This note is especially for new guides working with us. We understand that many of our guides are freelancers who may also work with other agencies. To avoid confusing customers who booked through us, we ask that you always operate our tours under our umbrella, Private Japan Tours.

If the customer asks, please maintain your connection with Private Japan Tours. Failing to do so or giving the impression of a weak connection could undermine the customer’s trust and make them feel uncomfortable.

For new guides or first-time arrangements, we can provide either full payment (or a deposit if miscellaneous expenses were unclear) a day or two before the tour, to help alleviate any concerns. This option is available if the guide prefers it.

Typically, guides are compensated on the day of the tour, once we have received their feedback on how the tour went and confirmation that the customers were satisfied. In cases of tour overload, we ask guides to be patient; payment will be sent within 1-2 weeks at most.

For guides with multiple tours with us (e.g., March 12 and March 17), we may consolidate payment for all tours on their final tour day of the month or administrative convenience.

Payment is usually made via a local bank account.

We will add what the guide paid for the customers' entrance fees(D) and souvenirs(E), and the total of A + B + C + D + E will be paid to them.

• Guiding Fee (A)

When we approach a guide, we always offer the guide fee either on a per-hour basis or as a flat payment for the entire tour duration. The guide fee is added on top of the guide's expenses listed below.

• Guide’s Transportation (B)

We cover the guide's transportation costs during the tour, as well as travel to the pickup point and back home. That said, expenses need to stay reasonable, so we've set a transportation budget of 3,000 yen. If costs are expected to exceed that, please inform us beforehand. We expect guides to live close to the tour destination — coming from a city far away would mean a high commute cost, leaving no profit for us on the tour.

• Guide’s Lunch / Meal Costs (C)

We will cover your meal cost as part of your personal expenses, but to allow us to maintain a profit margin, we cap the guide's lunch budget at 2,000 yen.

If a customer requests a high-end restaurant, please inform them before making a reservation or going in that they'll need to cover the cost of your meal as well — since a 10,000-20,000 yen meal, for instance, comes close to the profit we make on the tour, we have to set limits.

We will provide you with the funds to cover the customers' entrance fees, as well as the cost of one souvenir per participant .

Since these are variable expenses, you can send us receipts or a simple list after your tour—we trust you—and we will add these expenses to your guide payment (or pay you the outstanding difference if a deposit was already made).

If the tour includes an animal café, a ferry, or a ropeway, we consider those as entrance fees as well and will cover those expenses on behalf of the customers.

Tourists/customers are expected to cover their own meals(except on food tours), their own transportation, and their own other personal expenses, such as coffee or taxi rides if they choose not to use public transport.

Please understand that our system covers the tourists’ entrance fees and a souvenir (budget: around 700 yen per person) to make their private tour smoother and more enjoyable. If preparing souvenirs in advance is difficult for you, you can handle it during the tour—for example, by purchasing an Omamori at a temple you visit or picking one up along the way.

Stovenir = Souvenir + Story. Souvenirs can be bought during the tour. This can be the same souvenir for all adults and the same souvenir for all children in the group.

What makes them meaningful is the story attached to them — for example, the meaning behind a sakura petal (mono no aware) on a cup, a simple daruma doll and how locals use it, a small Japan-themed puzzle with an explanation of its artwork and historical connection, or a small wooden model of a Japanese castle paired with some interesting facts about castles.

All our tours are walking tours unless specified otherwise. The default transportation is public—mainly trains, buses—with plenty of walking.

If a customer prefers to take a taxi—either by request or if you recommend it as a good option—please accommodate them. The customer is responsible for covering their full Taxi cost.

For guides, we cover their transportation costs during the tour, as well as travel to the pickup point and back home. That said, expenses need to stay reasonable, so we've set a transportation budget of 3,000 yen. If costs are expected to exceed that, please inform us beforehand. We expect guides to live close to the tour destination — coming from a city far away would mean a high commute cost, leaving no profit for us on the tour.

Most tourists want a lunch/meal stop for day tours longer than 4 hours. If they'd like to eat, please guide them to a recommended restaurant.

You don't need to make a reservation unless you want to and already have a good option in mind(unless it is a group bigger than 6 individuals, then a booking is recommended). For small groups, many of our guides simply go with the flow and keep a few trusted spots in mind.

We will cover your meal cost as part of your personal expenses, but to allow us to maintain a profit margin, we cap the guide's lunch budget at 2,000 yen.

If a customer requests a high-end restaurant, please inform them before making a reservation or going in that they'll need to cover the cost of your meal as well — since a 10,000-20,000 yen meal, for instance, comes close to the profit we make on the tour, we have to set limits.

The default pickup point is the customer’s hotel lobby, and the default drop-off point is the last destination of the tour.

However, if the customer informs us—or you—after contacting them that they prefer a different pickup location (for example, near a temple they’d like to visit before the tour), please try to accommodate their request and be flexible.

Similarly, if they request to be dropped off at their hotel (though this is uncommon), you can include that time within the tour schedule—typically allowing about 30 minutes at the end for the drop-off.

Customers may book a fixed itinerary that we offer, or they might request a customized tour that includes specific sights.

We will always send you the itinerary to follow; however, we are flexible. If you believe it would be better to adjust the schedule during the tour, you may make changes—provided you inform the customers of your plan at the beginning of the meeting in the hotel lobby. If they agree, you can proceed.

Customer satisfaction is always the priority.

When the same customer books multiple tours with us, we usually provide an itinerary presentation—typically a link directing you to a Sway presentation outlining tour details.

We may send this link to the guide to make it easy for them as well.

It is crucial to thoroughly review the itinerary provided in the customer’s link, especially the day before the tour. The itinerary may contain specific requests, such as dietary restrictions, surprise birthday plans, or arrangements for hosting an influencer (online celebrity).

Please revisit the itinerary presentation link a few days before your tour. Adjustments may have been made based on customer requests and changes, and we update the information in the presentation link accordingly to ensure accuracy for our guides.

If you haven’t received an itinerary presentation for the tour you accepted (usually a link to a Sway presentation outlining tour details), it’s likely because the tour was booked through a travel agent or the customer booked only one tour with us. In these cases, the agent may provide details closer to the tour date, or we will send you a message summarizing the tour information.

We usually provide the main customer details—leader’s name, WhatsApp number, and email—2–4 weeks before your tour. The main and preferred way to contact them is via WhatsApp for fast replies and for sending any notes before or during the tour. We expect you to reach out within this timeframe, unless the tour was booked only a few weeks in advance.

Introduce yourself by name and let them know you will be their guide for [date]. Confirm that you’ll meet them at [location] at [time] and express that you’re looking forward to seeing them. Keep it short and clear, emphasizing the date, time, and meeting point.

Please reconfirm these details via Whatsapp to avoid any misunderstandings.

A common misunderstanding occurs when there are multiple hotels with the same name in the city, or when the customer confuses the tour’s start time. Please double-check the hotel name and start time with the customer to avoid any issues.

Here is the message template which you can use to connect with all future tour customers. The words in bold (below) are the variable elements that you'll need to change for each tour message:

———————————————

Hello [TOURIST'S NAME],

My name is [GUIDE'S NAME], and I am thrilled to be your guide for [TOUR LOCATION] on [DATE].

I hope this message finds you well. 

I look forward to meeting you on [DATE] in [MEETING LOCATION] at [TIME].

If you have any specific interests, preferences, or questions before your private tour, feel free to let me know. I am here to ensure you have an enriching and enjoyable time.

I'm thrilled to show you [TOUR LOCATION]'s charm.

[GUIDE'S NAME]

———————————————

Feel free to save the template on your notes and use it in the future. 

Note: If I haven't specified the meeting location for any future tour, please feel free to ask the guest for their hotel name or preferred meeting location when you connect with them via WhatsApp.

It's common for some tourists to reply to the message a day or two before their tour rather than responding right away.

If they haven't responded by a few days before the tour, please let us know and we'll reach out to them. When this happens, we email them, and they typically respond to the guide right away.

Some tour requests don't come directly through our website but through travel agents. These agents often provide us with partial information to confirm the tour. They may need more time before sending us the full details about the tour or customer.

The key to connecting with every individual is authenticity. Be genuine and share personal stories from your life in Japan, especially about the city you're guiding in. Additionally, provide unique insights and share local events or lesser-known facts that visitors can't easily find online or google.

We advise you to bring along: a phone charger, and a tablet(only if you can) that can help clarify things to customers using saved images — it leaves a great impression on them.

If a customer cancels their tour, the guide will be paid in full only if the cancellation occurs within 24 hours of the tour start time. For cancellations made more than 24 hours in advance, no payment will be issued to the guide.

Please note that tour cancellations with us are very rare.

It’s not mandatory, but we would appreciate it if you could share a natural photo of the participants smiling during the tour, provided you feel they’re comfortable with it.

You can take one from behind, along the way, without showing their faces, so as not to bother the customers by asking them.

There’s no need for a long report. We only ask for a brief note—1 to a few sentences—summarizing how the tour went and mentioning any unique occurrences.

The most important thing is that you felt the customer was satisfied.

Yes, unless we specifically ask a guide to conduct the tour in another language that they are fluent in.

If a tour participant asks a question to which you don't know the answer, it's perfectly okay to admit that you're unsure. You can offer to look up the information. The key is to remain honest and helpful while managing expectations.

Occasionally, you may encounter a tour participant who is difficult or demanding. It's important to maintain your politeness and professionalism throughout the tour until it concludes. When encountering difficult or challenging tour participants, it's essential to remain calm, empathetic, and patient. Listen actively to their concerns, address them respectfully, and strive to find mutually agreeable solutions.

Tours with large groups (15+) may seem daunting at first, but they often come with generous compensation for the relatively short duration.

While big groups typically ask fewer questions compared to smaller ones, they do require management and control.

Here's some advice:

When you need to make announcements, such as introductions or discussing specific sites, consider gathering everyone in a circle. This simple action can help streamline communication and ensure everyone is attentive.

Before the tour begins, if feasible, organize a circle and encourage each person to remember the individuals on their left and right. Then, if you need to confirm everyone's presence, simply call out "body check," prompting participants to locate the individuals they remembered. If everyone is accounted for without any objections, you can proceed confidently with the tour.

You have the option to designate a group leader if there isn't one already appointed within their group. You can then communicate directly with this leader for any inquiries and lead the tour accordingly.

Be Flexible: Large groups may move more slowly and require additional time for transitions. Be patient and flexible with the pace of the tour.

Manage Expectations: Set clear expectations at the beginning of the tour regarding behavior, timing, and any rules or guidelines they need to follow.

In the event of emergencies or unexpected situations during the tour, it's essential to remain calm and prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants. Quickly assess the situation, follow any established emergency protocols, and take appropriate action to mitigate risks or provide assistance as needed.

In case of emergencies, you can contact the tour director via LINE, WhatsApp, or even Instagram.

If they insist, accept it with gratitude.