Become a Local Friend in Tokyo
Turn your local knowledge into your own travel profile on Roavi. Get discovered by travelers who want the real Tokyo experience — your city, your way.
Free to join · No complicated setup · You stay in control
You — Local Friend
Tokyo
Your own profile
What is a Local Friend?
A Local Friend shows travelers their city the real way — the food spots, the nightlife, the hidden gems and the culture that guidebooks miss. You're not a tour company and there are no scripts. You're a trusted local who shares the place you love, right here in Tokyo.
What someone who lives in Tokyo can open up
Tokyo is the easiest major city in the world to arrive in and one of the hardest to actually get into. The trains run to the second and the signage is in English, and none of that helps with the eight-seat place down an alley with no English menu, no online booking a visitor can use, and often no sign on the street. Most visitors do Shibuya Crossing and Sensō-ji and go home thinking that was Tokyo.
What you can show
- 1
Yokochō alleys — Golden Gai, Omoide Yokochō, Nonbei Yokochō in Shibuya. Sitting at an eight-seat counter next to the regulars is not something a visitor finds on their own.
- 2
Standing bars and kakuuchi: a drink shoulder to shoulder with people on their way home from work. The most ordinary thing in Tokyo and the furthest from reach.
- 3
Depachika food halls, a neighbourhood sentō, the Jimbōchō secondhand bookshops, Shimokitazawa vintage. Places that are an extension of living here, not attractions.
- 4
Transfers, ticket machines, ordering. Half of what people actually need is this kind of help, and it is worth more than commentary.
One practical thing to sort out before you start: if you are in Japan on a student or dependent visa, earning income requires permission to engage in an activity outside your status of residence, and that permission caps you at 28 hours a week. Most work visas and the Working Holiday visa are fine. Check your own status rather than assuming — it is a quick thing to confirm and an expensive thing to get wrong.
Why join Roavi
Roavi gives you the page and the visibility — you bring the local know-how.
Your own profile page
A personal page that's yours — your photo, your story, your city. Share the link anywhere.
Get discovered on Google
Your profile sits on our Tokyo pages, which are built to rank — so travelers searching for a local find you.
Show your real self
Add photos and the experiences you love. Travelers choose you because of who you are, not a faceless listing.
Interests & languages
List the languages you speak and the things you're into, so the right travelers connect with you.
No complicated setup
Apply in minutes. No license, no fees to join, no endless forms — just your profile and you're live.
Meet people from everywhere
Connect with travelers from around the world who want the real local experience, not a tourist trap.
How travelers discover you
They search Google
Travelers look for “a local friend in Tokyo”. Roavi's pages rank — and your profile is on them.
They browse your city
On the Tokyo page they see real locals, filter by interest, and open your profile.
They message you
No middleman. Travelers reach out directly and you plan something real together.
How it works
Apply in minutes
Create your free Roavi account and tell us about yourself.
Build your profile
Add your city, interests, languages and photos — make it yours.
Get discovered
Your page goes live on Roavi and starts showing up for travelers.
Meet travelers
They message you directly and you show them your city, your way.
Travelers are looking for locals in Tokyo
Be one of the first Local Friends they meet. Build your profile today and get discovered by travelers heading to Tokyo.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a guide licence to do this in Japan?
No. The Interpreter Guide Act was amended effective 4 January 2018 and the exclusive-practice rule was abolished, so you can be paid to show foreign visitors around without the national qualification. What you cannot do is call yourself a 'National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter' without holding it. One separate limit: driving people for a fee is a different regulated activity requiring a Class 2 licence and permission — guiding and driving are not the same thing.
My English is not fluent. Is that a problem?
Usually not. A large share of visitors to Japan are not native English speakers either — from Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, France, Spain — so slow, simple English often communicates better than fluent English. You need enough to arrange a meeting point and answer straightforward questions. Plenty of people use a translation app alongside.
How do I become a Local Friend in Tokyo?
Tap “Apply in minutes”, create your free Roavi profile, and add your city (Tokyo), languages, interests and a few photos. Once you're approved, your profile page goes live and travelers can discover and message you.
Is it free to join Roavi as a Local Friend?
Yes — creating your Local Friend profile is free. You decide how you connect with travelers and there's no complicated setup.
What is a Local Friend?
A Local Friend is someone who shows travelers their city the real way — favorite food spots, nightlife, hidden gems and culture. You're not a tour company; you're a trusted local who shares what you love.
How do travelers find me?
Roavi gives you your own profile page and lists you on our city pages for Tokyo, which are built to rank on Google. Travelers searching for a local guide discover your profile and message you directly.
Do I need experience or a license?
No. If you love your city and enjoy meeting people, you can be a Local Friend. Just be welcoming, reliable and honest about what you offer.
Ready to get your own Roavi page?
Join the locals showing travelers the real Tokyo. It's free, it's fast, and it's yours.
Apply in minutes