Private 2 Days Tour in Asuka Village Hidden Gems of Nara

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Day 1
6 stops
1
Mizuochi Site is regarded as one of Japan’s oldest water clock ruins, believed to have been constructed in the 7th century. Mentioned in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), it offers insight into the early concept of “time” in Japan. The site reflects the advanced technology and governance of the Asuka period, where natural water flow was used to measure time.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
2
While it is relatively a small temple, Asukadera temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples constructed in Japan and is known for its oldest Great Buddha statue in Japan. Visit the temple to appreciate the great cultural and historical value with long history.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
3
Mount Amakashi is a gentle hill located in the center of Asuka Village, offering panoramic views of the historic landscape. An easy walking path leads to the summit, where visitors can enjoy scenery once admired in the Manyoshu. From the top, you can overlook the Fujiwara Palace Ruins, the three mountains of Yamato, and the rural countryside of Asuka.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
4
The Sakafuneishi Site is a mysterious stone structure whose purpose remains unknown. Grooves and circular hollows carved into the surface suggest they may have been used for rituals or ceremonial practices. Surrounded by bamboo groves, the quiet setting enhances the site’s enigmatic atmosphere and connection to ancient spiritual life.
20 minutes • Admission ticket free
5
Tobutorino Coffee is a renovated traditional townhouse café in Asuka Village. The owner, who traveled across Japan before settling in Asuka, serves coffee through a unique “coffee ceremony” inspired by the spirit of tea ceremony—informal yet deeply attentive. The quiet satoyama landscape, the warmth of the old house, and carefully brewed coffee come together to create a calming, reflective experience that connects Asuka’s traditional lifestyle with modern sensibilities.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket free
6
Ishibutai Kofun is a tumulus from the late Kofun period (6th century) located in Asuka Village. Thirty massive stones totaling approximately 2,300 tons are piled on each other to form this tumulus. It is said that the tumulus belong to the leader of a powerful clan who held power for more than a half century. It is amazing to imagine people back in those times were able to create such an impressive structure without access to modern heavy equipment that we use today.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
Day 2
Day 2
8 stops
7
Tokuhoshi Soy Sauce Brewery Visit and Soy Sauce Squeezing Experience - Visit Tokuhoshi Soy Sauce Brewery, a small family-run brewery making soy sauce with more than 100 years of history. This small brewery still keeps the old-fashioned style of soy sauce making, using wooden barrels (kioke). Learn the process of soy sauce making and enjoy soy sauce squeezing experience. During the brewery visit, make sure to taste their soy sauce and feel the difference.
1 hour • Admission ticket included
8
Kengoshizuka Kofun is another giant tumuls in Asuka Village. The uniquness of this Kofun is its octagonal shape and it is said that such shape is a design unique to Imperial Family member's burial mounds in ancient period, and it is one of the only 5 octagonal shape Kofun in Japan, and this is the only 1 which has been reconstructed.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
9
Terraced rice fields, known as “Tanada” are rice paddies created in a stepped pattern on slopes such as hillsides. Inabuchi no Tanada in Asuka village is selected as one of the top 100 Tanada in Japan. Enjoy the peaceful scenery which changes from season to season.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
10
Enjoy an onigiri-making lunch experience at a renovated traditional farmhouse run by local farmers and used as a community gathering space. The house has been restored little by little through the hands of local residents and serves as a place for connection between farming activities. During the experience, you will make onigiri and enjoy simple farmhouse dishes prepared with rice and vegetables harvested from their own fields, while hearing stories about their agricultural work and renovation efforts. This is a special opportunity to spend time with the people who sustain Asuka’s local lifestyle.
40 minutes • Admission ticket free
11
Enjoy a private performance of Namode Odori presented by the Asuka Village Traditional Performing Arts Preservation Society. This traditional dance, recorded in the Nihon Shoki, is said to have originated as a ritual for rain prayers and thanksgiving and has long been passed down in the Inabuchi area. After the performance, you will have the opportunity to learn about its meaning and background while trying instruments such as flutes, drums, and kagura bells, along with interacting with local community members who preserve the tradition.
1 hour • Admission ticket free
12
Following the Namode Odori performance and experience, visit the Asuka Folk Museum. Inside, you will see the ema painting that became a key reference for the dance’s restoration. Discovered in the Inabuchi area around the 1970s, it provided valuable insight into the original costumes and movements. The visit offers a deeper understanding of how local communities have preserved and revived their traditions over time.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
13
Takamatsuzuka Tomb is a circular burial mound built in the late 7th century, renowned for the discovery of its vividly colored wall paintings. While the interior of the tomb is not open to the public, visitors can view detailed reproductions at the Takamatsuzuka Wall Painting Hall nearby.
30 minutes • Admission ticket included
14
Kusaki-zome (“plant dyeing”) is a method of dyeing cloth using a solution made by boiling natural plants and trees including red rice, madder, plum, and chestnut taro. Those vegetations grown in Asuka are mentioned in Manyoshu, the oldest anthology of poetry in the country compiled during the 7th and 8th centuries. Replicating the ancient method as possible, visitors can experience the traditional Kusaki-zome using seasonal plants and trees brought from different parts of the village. Choose your favorite color and design, and bring back home the beautiful handkerchiefs that you dye on the day.
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission ticket included

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Tags