Tour Guide Survey with Patrick Lovell in Tokyo

1. What is the best thing you like about being a tour guide?

There are many aspects of guiding that appeal to me, not least of which is the ability to travel. I very much enjoy introducing Japan - the focus of my life since my high school days - and opening up the history and culture of the country to visitors. It is a constant pleasure to be a part of visitor’s discovery of Japan and help them get the most out of their travels and go home with a deeper appreciation of the people and their fascinating culture. I also enjoy creating great memories for visitors. It is a pleasure working with people from every corner of the world.

2. What is your most memorable moment in guiding so far?

Watching visitors on tour responding to new places that they are seeing for the first time.

3. What is most challenging for you in this career? Have you coped with it?

I always aim to please my client visitors and to accommodate their every wish. By treating each and every person as the unique individuals that they are, I have been able to meet most requests. I also want to be able to help them with any topic in any period of history for any area, so it is a great challenge to keep up with my studies.

4. What is your favourite place/thing that you want to show your travel clients?

I enjoy showing visitors places, and introducing historical facts that are important to understanding the history, culture, and Japanese people but are perhaps overlooked by many seasoned travellers and passed over by other tour companies.

As Lawrence Durrell says: “Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection.”

5. What if you were not a tour guide? What do you imagine yourself to be?

I imagine that I would be very unhappy!