and the sacred deer, giving us a much deeper appreciation of the entire experience. A smooth, informative, and unforgettable tour. We couldn’t recommend Ikki more!

Very positive experience with our tour guide, Ikki He was very informative about Nara, knowledgeable about history and culture and answered our questions thoroughly. Ikki spoke very fluent English so he was easy to follow. Also set an appropriate pace for seniors and very helpful with rail system. Ikki receives the highest ratings possible for tour guide. He exceeded expectations.

We had an amazing time on our Private Nara Tour and Sake Tasting with Ikky from Taku Hopper. From start to finish, the experience was seamless, informative, and so much fun! Ikky is an outstanding guide — friendly, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. He shared fascinating insights about Nara’s rich history, temples, and traditions, and his stories really brought the city to life. You can tell he loves what he does, and his passion made every stop along the way special. The four hours went by in a flash — we learned so much without ever feeling rushed. The sake tasting at the end was the perfect finale: We were explained the subtle differences in flavor and production. If you want a personal, immersive, and truly memorable way to explore Nara, this tour is an absolute must. Thank you, Ikky, for making it such an unforgettable day!

We had an amazing time on our Private Nara Tour and Sake Tasting with Ikky from Taku Hopper. From start to finish, the experience was seamless, informative, and so much fun! Ikky is an outstanding guide — friendly, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable. He shared fascinating insights about Nara’s rich history, temples, and traditions, and his stories really brought the city to life. You can tell he loves what he does, and his passion made every stop along the way special. The four hours went by in a flash — we learned so much without ever feeling rushed. The sake tasting at the end was the perfect finale: We learned about the subtle differences in flavor and production. If you want a personal, immersive, and truly memorable way to explore Nara, this tour is an absolute must. Thank you, Ikky, for making it such an unforgettable day!

The tour was pricey but we were so glad that we decided to splurge. ikki was incredible! We learned so much and he was so kind and considerate. I didn’t bring an umbrella and he gave up his, no matter how many times I insisted I didn’t need it. His English was great and we didn’t struggle at all to understand all of the information he gave. The Sake is definitely worth the extra 700. It was a great day!!

Ikki-san was amazingly accommodating, helpful, caring, and engaging! He provided a lot of information, hidden treasures of Kyoto and Nara, and helped us so much even after our tour with wonderful recommendations. He has a great attitude and is a blast to be around!

We went on a tour today around Nara with our amazing Tour guide Ikki. He was very professional, knowledgeable and fun. We learnt a lot about Nara and the various shrines and temples aswell as a lot of cool knowledge about Japan. I would definitely recommend Ikki for a private tour around Nara in the future

Me and my Husband went on a Tour around Nara with our guide Ikki today. We had an amazing time and this tour was a really highlight of our trip so far. Ikki was very knowledgable about Nara and all the various Shirnes and Temples. He also made the tour really fun and we learnt a lot about Japan today, we would 110% recommend him for others going on tours around Nara

Nara is an absolute must-visit! All the key shrines and temples are within walking distance, so you can cover everything in just half a day (and of course, feed the deer in Nara Park!). One thing to keep in mind, though: autumn is their mating season, and if you’re holding deer crackers, they might surround you, charge at you, or even bite at an alarming speed—so families with children should be especially careful!

Ikki was AMAZING!!!!! Soooooo very knowledgeable and so fun! We've done three guided private tours so far and he has been by far the best!!! Absolutely awesome!!! Very engaged and friendly! I whoke-heartedly recommend! THANKS SO MUCH IKKI!!!

Our guide Iki was friendly and knowledgeable.We walked around to many shrines and temples amongst the deer that roam around . Lots of information on the way and we finished at a Sake manufacturer for a tasting of their local brews - in small brightly colored sake glasses . Recommend for all .

Thank you Ikki! We had a fantastic day exploring Nara with the best guide. He was patient and kind with our 7 year old and equally engaging with our teenager. We learned an amazing amount about Japan’s first capital while laughing the whole time. Cannot wait to come back.

Ikki was our tour guide for our trip to Nara and he was amazing! He taught us so much about Japanese culture and took a ton of photos for us. We will cherish the photos and memories for a long time. I highly recommend this tour if you are going to Nara. Especially if you don’t speak Japanese because when visiting the shrines and temples you get more information on traditions, lores and history that isn’t given if you visit on your own.

Took a day trip to Nara with our incredible guide Ikki. The day could not have happened without his help navigating the train system as well as how to properly store our bags in a safe locker as well as sharing his deep knowledges of the area. Highlights include Kofuku-ji temple, Todai-ji temple, Kasuga Grand Shrine, and yes, all the Deer that are everywhere in Nara Park! Ikki even brought his camera and was able to help us capture the moments we spent enjoying the beautiful walk around the ornate temple complexes, lush forests and biting and bowing attention seeking deers. The Sake tasting was a nice touch to help bring our walk to a close and taste of the local flavors. We got a bonus seeing the pounding of the mochi on our way back to the station. Perfect for a private tour like we did, but would work great for families and people of all ages and very easy to get to from either Kyoto or Osaka. Would recommend this tour to anyone who has a day and wants to really take in what Nara has to offer!

Ikki was a brilliant tour guide and we had such a good time doing this tour! Would definitely recommend doing this with Ikki-he was so knowledgeable, friendly, polite and told us about good spots to visit outside the tour too. Really fab!

Ikki our tour guide was fantastic. Relaxed, really informative and so polite and helpful! Good sense of humour too! Tour was really really great and the time that he took us meant we avoided the crowds. Cannot recommend enough.

A lot of walking, but amazing tour with Ikki. He took us to all of the important áreas of Nara and explained everything very well.

Ikki was an amazing tour guide. He explained everything so good. He was very funny and took a lot of amazing pictures of us and then sent it on WhatsApp. Would high recommend if you want to see Nara on a day trip with private guide.

This was our favorite tour in Kyoto. Our guide, Ikki, was delightful and served as our private photographer as well. He was conscious of our needs and paced the tour so we had plenty of time to rest, linger or shop. The Nara temples and shrines are some of the largest in Asia and are not to be missed. The bowing deer were an experience and crawling through the nostril of the god was something I’ll always remember!! The sake tasting was fun, we bought several bottles, and tasted the warm mochi with bean paste. The tour covered all of our senses. Thank you Ikki for a wonderful tour.

Ikki, was a wonderful guide. He was very knowledgeable about the history and customs of the places we visited. He was very accomodating end entertaining. I would reccomend Ikki if you plan to visit Nara.