Is a Guide a Cost or an Investment for Travelers? Let’s Consider This in Kagurazaka, Shinjuku Ward.
Don’t Leave Without Experiencing Kagurazaka’s Greatest Charm
During the “Kagurazaka Matsuri (Festival) 2024,” the main street, Kagurazaka Dori, was so crowded with visitors that it was difficult to walk. I noticed many foreign tourists among the crowd. However, the cobblestone backstreets, which are the true charm of Kagurazaka, were almost devoid of people, and there were no foreigners at all. As a local resident who has lived in Kagurazaka for 25 years, I found this very disappointing. It’s a shame to come all the way to Kagurazaka and miss out on its greatest charm, the cobblestone backstreets.
Is a Guide a Cost or an Investment for Travelers? Maximize Your Experience with Guides
In a city like Kagurazaka, with its intricate network of backstreets, I strongly believe that a guide who knows the area inside out is essential. However, tourists often view guides as a cost and are reluctant to use them. But what if you changed your perspective and considered hiring a guide not as a cost but as an investment to broaden your knowledge?
Discover Kagurazaka’s Cultural Blend with Our Guides
By hiring a guide, you can fully enjoy the charms of a city like Kagurazaka and learn about Japanese culture as well. As I wrote in my blog on July 15, 2024, “Kagurazaka in Shinjuku: A Town of Serendipity,” Kagurazaka is a unique blend of various cultures, including samurai culture, temple and shrine culture, geisha culture, shopping street culture, and French culture. You can see people going about their daily lives, shopping, and enjoying the city.
Explore Kagurazaka’s Artistic and Literary Heritage
It is also a hub of traditional performing arts, with places like the Yarai Noh Theater and shops like “Sukeroku,” which sells footwear for kabuki actors. Kagurazaka is also the birthplace of modern Japanese literature, with landmarks like the stationery shop “Somaya,” where manuscript paper was first developed, and the writers’ inn “Wakana,” where authors and screenwriters stayed to work.
Kagurazaka: Cultural Awakening Around Every Bend
In Kagurazaka, you encounter various aspects of Japanese culture and history around every corner. This rich cultural landscape can spark numerous questions about Japan, which you can ask your guide to answer. A two-hour walk through Kagurazaka offers an opportunity to learn so much about Japan. It’s a unique experience of “intellectual discovery,” different from simply admiring beautiful scenery. This is why I have named Kagurazaka “A Town of Serendipity.”
Travel for Your Growth, Not Just Photos
The French writer Émile Zola once said, “Nothing develops intelligence like travel.” Do you want to develop your intelligence through travel, like Zola, or do you want to end your trip with just photographs of famous tourist spots?
Cost vs. Investment: Guides and Employees
For travelers, the question “Is a guide a cost or an investment?” is similar to the question businesses face: “Are employees a cost or an investment?” Some companies see employees as a cost due to the salaries involved, while others see them as an investment, the driving force behind the company’s growth. If you were a business owner, how would you see it? And as an employee, which type of company would you prefer to work for?
Excellent Companies Invest in Their Employees
In my previous job at a financial institution, I analyzed companies for many years. From my analysis and interviews with business leaders, I found that companies that see employees as an investment are almost always growth-oriented and excellent companies. On the other hand, companies that see employees as a cost are rarely outstanding.
Travel Investment: Choosing Satisfaction Over Savings
For travelers, the question “Is a guide a cost or an investment?” translates to “Will you be disappointed by not spending money, or will you be satisfied by spending money?” If I were to be disappointed during a trip by not spending money, I wouldn’t go on the trip in the first place. Traveling itself costs money, so the only sensible choice seems to be to “spend money and be satisfied.” What do you think?
Travel Enrichment: Invest in Learning and Intelligence
The French explorer and writer Alexandra David-Néel once said, “He who travels without meeting others merely moves through space.” Are you satisfied with just moving through space, talking only to your family? Or would you rather talk to locals and guides, expand your knowledge, create better memories, and enrich your life? It seems wiser to get a return on your travel investment. Which do you choose?
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How to Access Kagurazaka
The Kagurazaka area is conveniently located within 30 minutes from any major station in Tokyo. This is because Kagurazaka is situated in the heart of Tokyo, at the center of the Yamanote Line. Please come and visit this convenient and charming Kagurazaka.