Ai-zome, or indigo dyeing used to be very familiar with ordinary Japanese people, especially in Edo Period(16C to 19C). The beauty of the color is highly valued as "Japan Blue". You will experience at a studio called "Konya", the fine renovation of an old merchant's house in Yamato-koriyama city, a castle town.
After that you will visit Yakushiji Temple.
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Kintetsu Koriyama Sta. (20 minutes from Kintetsu Nara Sta.) or JR Koriyama Sta. (5 minutes from JR Nara Sta.)
Yakushiji-Temple(710) is one of the world heritage site"Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". The principal image is Healing Buddha, or doctor Buddha. You will also see Sun and Moon Bodhisattva,or day and night attendant nurses. They always welcome you with great mercy.
Kintetsu Nishinokyo Sta.
Ai-zome, or indigo dyeing used to be very familiar with ordinary Japanese people, especially in Edo Period(16C to 19C). The beauty of the color is highly valued as "Japan Blue". Now it is well-known as the logo of "Tokyo Olympics in 2020". You will try dyeing with the handkerchief and the bandanna,etc.. "Konya", the studio, is located in Yamatokoriyama city, a castle town, and you will touch the atmosphere of the old merchant townscape around there.
Yakushiji-Temple(710) is one of the world heritage site"Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". The principal image is Healing Buddha, or doctor Buddha. You will also see Sun and Moon Bodhisattva,or day and night attendant nurses. They always welcome you with great mercy.
guide fee (12075JPY),
guide transportation fee between home and the spot(2000JPY)
transportation fee during the tour ¥150 per person,
"Konya" entrance fee ¥300,
the fee for indigo dyeing experience ¥1200 to ¥1900,
"Yakushiji Temple"entrance fee (It varies depending on the date.) ¥1100 (1/1~1/15 3/1~6/30 8/13~8/15 9/16~11/30) ¥ 800 (Rest of the year),
The price of the tour includes the guide fee and the guide's transportation fee between home and the travel city.
① The tour is carried out after booking the indigo dyeing experience. To ensure the booking, I'd like you to contact me early, at least 3days before the tour.
② I recommend you to wear clothes you can get dirty in dyeing, although apron, rubber gloves and long boots are prepared.
③ I'd like you to prepare cash for the payment on the tour.
④ At Yakushiji temple, East Pagoda undergoes disassembly and repair, so you can't see it now.
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!