Nara Temple Tour: 4 UNESCO Sites with Lunch & Matcha

Four temples built over thirteen centuries, all standing on the same morning.

This seven-hour tour visits Horyu-ji, Yakushi-ji, Toshodai-ji, and Chugu-ji temples in Nara's UNESCO-listed Ikaruga and Nishinokyo areas, guided by GPS-synced English or Chinese audio. The itinerary includes kamameshi lunch at Horyu-ji Temple Gate, matcha tea at Jiko-in Temple's tea garden, admission to all sites, and a souvenir deer cracker magnet. You choose your departure time and station: 9:45 from JR Nara Station East Exit or 9:50 from Kintetsu Nara Station. Children under six travel free without a seat. Children six and older require a paid seat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Yakushiji Temple1h · entry included
2. Toshodaiji Temple55m · entry included

Explore Nara's heritage temples and culture

• Visit Horyu-ji and Chugu-ji temples
• Enjoy kamameshi lunch at Benkei
• Experience matcha tea at Jikoin Temple
• Tour Yakushi-ji Temple
• Visit Toshodai-ji Temple
• Drive by Heijo Palace Site and Suzaku Gate

The experience

Horyu-ji stands as one of Japan's most significant Buddhist temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. Founded in 607 by Prince Shotoku, it holds the iconic Five-Story Pagoda and the Kondo, or Main Hall, showcasing early Japanese Buddhist architecture. Nearby Chugu-ji, originally an imperial princess's residence before becoming a nunnery, houses a serene statue of the Bodhisattva Maitreya in a half-lotus pose. After these two sites, you eat kamameshi (a flavorful rice dish cooked in an iron pot with seasonal ingredients), at Benkei, a local restaurant near Horyu-ji's entrance.

The tour then moves to Jiko-in Temple, a Zen temple founded in 1663 by tea master Sekishu Katagiri, where you experience matcha in a serene tea garden designed to enhance mindfulness. From there, you reach Yakushi-ji, another UNESCO World Heritage Site originally built in the late 7th century by Emperor Tenmu. The temple's symmetrically arranged East and West Pagodas dominate the complex. The East Pagoda has stood for over 1,300 years and is a national treasure. Toshodai-ji, founded in 759 by the Chinese monk Ganjin, closes the temple sequence with its Kondo housing a striking golden statue of Rushana Buddha and a moss-covered garden reflecting the quiet beauty of Nara's ancient temples. A drive-by view of Heijo Palace Site and the reconstructed Suzaku Gate, once the political center of Japan during the Nara Period, rounds out the historical arc.

The GPS-synced audio guide speaks English or Chinese, and multilingual route maps help you navigate between stops. Transport by bus is included, as are all admission fees and the souvenir. The seven-hour span lets you move through thirteen centuries of Buddhist architecture and artistry in a single morning without arranging your own logistics.

What’s included

• Admission and viewing fees to all four temples.
• kamameshi lunch at Horyu-ji Temple Gate.
• matcha tea at Jiko-in Temple.
• GPS-synced audio guide in English or Chinese.
• multilingual route maps.
• bus transportation between sites.
• a deer cracker magnet souvenir.
• consumption tax.

Options for this experience

2 options

Departs at 9:45 from the East Exit of JR Nara Station09:45Plan to arrive 10 minutes early

Departs at 9:50 from Kintetsu Nara Station09:50Plan to arrive 10 minutes early

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:45 and 09:50

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 20 · max 4 per booking

Audio guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by LINKTIVITY Inc.

Is this one for you?The audio guide and fixed route mean you move through four major temples without hiring a private guide or planning stops yourself, and the matcha and lunch are timed into the sequence so you're not hunting for meals between sites. Choose this if you want the major Buddhist monuments of Nara in one morning without logistics.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the oldest structure I'll see on this Nara tour?

Horyu-ji Temple houses the world's oldest surviving wooden structures, with the Five-Story Pagoda and Main Hall dating back to 607. The East Pagoda at Yakushi-ji has also stood for over 1,300 years and is designated a national treasure.

Can I choose when to start the tour?

Yes. You pick either the 9:45 departure from JR Nara Station East Exit or the 9:50 departure from Kintetsu Nara Station when you book. The tour runs seven hours from your chosen start time.

What does the matcha experience at Jiko-in Temple involve?

Jiko-in is a Zen temple founded by a tea master, with a tea garden designed for mindfulness. You drink matcha while seated in the serene garden, experiencing the Japanese tea ceremony tradition in a tranquil setting.

What is kamameshi, and where do I eat it?

Kamameshi is a flavorful rice dish cooked in an iron pot with seasonal ingredients, a specialty of the Nara region. You eat it at Benkei, a local restaurant located near the entrance of Horyu-ji Temple.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation between temples?

No. Bus fare between all sites is included in the tour price. The GPS audio guide and multilingual route maps help you navigate, and the guide speaks English or Chinese.