Tokyo Wards Train Volunteer Tour Guides for Locals Passionate About Their Area’s Charms

By Eri Ishizuka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

15:30 JST, April 7, 2026

When traveling, tour guides who know much about the area are invaluable. Although it may seem like a specialized job, many sightseeing destinations today rely on volunteers for this work. Some municipalities even offer tour guide training programs.

The volunteer guide training program offered by Minato Ward in Tokyo is intended to teach its students how to share the ward’s appeal while giving tours. The program attracts people from both inside and outside the ward.

I recently visited a program session to report on the experiences and feelings of volunteer tour guides, especially regarding the sense of reward they get from learning while contributing to their own communities.

The day’s session was the 11th of the 13 sessions in this fiscal year’s training program. The program began in July last year.

This session featured “monitor tours,” for which students designed itineraries from scratch using what they had learned in previous sessions. Ward officials and experienced volunteer guides acted as tourists to evaluate the tours. The students were divided into six teams, each conducting a tour.

Training volunteers

One of the tours started at the Azabu-juban subway station. The group walked along a route about 3 kilometers long that includes the shopping area in front of the station, Azabusan Zenpukuji temple, the Patio Juban multipurpose plaza and the Ando Memorial Church. The tour ended at Roppongi Hills.

Five students took turns guiding the group. In addition to learning from the training sessions, they prepared extensively by researching the ward’s history in libraries and conducting site visits along the tour route.

A 66-year-old participant, who guided first, wasted no time in explaining the origin of the name Azabu-juban as he led the tour group out of the station and up to the ground level. Speaking without notes, he already seemed ready to be a tour guide.

While he was leading the tour, the other students provided support by holding up reference materials beside him or telling the tour participants not to obstruct the way for passersby.

The explanation given by each guide reflected their unique interests, making the tour rich and original.

Another participant, 61, who was born and raised in the ward, explained the ways in which the area has transformed while occasionally speaking about her childhood memories.

Using experience

After the tour concluded, the participants provided feedback, such as, “I felt the guides’ love for Minato Ward,” and “Their teamwork was excellent.”

An experienced guide, 62, praised the guides, saying, “Your explanations were very good, and your time allocation was perfect.” She also provided advice based on her experience, such as, “The walking pace was a bit too fast for people with leg problems to keep up.” The students listened intently.

Another female participant, 54, who is originally from Osaka Prefecture and now lives in the ward, joined the training program as she wanted to “convey in my own words the difference between Minato Ward’s glamorous image and what it’s actually like to live here.”

After completing the monitor tour she said with a smile: “While planning the course, I discovered charms of Minato Ward that I tend to overlook in daily life. I learned and experienced things that I can use in any situation in the future, such as speaking in front of people and handling emergencies.”

277 students have taken program

The program advisor, who is from the ward office’s tourism policy, explained the program as follows:

“Minato Ward has offered a free training program since fiscal 2010. JTB Tourism Research & Consulting Co. is commissioned to create the program content. Students learn guide skills such as hospitality and emergency crisis management, as well as information about the ward that is useful for tour guides from experts.

“To date, 277 people have completed the program, with about 90 of them currently active as volunteer guides. When there are too many applicants, they are screened based on motivation and other factors. Non-residents of the ward can also enroll. I feel all current and former students love Minato Ward very much.”

A member of the Minato-ku Kanko Volunteer no Kai volunteer tour guide association of Minato Ward, stressed the importance of diligently gathering information for tours and said the following:

“I finished the fiscal 2024 program and started guiding in 2025. I became motivated to join when I participated in a local half-marathon event. The volunteers’ dedication deeply moved me and inspired me to volunteer myself. As I’m re-training by majoring in tourism at graduate school, I became interested in this program to become a volunteer while using what I have learned.

“There are two types of tours. One is pre-planned, in which itineraries are pre-set and participants are recruited. The other is custom-made to meet guests’ specific wishes. The latter offers greater flexibility and varies each time depending on the tour guide, so it has repeat customers.

“Minato Ward is undergoing rapid redevelopment, so the scenery is constantly changing. To accommodate all kinds of guests, we need to gather information on a daily basis. Visiting newly opened shops can also be useful for guide’s work.

“People who have finished the program can join our volunteer association and be active as tour guides. The association holds monthly meetings, which are a good opportunity to share information with other volunteers. Some association members are knowledgeable about history, while others know about the latest commercial facilities. I think it’s great that every member can use their individual interests.

“Designing a tour with other volunteers is incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. If you like chatting or want to do something with other volunteers, I highly recommend trying it.”

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Trivia: Exam another option

People can also become volunteer guides by passing a certification exam.

The Tokyo City Guide Kentei certification exam is held every fiscal year by the Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau. Successful examinees can join the nonprofit organization Tokyo City Guide Club, which offers paid sightseeing tours in Tokyo.

It assigns volunteer guides to tours organized not for wards but for areas, such as “Tokyo Station/Marunouchi,” “Tama” and “Katsushika Shibamata/Edogawa.”

The exam was held for the 23rd time this fiscal year. It is taken by various people, including those interested in volunteer guiding and professionals working in the tourism industry. The exam covers Tokyo’s history, architecture, lifestyle/culture and industries. A score of 70 or higher out of 100 is required to pass. Its accessibility is appealing; examinees can study independently using textbooks and past exam questions without the need to regularly attend training sessions.

There are similar training programs and exams in places other than Tokyo. To start with, it is recommended to visit the website of the municipality where you wish to be active.