Tour guide under 80

Japan's tourism industry is booming, attracting a large number of foreign visitors. Amidst the crowds of tourists at temples, gardens, and old towns, it's easy to spot tour guides in their 60s and 70s enthusiastically attending to their groups of visitors.

Mr. Shimada (center) poses for a commemorative photo with a tourist. Photo: Japan Times

Whether they work for a living or simply to serve the community, the image of these elderly tour guides reflects a changing attitude toward life in old age in Japan, one of the countries with the highest proportion of elderly people in the world . It is estimated that nearly one-third of Japan's population is now 65 years old or older, or more than 36 million people. Notably, about 9.3 million of these are still working.

For many, helping their country connect with the world by becoming a tour guide is a meaningful endeavor.

Entering the tourism industry at the age of 67, Mr. Yoichi Miura initially worked as an English-speaking tour guide alongside importing shoes. Later, he only guided tours near his home, as frequent overseas business trips exhausted him. Recently, Mr. Miura passed the exam to become a tour guide and interpreter in Italian.

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With 12 years of experience working in London (England) and Milan (Italy) for trading companies, Mr. Miura is familiar with welcoming Japanese visitors and introducing them to local culture, so guiding tourists is not difficult for him. “It’s a pleasure to help someone. Of course, being paid is a motivation for me to work. But the best thing is when people send thank-you messages for helping them complete their trip,” Mr. Miura said. Each year, Mr. Miura spends about 50 days as a tour guide. Despite being 75 years old, he remains sharp and says he will continue to work as a tour guide if his health permits.

Masako Shimada, 69, has spent nearly two decades working as an interpreter for English- and Italian-speaking tourists as a member of Tokyo Free Guide, a non-profit organization connecting local residents with international visitors. Shimada joined the organization in 2007, when her conversational English school closed. Driven by a desire to meet foreigners and improve her language skills, Shimada and other volunteers provide free guidance to tourists using their language skills and local knowledge.

Mr. Shimada estimates he has guided nearly 1,000 tour groups. For him, this job brings in little income but is an opportunity to expand his social network. "Meeting many people of all ages brings me a lot of joy and keeps me young," Mr. Shimada said.

Tokyo Free Guide reportedly has 310 members aged between 20 and 80. Of these, senior citizens make up approximately 60% of the organization's 119 licensed tour guides and interpreters.

According to the Japan Times, tour guides help senior citizens actively participate in community life, in the context of Japan facing an "aging population" crisis.

To stay competitive, older tour guides learn to use email, WhatsApp, and Instagram proficiently, creating a continuous learning loop that keeps them sharp. According to Hiroko Akiyama, Professor Emeritus of Gerontology at the University of Tokyo, this dynamism allows older guides to leverage their accumulated knowledge in tourism and international exchange, while also giving tourists a deeper understanding of Japan. And in the context of Japan's persistent labor shortage due to demographic changes, Professor Akiyama believes that these older tour guides offer broader value, contributing to social prosperity.

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