Kanagawa Systematized Goodwill Guide Club

The Kanagawa SGG Club (KSGG) is a group of language volunteers formed in March 1989 by eighty-two volunteer Goodwill Guides (GG) who sought to make their individual activities as Goodwill Guides even more effective by joining together with the help of aid received from the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), Kanagawa Prefecture, the Kanagawa Prefectural Tourist Association, and the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau. There are currently 160 participating members who continue to expand their activities across a number of fronts through the utilization of their varied language skills and sense of hospitality under the banner of "He who is able, when he is able to do so, does what he is able to do."
In 2004, we hosted the "8th National Assembly of Goodwill Guides in Yokohama" in which a large number of participants gathered together with us to discuss the topic of "How do we contribute to the Visit Japan Campaign (VJC)?" As Goodwill Guides we strive to make the stay of visitors to Japan more enjoyable and develop a deepened sense of mutual understanding. It is our belief that doing so will lead to a rise in the number of repeat customers and visitors to Japan, thus assisting in the fulfillment of the goals of the VJC.
Note: Visit Japan Campaign (VJC): A campaign conducted mainly by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in order to attract foreign tourists. The campaign aims to increase the number of foreign tourists in 2010 to ten million people.

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Kamakura / Enoshima Area

KSGG regularly offers sightseeing tours of Kamakura and Enoshima to trainees of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship (AOTS) as well as exchange students studying at schools including Yokohama National University and Keio University. Tours for trainees of JICA and AOTS are provided separately for each program once per month. Tours aimed at students studying in Japan are held once per year.Groups and organizations often request guides for services such as escorting foreign journalists during on-site news coverage and providing bus tours for participants of conferences held at Shonan Village. For these reasons, guiding foreign visitors around the Kamakura/Enoshima region is an integral part of KSGG volunteer activities. For general sightseeing visitors from overseas, we offer four standard courses prepared with the intent to communicate the appeal and beauty of Kamakura in a comprehensive way.

Yokohama Area

Take a stroll through the region while looking back upon the 150 year history accumulated since the opening of the port to the outside world. We regularly offer, upon request from Yokohama City and Kanagawa Prefecture, introductions to such locations as Motomachi, Yamate, Yamashita Park, the most bustling chinatown in the world, MM21 (a hub which established a new image of Yokohama as a city of exceptional development and growth), and Sankeien (a park said to be a condensed package of Japanese culture). For general sightseeing visitors from overseas we have set up four standard courses and provide accompanying guide services.

Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival

The Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival takes pride in its background of history and tradition. In addition to displays of bamboo decorations said to be the most extravagant in all of Japan, there are a large number of events to enjoy including musical parades, presentations of local performing arts, as well as the carrying of mikoshi (portable shrine). Every year the festival attracts three million people, including foreign tourists. The KSGG does its part as well, guiding trainees from JICA and AOTS. An "International Exchange Salon" for tourists has also been established with the cooperation of KSGG where visitors can enjoy activities including bamboo work, kendama (a traditional Japanese toy), origami, and calligraphy.

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Y-1 Yokohama, a port city where new meets old
Pacifico Yokohama -> Landmark Tower -> Nippon Maru -> Yokohama Port Museum -> Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse -> Osanbashi Pier
(Course time: 2.5 hours)

Y-2 Retracing the opening of the port and birth of Yokohama
Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Cultural History -> Port Opening Memorial Hall -> Yokohama Archives of History -> Yamashita Park -> Hikawa Maru -> Hotel New Grand -> Chinatown
(Course time: 2 hours)

Y-3 Exploration of exotic Western-style residences
Harbor view park -> Foreign General Cemetery -> Yamate Western-style Houses -> Yamate Park -> Yamate Italian Garden
(Course time: 2.5 hours)

Y-4 A serene walk through a garden of luscious greenery
Sankei-en(Course time: 2 hours)

K-1 Highlights of Kamakura
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine -> Hase-dera Temple -> Great Buddha of Kamakura(Course time: 4 hours)

K-2 "Yagura" (cavern tombs) and coin-washing
Jufuku-ji Temple -> Zeniarai Benten Shrine -> Sasuke Inari-jinja Shrine -> Great Buddha of Kamakura(Course time: 4 hours)

K-3 Northern Kamakura and the Great Buddha / Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
Engaku-ji Temple -> Tokei-ji Temple -> The Great Buddha of Kamakura
(Course time: 4 hours)

K-4 A therapeutic visit to Kamakura
Sugimoto-dera Temple -> Hokoku-ji Temple -> Jomyo-ji Temple
(Course time: 4 hours)

Official Website:
The Kanagawa SGG Club (Kanagawa Systematized Goodwill Guide Club)http://www.ksgg.org/index.html
Inquiries via email: ksgg_guide@yahoo.co.jp