"Meddlesome" Guides In Tokyo

Above, Ginza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one should be in Tokyo and is confused or lost (Daniel Boone was never "lost," just "mighty bewildered"), they may find a "meddlesome" guide coming to their aid.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune:

TOKYO — On Dec. 23, 15 men and women clad in matching yellow jackets gathered at the pedestrian-only zone in Tokyo's Ginza district, where department stores and luxury brand shops are located. Printed on the back of their jackets are the words "Need some help?" in English and Chinese. 

When these people find tourists who seem to have lost their way or seem to be bewildered, they quickly rush to them and ask, "What's wrong?" 

They are members of Osekkai (meddlesome) Japan, a volunteer organization established in April last year. The volunteers go to places where many tourists gather, such as the Ginza, Asakusa and Tsukiji districts, about once a month and guide people or help as interpreters, even if they are not asked to do so.

The group is made up of about 40 students and adults who have a good command of foreign languages such as English and Spanish. They sometimes go to areas outside Tokyo, such as Kyoto.

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