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Tour Guide Application Form

Cycling Tour Guide Hiring Process

1. Submit the Tally Form
Start by filling out our Tally application form so we can learn more about you.
2. Evaluation Steps
>Application Screening
We will carefully review your application form to assess your experience, skills, and alignment with the role.
>Video Call with Rindō BTJ (3-Step)
If you pass the application screening, we’ll schedule a video call to get to know you better, hear your story, and see if you're a good fit.
>Bike Ride in Kiryū with Rindō BTJ
If the call goes well, we’ll invite you for a short ride in Kiryū. It’s an opportunity to experience our riding culture firsthand and for us to see you in action.
>Trial Tour Invitation
If the ride goes well, you’ll be invited to join one of our tours as part of a trial. This is a real-world opportunity to experience guiding at Rindō and for us to see how you interact with our guests and team.
(At each step, applicants are evaluated. You may be accepted to move forward — or it may be decided it’s not the right fit.)
3. Final Decision:
After the trial tour, we’ll make our final decision. If successful, you’ll officially join the Rindō BTJ team!
2. Evaluation Steps Applications are reviewed at each stage of the process. Candidates may be selected to proceed, or it may be determined that the role is not the right fit.
>Application Screening
We will carefully review your application form to assess your experience, skills, and alignment with the role.
>Video Call with Rindō BTJ (3-Step)
If you pass the application screening, we’ll schedule a video call to get to know you better, hear your story, and see if you're a good fit.
>Bike Ride in Kiryū with Rindō BTJ
If the call goes well, we’ll invite you for a short ride in Kiryū. It’s an opportunity to experience our riding culture firsthand and for us to see you in action.
>Trial Tour Invitation
If the ride goes well, you’ll be invited to join one of our tours as part of a trial. This is a real-world opportunity to experience guiding at Rindō and for us to see how you interact with our guests and team.
3. Final Decision:
After the trial tour, we’ll make our final decision. If successful, you’ll officially join the Rindō BTJ team!
IMPORTANT: Only fully completed Tally Forms will be reviewed.
頑張ってね!

Full Name

Whatsapp or Line Number

Email

Please indicate the months you are available to work in 2026:

Please indicate the months you are available to work in 2026:

Please indicate if you are unable to work any of the following tour dates in 2026: (select all that apply)

Please indicate if you are unable to work any of the following tour dates in 2026: (select all that apply)

Where are you currently living and what is your time zone?

How long have you lived in Japan? Where have you lived?

What is your current visa status in Japan?

When is your current visa expiration date?

Are you currently able to legally drive in Japan? Select one.

Please briefly describe your experience driving in Japan. Select all that apply:

Please briefly describe your experience driving in Japan. Select all that apply:

Is English your first language?

Please indicate your Japanese language proficiency:

Describe your cycling fitness level - how much do you typically ride (distance, elevation, climate, etc.)? Include a link to your strava (RWGPS, etc) account if you have one.

Describe your toughest day on the bike, including distance, elevation, and region covered. 

Please indicate your current comfort with bike mechanics & maintenance.

What work do you regularly do on your own bike(s)? I.e. Fixing a flat tire/punctured tube, diagnosing and adjusting mechanical derailleurs (electronic Di2?), working on hydraulic brakes, swapping and adjusting seat posts/stems/saddles/etc.

Some of our ryokan and onsen partners still have traditional Japanese rules around tattoos. If you have tattoos, please indicate your tattoo's size(s), and how you have navigated onsen baths during your time in Japan.

Do you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies?

Important Note: 

Our company is located in Kiryu, Gunma. We do not cover transportation costs for guides traveling to Kiryu; however, for every two tours per season that guides work, they may receive a ¥15,000 bonus to help offset travel expenses.

Why do we offer a flat bonus instead of reimbursing travel costs?
 Our guides are based throughout Japan, and to keep compensation fair and equitable, we provide the same bonus to all guides rather than using the standard travel reimbursement model common in Japanese companies. In most cases, this flat bonus results in higher overall compensation than traditional travel reimbursements.

Review and Acknowledgment

Please confirm and check that you have read and agree to the following
I understand that Rindo | Bike Tour Japan has a strict no smoking policy.
I understand that some traditional ryokans may not have ensuite showers and I may have to share the shower / onsen facilities with other guides and guests on tour.
I understand that I may have to share a room with another guide (same gender, separate beds) while on tour.
I understand that I will need to download and use (1) Whatsapp (2) Google Maps (3) Google Sheets and (4) RidewithGPS on my personal smart phone in order to perform my job.
I understand that this is a physically demanding job. I confirm that I am physically able to: (1) ride 70–100 km with significant climbing on consecutive days (2) lift 20–30 kg luggage (3) load a ~12 kg e-bike onto a car roof (overhead lift)
I understand this job involves early starts, long days, and occasional unexpected schedule changes due to weather, guests, or logistics.
I understand that I will need to cover my own transportation costs to get to the Rindo warehouse in Kiryu, Gunma and confirm that I am willing to travel to Kiryu 1-3 times per season depending on my tour schedule.
Review and Acknowledgment

Are you interested in working with us across multiple seasons if it’s a good mutual fit?

Please provide 1-3 professional references (former managers, co-workers,etc). Please note their name, phone, email, name of business, and their business relationship to you.

Please share anything else you would like us to know about you:

How did you hear about us?

Video Upload:

Please upload a short video introducing yourself in both English and Japanese.

Things to introduce: Your name, nationality, where you live, current work, cycling experience, etc.

Please read through each scenario and upload a video below answering the following questions. The video length should not be longer than 4-5 minutes total for all 3 questions. Please try and answer as if you were currently working on a Rindo tour. We’re interested in your thought process and communication style, not a “perfect” answer.

Scenario One: It’s Day 3 of an 8-day tour. One guest pulls you aside after breakfast and says they’re disappointed—the day’s route and group pace feel much easier than they expected, and they feel the tour information was misleading or unclear. They are not angry, but they are clearly frustrated and want a harder riding challenge for the remaining days of the tour.

Question: How would you respond to this guest in the moment, and what steps (if any) would you take for the rest of the tour?

Scenario Two: You’re riding sweep for a group of 14 riders on a 1,000 m mountain climb and are about 75% of the way up when it suddenly starts raining heavily. Most of the group is far ahead of you, and the SAG van is waiting somewhere at the top of the climb. You are with the last four riders and have no cell service or way to contact your team.

Question: What steps would you take next, and what factors would be most important in making your decision?

Scenario Three: You’re working with another guide whose style is very different from yours. You feel they’re being too rigid with guests, and it’s starting to affect group morale. The tour is only halfway through, and guests have made comments, although no one has directly complained about the guide.

Question: How would you handle this situation during the tour?