23 Apr 2023
We would leave zero stars or a negative number of stars, if it were possible. Other than being able to navigate the transit system, which we could have done ouselves (this was my 2nd time to Nara), our guide Paul was generally incompetent or at least unqualified to give tours in Japan. He knew virtually nothing about the sites we visited, providing only inane or highly uninformed generic comments. He knew nothing about their cultural, religious, or historical significance--after living 30+ years in the country. We took 2 other Viators in Japan in the same week as this tour. Both of the other guides were vastly superior to this one. This tour was a waste of money. While we were visiting different sites, Paul waited, only to have us later stop so that he could use the loo/toilet or withdraw money from the bank--personal business that he should have taken care of while we were exploring sites. He also had the social interactive skills of a wet dish towel. We recommend finding your own way around and looking up facts on each site on Wikipedia. You'll get more out of the experience. Live and learn.