The production of India ink stick started at a monastery in Nara in 14C. Today 95% of India ink sticks are made here in Nara. In this tour, you will experience Japanese calligraphy and enjoy making your own ink stick with the guidance of a traditional craftsman. Then you will walk up one of the main streets called Sanjo street and look around other handcraft shops unique to Nara.
At JR Nara station
meeting
Calligraphy experience and India ink stick making
Walk up Sanjo Street looking around traditional handcrafts shops, selling writing brush, Linen, bamboo whisk for powdered green tea,etc.,all of which are unique in Nara.
Finish the tour
At Kintetsu Nara station
You will enjoy Japanese traditional calligraphy with authentic stationaries. Next one of the traditional handcraft masters will tell you the story of India ink stick. Then you will make your own ink stick. Lastly it is put into a fancy wooden box and given to you. After the experience, you will enjoy walking up Sanjo shopping street looking around traditional handcrafts which are unique to Nara.
guide fee 9,250JPY,
guide transportation fee from home to Nara 2,000JPY
Fee for calligraphy experience and India ink stick making,
2750JPY per an adult, 2200JPY per a person 18 years old
transportation fee (you)
The price of the tour includes the guide fee and the guide's transportation fee between home and the travel city.
Michiko was a wonderful guide! She planned a perfect day with seamless transitions, including finding a delicious sushi spot away from the crowds that proved a perfect respite in the midst of our day. She was very knowledgeable and exceptionally patient in working with us as I experienced a back injury and I needed to be careful with how much sitting and walking I did. We all enjoyed her services tremendously!
Thank you so much for your kind review! I was surprised to know the day of the tour was your wedding anniversary by chance, and it was an honor to guide you and your family on such a special day. I really had a great time visiting several beautiful places in Kyoto and talking with you all. I hope your back pain will be cured soon and enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan!
I loved my tour of Osaka castle and the Umeda Sky building. Michiko picked me up from my hotel to avoid me getting lost and gave guidance on airport transfers for my day of departure regarding what rail platform and station to use also. Towards my tour end she dropped me off in Dotonbori since I wanted to visit that area and she recommended some local restaurants. Highly recommend Michiko for your tour guide needs.
Thank you for the wonderful review! I'm happy to share the half day to appreciate 2, old and new masterpieces of architecture. I was impressed that you enjoyed looking at details and thinking about how they work. I hope you will continue to travel and discover more wonders!
We enjoyed two fantastic tours with Michiko! She introduced us to both Kyoto and Nara. Her expertise, planning, kindness and English were much appreciated. In Kyoto, we explored the Fushimi Inari Shrine, the Monkey Park, the Bamboo Forrest and had an excellent meal. In Nara, we visited a magnificent shrine, fed deer, played in a toy museum, and had extraordinary deserts. All members of our family had a great time. Thank you, Michiko!
Thank you for the wonderful review! I also had a great time with you and your family in Nara and Kyoto. In all the places we visited, you and your family were immersed in the atmosphere, to feel it to the fullest, which impressed me a lot. We have many more places to visit, so I hope you and your family will come back to Japan near future!
We had the pleasure of having Michiko as our tour guide in Nara, and she exceeded all our expectations. Her English is excellent, making communication smooth and easy. She was fantastic with our two kids, engaging them with a fun scavenger hunt game where they used stickers to mark the places we visited. This thoughtful touch kept them entertained and made the tour even more enjoyable. Michiko is one of the best tour guides we've encountered in all our years of traveling to different countries. She was proactive in communicating with me before the tour, discussing the itinerary in detail and offering helpful suggestions for transportation options. Her knowledge, kindness, and attention to detail made our experience unforgettable. We highly recommend Michiko to anyone visiting the Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka areas. She truly made our trip special!
Thank you for the wonderful review. I also had a great time guiding such a loving family like you! I was impressed that you always kindly talked to your children and helped them understand the value of what they had seen. This tour became one of my unforgettable experiences! I hope you will come back here and see you again!