Japan¡¯s tourism boom has brought foreign visitors back in force. But amid the crowds gathering at temples, gardens and historic neighborhoods, another sight has become increasingly common: tour guides old enough to be retired, leading the way.

Many are in their 60s, 70s and beyond. Some are driven by financial need, others by civic goodwill, but together, they reflect a changing vision of later life in one of the world¡¯s oldest societies.

Nearly a third of Japan¡¯s population is now 65 or older, and a record 9.3 million older adults remain in the workforce.

For a growing number of this generation, aging no longer means stepping away from public life ¡ª instead, it¡¯s about finding a second act as interpreter-guides who keep the country connected to the world.

Yoichi Miura entered the field of interpreter-guiding at 67 after earning his national qualification. Now 75, he remains as active as ever.

He began working as an English guide alongside continuing his shoe import business, shifting his focus closer to home as regular business trips overseas became too physically demanding. He later expanded his language credentials, passing the Italian interpreter-guide exam on his third attempt.

Having spent 12 years in London and Milan during his trading company career, Miura was already accustomed to hosting visiting Japanese clients and introducing them to local culture ¡ª experience that translated naturally into guiding. For Miura, however, the appeal goes beyond language and travel.

¡°It¡¯s rewarding to know you¡¯re helping someone,¡± he said. ¡°Of course, getting paid is part of the motivation. But the best part is when people thank you afterward or write to say they couldn¡¯t have done it without you. Those letters are my treasures, and I keep every one.¡±

Miura¡¯s guiding assignments come through several agencies, though he occasionally receives direct requests via referrals from past clients. The two lines of work complement each other, with inbound tourism helping to offset periods when a weaker yen affects his import business. These days, he spends around 50 days a year guiding visitors.

He enjoys the unpredictability of the work. Some guests have religious needs or strict dietary restrictions, and because he often knows little about them beforehand, he shapes each tour through conversation, uncovering what interests them most.?

Guiding takes him across Japan, sometimes for several days at a stretch, leading groups of two to 40 people and logging as many as 20,000 steps a day. It¡¯s a demanding pace, but his years as a mountain climber prepared him for it.

¡°I¡¯ll keep guiding as long as I can stay on my feet,¡± he said.

Even in his mid-70s, Miura shows no sign of slowing down. He watched his father,...