Interview with Kurashiki District Welcome Tourist Guide Association
We interviewed Takahashi Yasuo from the Kurashiki District Welcome Tourist Guide Association (KWG), which guides tourists visiting the scenic Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area.
This interview features content from the initial coverage conducted in April 2023.
We want to accommodate all customers
Is the age range of your customers broad?
Takahashi
We have customers ranging from the elderly to elementary school students.
Since each customer has different perspectives and expectations of the town, we tailor our guidance accordingly.
For reserved guides, flexible responses are necessary. For example, when guiding elementary school students, I have to think creatively. I incorporate history about Ohara Magosaburo and Kojima Torajiro, along with stories that might pique their interest.
I also prepare quizzes to make it enjoyable for them. It's important not to over-guide. I enjoy conversing with the customers while guiding them.
The most memorable guiding experience was when a travel agency requested a 20-minute tour. I had to figure out how to shorten a course that usually takes an hour. I guided the travel agency representative before the actual tour, and I received approval on the third attempt.
However, we believe we can still provide better guidance. We practiced repeatedly until we were satisfied and refined our approach.
I want to be able to accommodate any type of person or situation, and I will study immediately if there is something I don't know.
Continuous study for better guiding
Is continuous study essential?
Takahashi
Yes, continuous study is necessary.
Whenever I encounter something I don't understand while guiding, I immediately go to the library to look for materials.
For English-speaking guides, I receive English lessons twice a month from a person from Canada. In 2019, I guided about 1,200 foreign tourists in one year.
I aim to exceed 2,000 tourists, so I will work hard on my English studies as well.
The importance of having a professional mindset even as a volunteer
What are your thoughts on your activities?
Takahashi
Although our activities are voluntary, I believe we must have a professional mindset. We need to ensure that our customers enjoy themselves and provide hospitality.
To make others happy, it is essential that we first enjoy ourselves. The driving force behind our activities is the desire to make everyone happy and the fact that I am also interested in the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area.
When you love something, studying becomes enjoyable.
When I finish guiding and receive applause or hear "I will come to Kurashiki again!" it makes me very happy. It motivates me in my activities.
Additionally, it also benefits the health of the guides. Since the average age is 70, meeting and talking with people, as well as studying, helps prevent aging.
Future goals
Do you have any future goals?
Takahashi
I want to put more effort into PR so that more people know about us.
Until now, we have been promoting ourselves through our website, but since 2022, we have started Instagram.
We have set up an Instagram salon and are taking and posting our own photos. However, we are still not very good at it. We are doing our best.
I want to guide many people so that all the guides can be active and engaged.
Conclusion
Through the interview, I was truly surprised by the richness of the tour content, to the point of questioning whether it is really free, and the high level of awareness towards guiding.
The members of KWG guide using their own time and effort because they want to see the joy on others' faces. They carry out their philosophy of "serving without seeking" with high awareness and passion.
I felt during the tour that this is not something everyone can easily replicate. There are no quotas, but continuous study is essential to provide better guidance to future tourists.
In fact, participating in regular sightseeing tours made me feel that the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Area is even more attractive, and I wanted to visit the facilities that were introduced.
I also realized that every seemingly ordinary view and building has meaning and history behind it.
The amount of information gained from just one tour is often beyond what can be found through internet searches.
If you want to know Kurashiki more deeply and come to love it, please consider participating.
Data of Kurashiki District Welcome Tourist Guide Association
| Name | Kurashiki District Welcome Tourist Guide Association |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-6-1 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture (inside Kurashiki City Tourist Rest Area) |
| Contact | 086-436-7734 |
| Website | Kurashiki District Welcome Tourist Guide Association |
