Originally Posted by
blitzen
Hi,
When planning my Japan trip I stumbled over the option to "hire" a volunteer guide. And once I dug deeper I noticed how many organizations there were. I only looked to Tokyo/Yokohama/Kamakura/Hakone/Kyoto/Nara but there were many willing volunteers to show us around. Their time is free but you have to pay for their expenses (entry fees if any/ meals/ transportation).
Beside the lower costs somehow I like that better than professional Guide as I will have the opportunity to see more of "real" Japan
Great idea Japan!
ksandness introduced the concept of goodwill guides to you back in May, but you obviously didn't quite get it at the time:
Originally Posted by
ksandness
A daytrip to Kamakura, which was the shogun's capital in the early medieval period, would let you see the Great Buddha and more temples and historic sites. If you go on a weekend, you may be approached by a volunteer guide, a student of English who will show you around and will ask only that you pay for his/her admissions and lunch
Problem with the volunteer guides is that (as AlwaysAisle has also commented on) there's no guarantee that they'll know very much about their own city. Often, those who are most qualified to have a conversation with you are fluent precisely because their real interests are outside of Japan.
I was approached by a volunteer guide in Meiji Mura once, she was very nice but I had to ditch her as quickly as I could because she knew less about the architecture and the park than I did - and I was pretty clueless.
My suggestion to make the most of a guide is to ask you to accompany you somewhere such as the Edo Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku and get that visit to coincide with a guided tour. It's nearly impossible to get a tour in English so your guide can help you understand what is actually going on. That way, you make the most of the guide's expertise - English and having the chance to practice - and you get to benefit from someone imparting real knowledge and insite on Tokyo History.
If you hit it off with your guide that's great. Not everybody will.