JOPCA Tour for Participants of JICA Training Course

Tour leader's struggle and grumbling

Yoshihisa FUJITA

Planning Committee

I again took charge of JOPCA's Tokyo City tour for the participants of "JICA training course on Port Development Strategy and Management". As this was my 3rd time, I made something new to make it better. Some worked well and others didn't. I'd like to report the tour including new attempts.

Outline of the Tour

Date: Saturday, January 19

Foreign participants: 2 from Cambodia and the Philippines, 1 from Colombia, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Togo, and total 12 persons.

Japanese side: 3 from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, 1 from Yokohama City, Nikken Kogaku Co. Ltd. and Ecoh Corp., 3 from JOPCA, and total 9 persons.

Weather: fine and warm unusually in this season

Tour route: Old Shimbashi Station House - Hama Rikyu Gardens - Sumida River Cruse - Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center - lunch - Nakamise Shopping Street - Sensoji Temple - Asakusa Shrine.

One try is to make the tour time shorter. As it had lasted more than 6 hours, participants had been fully tired at the end of the tour. So I reduced the staying time at Hama Rikyu Gardens. It is a traditional Japanese garden and experience of powdered green tea while enjoying the scenery is very popular, but there are very few flowers at the Gardens in this season.

　 　

Another try is that I sent Japanese participants the tour information such as purpose, route, schedule, request etc. in advance. Before some Japanese had been informed only the meeting time and place. So, some ones had misunderstood that they were guests. Japanese participants became more cooperative and because of them there were no foreign participants who got loss or ill.

　

Another try is that we distributed foreign participants the tour explanation including pictures. I didn't know whether they read beforehand, but I think it was useful for them to have the image of the tour.

　

On the other hand, the reaction occurred from the compact schedule. The departure time from Shimbashi Station was late due to train delay. I worried about missing the Sumida River cruise ship from Hama Rikyu Gardens. So, we departed as soon as possible. Foreign participants and most Japanese met and joined at Shimbashi Station and then they confirmed names of others, but because of time shortage it was not enough. Participants were divided into 4 groups and we moved by group. Due to insufficient confirmation some Japanese couldn't recognized who their partners were. Some Japanese complained it. It caused confusion. This is a reflection point.

　

Inspection is indispensable to manage a tour smoothly. Thanks to previewing, I was able to guide participants with the most efficient route without mistaking the way except the last walk to Asakusa Station of Tokyo Metropolitan Subway. As I didn't confirmed sufficiently the way to the station, a slight confusion occurred. Some Japanese complained that they almost got lost. Why was it? Only Japanese complained (lol).

Although several happenings occurred during the tour, foreign participants really enjoyed the tour. And we were very lucky to have a chance to saw a monkey performance show at Asakusa Shrine. I would like to express my gratitude to Japanese participants for their cooperation and contribution.