The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-29
THE GUIDES OF JAPAN
JAMIE WILDER ADVISES GIVING
THEM A VIDE BERTH.
A Thrifty Guide Association Which
Looks After Tourists and Their
Money-Made Large Amounts.

a certain young fellow who has
many friends in Honolulu is contem-
plating a pleasure visit to Japan. He
is anxious to see the attractions in
this interesting little country. as thor
oughly and economically as possible.
Naturally enough he approached Mr..
Jamie Wilder on the down town street
this morning and sought to extract
from that gentleman what he most de-
sired to know.
Now Jamie didn't put in great
many weeks in Japan without learning
few things, so he kindly led the
young man around the corner, out of
the rush of pedestrians and vehicles.
Then he said:
You are going to Japan. Ell? Well,
now / want to give you little advice,
young man, which | am able to give
you through experience. 1t is this:
Beware of guides over there. Don't
have anything to do with them. They
are heartless band of thieves and
they wouldn't hesitate to rob blind
man of his last bean.
"You see there has been and is still
existing probably, a guide association.
The hui is composed of two or three
dozen japanese. Their business is to
show tourists over the country. These
guides are scattered all throughout
Japan and while, ostensibly,, their pur-
pose is to show you the sights, their
real object is to fleece you and they
generally succeed in doing so.
"They are as cunning as foxes. You
! give them a certain amount of money
to pay your expenses. They look after
your hotel accommodations, pay your
carriage hire, secure your theater tick
cts, purchase curios, arrange for pleas
ure iaunts, and in fact, have charge of
everything where money is to be paid.
The guide submits an itemized state
ment of the monies expended by him
to the tourist employing him. This
will be found to be correct to a penny.
Very otter the guide will cheat himself
few dollars for effect.
"But where the steal comes in is in
the bills. He makes you pay above the
regular rates in order that he and his
association may make a good thing
out of you. 1t is done in this way.
The guide patronizes favorite people
and institutions. He has them rails,
your bill from ten to twenty per cent
above regular prices. This is his rake
off. Besides this he is allowed ten
per cent from the houses for your bus
mess. Thus the guide makes an e,;'
cellent rake off on every dollar his
tourist spends. Last year these guides
divided 100000 among themselves
this being their profits for the year"
'While L was in JAPAN" continued
Mr.. Wilder, this rotten guide associa
ton was broken up by William Fur
Miss, prominent Philadelphian, who
is known in Honolulu. Mr.. Furniss
discovered that he had been robbed
out of $50 by guide whom he ha,
entrusted WIN 9lSU. ne Hltteie " u
plant to the association. The Japs
fearing that Mr.. Furniss would make
public the theft by trickery refunde
6$ and demanded that the guide with
draw. This action brought about {
ventilation of the rotten company. The
guide sued for damages. He failet
to get damages, but managed to breal
up the association which had fire.
him."
"This is only the main association o
its kind. There are others awaiting
suckers to bite their bait, from al
parts of the world. My advice to al
Honolulu people who intend VISITING
Japan, would be to secure Murra.,
guide book. 1t gives more information
than the guide could ever hope to i'm
part to the tourist. There is not bi
of danger to anyone straying from civ
= ilization and the English language
well understood throughout the entiy