Yoichi Miura: A Tour Guide Connecting with the World

2025/07/17

After graduating from the Juku, I worked for a trading company and was stationed in London and Milan. Even after retiring and starting my own business, I continued to be involved in overseas work. However, thinking it would be difficult to continue business trips abroad indefinitely, and wanting to share the charms of Japan with visitors from overseas, I obtained my qualification as an English National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter at the age of 66 and began working as a tour guide. Just as the work was becoming interesting, human exchange with overseas countries came to a complete halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was unable to work as a tour guide at all for two years.

During this time, I belonged to the Tourism Nation Study Group of Directforce, a general incorporated association established by alumni of various companies to contribute to society. The research and preparations I made in anticipation of the resumption of international exchange proved useful when things finally restarted.

In the fall of 2022, entry for foreign nationals finally resumed, and as reported in the media, the number of visitors to Japan has been increasing steadily since then. During this period, at the age of 73, I finally obtained my long-awaited qualification as an Italian National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter. Last year, I was able to guide visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, Italy, and other countries not only within Tokyo but also to various locations such as Hakone, Nikko, Kamakura, Shizuoka, Mt. Fuji, Takayama, Kanazawa, and Kyoto, totaling 64 days of guiding.

What makes this job interesting is the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people. I have had close conversations with celebrities I had seen on TV, the wife of a former prime minister of a certain country, former diplomats, and others I likely would never have had the chance to meet if not for this job. Their interests and concerns are diverse; I must be able to handle topics ranging from Japanese history and political systems to Japanese manners, mortgages, and even anime. The work of a tour guide requires the flexibility to respond immediately to any question. However, no matter how curious one is, it is impossible to answer every question instantly. Since many visitors now come to Japan after obtaining basic information online, I strive to provide information and topics that are difficult to find in guidebooks or on the internet.

Walking is the basis of this job, and on busy days I may walk more than 25,000 steps a day, but I intend to continue this work as long as I have the physical strength and can still speak. It is very encouraging to have several Keio University alumni among my fellow tour guides. If you are interested, why not give it a try?

*Affiliations, job titles, etc., are as of the time of publication.