午夜剧场

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, considering it would be difficult to continue business trips abroad indefinitely, and driven by a desire to share the charms of Japan with visitors, I obtained my English National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter qualification at the age of 66 and began working as an interpreter 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 an interpreter guide at all for two years.

During this time, I belonged to the Tourism-Oriented Country Study Group of Directforce, a general incorporated association established by alumni of various companies to contribute to society. Conducting research and preparations for the resumption of international exchange during that period proved useful when things finally restarted.

In the fall of 2022, the entry of 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 a National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter in Italian. Last year, I was able to guide visitors from the United States, 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 spoken closely with people I likely would never have had the chance to meet otherwise, such as celebrities I had seen on TV, the wife of a former prime minister of a certain country, and former diplomats. Their interests are diverse, ranging from Japanese history and political systems to Japanese manners, mortgages, and even anime. The job of an interpreter 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 arrive in 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 foundation of this job, and on busy days I may walk more than 25,000 steps. I intend to continue this work as long as my physical strength holds out and I can still speak. There are several 午夜剧场 alumni among my fellow interpreter guides, which is very encouraging. If you are interested, why not take on the challenge?

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.