I highly recommend the daily guided walk from NaraWalk. The pace was excellent and the guide very knowledgeable and friendly. In addition to the historic sites, she showed us shopping areas for a wide range of items, including the famous Nara pickles. Nara is a short journey by train from Kyoto or Osaka and the website provides a link to an English-language route planner.
Homestay in the ancient capital of Nara home of Todai-ji, the largest wooden structure in the world and the temple that houses the Great Buddha. You get your own room in a house.
Clean, and you can use the kitchen in the morning upto 9am (A kind of bed and breakfast). Kind owner and reasonable price.
Bus from Nara Kintetsu or Nara JR station, then 5 mins walk. Close to Nara park.
Email babydodo@m5.kcn.ne.jp
The tourist information office by Sarusawa-ike pond in the centre of town offers free walking tours of Nara from university students who want to practise their English. The girls who showed me around were really knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I was told that to avoid disappointment, it's best to call and book a tour in advance.
Sarusawa Information Center, (0742) 26-4753
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