We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website and booking platform, scheduled for August 2025. In preparation, we are expanding our team of guides to better support travel agents and their clients.

To ensure a smooth and professional partnership, we kindly ask all prospective collaborators to provide clear and thorough responses to the questions below. This will help us assess alignment and uphold the high standards our clients and travel partners rely on.

1. Travel Agent Experience

• Have you previously worked with travel agents?
• Do you have experience creating complete, professional itineraries based on a travel agent’s brief?
• On average, how long does it take you to deliver a finalized itinerary once a brief is received?

2. Availability & Capacity

• What is your current operational capacity (in percentage)?
• Which months are typically your high and low seasons?
• Do you work solo or with a team?
  • If with a team:
    • How many guides work with you?
    • Are your guides employees or freelancers?
    • Are you currently hiring more guides? If yes, how many?

3. Areas & Languages

• Which regions of Japan do you currently guide in?
• What languages are you comfortable and confident using while guiding?

4. Legal Compliance & Insurance

• Are you a licensed guide and registered with the tax office?
• Do you have liability insurance? If yes, what is the insured amount?
• If you transport guests:
  • Do you have commercial vehicle insurance?
  • Are your vehicles properly licensed for commercial use?

5. Pricing & Additional Services

• What are your base rates for the following durations:
  • 4-hour tour (walking / with vehicle)
  • 5-hour tour (walking / with vehicle)
  • 8-hour tour (walking / with vehicle)
• Are you willing to assist with booking additional services such as:
  • Shinkansen or other train tickets
  • Restaurant reservations
  • Attraction entrance tickets
• If yes, please list any additional service fees per category (e.g., trains, dining, tickets).

6. Special Groups

• Do you have experience guiding:
  • Families with children?
  • Elderly travelers or those with mobility concerns?

7. What We Require by July 31

For each guide you wish to introduce, please submit:

• A brief profile with a recent headshot
• At least three full-day or half-day itineraries that they enjoy leading, each with three supporting photos
• Their mobile number (shared with the client 2 days prior to the tour)

Important Note

In the past, we’ve experienced challenges such as:

• Delayed communication
• Poor responsiveness to travel agent instructions
• Lack of accountability, causing missed opportunities and dissatisfied clients

To maintain high standards, we only collaborate with partners who:

• Assign a single point of contact for each itinerary
• Deliver client-ready proposals within 2 working days (after receiving all details)
• Maintain proactive and transparent communication
• Respect our intermediary role and do not bypass Pathfinder Japan  to work directly with agents or clients.

Please review and respond carefully. We look forward to working with you to create memorable experiences for travelers coming to Japan.

Please send your information and or questions to hello@pathfinderjapan.com.