Interview with a Private Tour Guide in Tokyo
Interview with a private tour guide in Tokyo
Q: How long have you been a guide for Tokiotours?
A: My first tour was in March 2015
Q: What do you like best about guiding?
A: Meeting many people from all over the Netherlands and the world. Often it feels more like taking your friends or family on an adventurous day out in Tokyo or Kamakura than it feels like work. Of course, it still is work as I take my job to deliver every customer a great experience very seriously and I need to read a lot to keep abreast of new developments and extend my knowledge, but because both preparation and being with the customers is so enjoyable I think it is one of the best jobs in the world.
Q: What is your favorite area to take customers to in Tokyo?
A: I love Ueno Park because it is one of the best places in Tokyo to tell people about the illustrious history of the city and Japan’s religions using the sights that we see on the way, and because one of Tokyo’s most photogenic areas is nearby. I also love taking my customers to Nakano Broadway to explain to them about Japan’s subcultures. This mall has many of these subcultures under one roof, which makes it easy to give people who are new to this part of Japanese society a peek into this interesting world.
Q: What is your favorite area in Japan to vacation at?
A: That would be Okinawa, with Taketomi Island and Iriomote in particular. I’m a big beach lover and these places are so refreshing and soothing. If I can’t go too far from Tokyo, Shimoda in Izu is my second favorite beach destination in Japan.
Q: What is your favorite tour-related story?
A: One time I had this tour with a larger group of people, we were with around 25 business owners from the Netherlands and we took a local bus. It is usually dead-quiet on Japanese public transportation as it is considered good manners to keep to yourself in public in Tokyo, but this time a toddler started crying. The group then sang a short Dutch lullaby (Slaap Kindje Slaap) to the toddler, who was staring at them with large eyes and forgot to cry for that moment. We got off the bus soon after, which was just as well as the adults on the bus also looked at us with surprise as they probably never saw something like this before. It was a bit embarrassing at that time for the other tour leader and myself, but once we got to our lunch location we all had a good laugh about it!
Q: What are your recommendations to people who are planning a holiday to Japan?
A: If you have the time and if you like to not only follow the Golden Route, I would recommend anyone to stay a bit longer in Tokyo and Kyoto to really discover those cities, and then finish your holiday in an off the beaten path, local destination like Shikoku or Kyushu. You can also opt for a start or finish in a winter sports resort between December and March, or Okinawa between April-November.
Q: What do you think about the current COVID-19 situation?
A: It has been a big blow to all of us in the tourism industry, many of us (including myself) had to resort to taking temporary jobs in other sectors to keep our heads above the water financially. I started delivering for Uber Eats by bicycle. The upside is that I get to know Tokyo even better, I already got inspired with many new ideas for (bicycle) tours in Tokyo.
At this moment (summer 2020) the end of the situation still seems like a long way off, but one day this situation will end, and by that time my colleagues and I will welcome our customers back to Japan with open arms. I also feel that Japan is the kind of destination that people will still want to discover after the pandemic, as it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip that many people had on their bucket list anyway. This is why I strongly believe that eventually, tourism will return with gusto. Private guides might even become more popular if people prefer to travel with their partner or group individually to avoid many of the masses.
Q: What would you like to say to people considering booking a private tour in Tokyo or another Japanese city?
A: Of course I am biased, but I can recommend everyone to at least book one private tour at the start of your vacation in Japan. I have heard countless times from customers how happy they were with being led through a sometimes confusing and overwhelming city by someone who knows the way and tells them stories in the meantime. A private guide can also give you personalized recommendations for the rest of your time in the city and for example for restaurants. We can make a reservation for you for that evening’s dinner as well.
Even for people who do their research and already know a bit about Japan and how to get around, it is often still worth booking a private guide because they will always have new information, take you to places you might not have gone to by yourself, point out details you might have missed, and you will be able to see a lot more in a shorter period of time if you like to go at a higher tempo. Stories about what it is really like to live in Japan long-term and what’s beneath the surface of this mysterious culture are also a bonus of a private guide.
