Japan Expo volunteer with Down syndrome fulfills dream to help others through English
WAKAYAMA -- "Please enjoy the Expo!" says a volunteer at the ongoing Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai to a foreign visitor. Kenshi Nakanishi, 26, wears a badge that says "English," and waves his hand and smiles when he notices guests from abroad.
Nakanishi, who is from the city of Wakayama, southwest of Osaka, has Down syndrome. Apart from answering questions from visitors who need help finding pavilions, he also responds to curveballs, like where to buy sunscreen. Holding a map, he carefully points them in the right direction.
Given his condition, it takes Nakanishi time to learn each word in English. But, that's where he proves himself to be a hard worker. He has continued to study with the goal of guiding people from overseas in English, and cultivated the spirit of hospitality through the tea ceremony.
Nakanishi first became interested in English while in junior high school. As his body was frail, there were things he couldn't do as well as his peers, but he enjoyed practicing pronunciation and memorizing English vocabulary, including words like "hospitality" which feel unlike anything in Japanese. While studying in special needs classes at a local junior high school, Nakanishi took English in regular classes, and even tried his hand at an English play. After school, he would continue listening and speaking exercises such as by listening to radio lectures by public broadcaster NHK. This was when he started to think, "I want to speak English with people from overseas."
From speech contest to Expo
After enrolling in a correspondence high school, Nakanishi continued to develop his skills, entering events such as the Wakayama Prefecture high school English speech contest. When he told his high school teacher, "I want to help people through my strong English skills," the teacher suggested volunteer opportunities he could pursue even within Japan.
The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021 were supposed to be the first big step toward fulfilling his dream. Nakanishi applied to be a venue guide volunteer for the events, but the Games ultimately took place without spectators due to the spread of COVID-19, canceling his planned participation.
While discouraged, he remained determined and did not give up. In autumn 2021, Nakanishi gave a tea ceremony demonstration and delivered an English speech at the local Kinokuni Wakayama Cultural Festival. Later, upon learning about volunteer opportunities at the upcoming Osaka Expo, his motivation was renewed.
On April 21, Nakanishi stood for the first time as an Expo volunteer at Yumeshima, the event's venue. Due to environmental considerations, printed maps were not being distributed to visitors, and the information centers selling maps were packed with long lines. Directional signs provided were also limited, and he noticed many visitors appeared lost and confused. After returning home, he carefully studied the Expo map and by hand, made a version labeled so as to easily understand at a glance what kind of facilities are found where.
"It is nice to hear them say 'Arigato' after showing someone around from overseas," said Nakanishi. However, he also experienced some misunderstandings, recalling one incident when someone asked him for directions to the popular sushi chain "Kura Sushi" (referred to as "Kura") at the venue, which he mistakenly confused with "cooler" at first.
The theme of this Expo focuses on "life" and "diversity." Watching him overcome challenges in the background, Nakanishi's mother reflected with pride, "When he was young, he had health issues and was hospitalized. Back then, we could never have imagined such an energetic future for him. I'm so glad he found something he truly enjoys and has had the opportunity to pursue it."
At first, Nakanishi planned to participate as a volunteer five times over the Expo period running until Oct. 13. But, determined to convey Japanese hospitality and kindness using his best English, he later doubled that amount to 10 times.
Nakanishi's strong desire to improve continues. "I wonder if I study what is popular among foreign tourists now, that conversations will become livelier."
(Japanese original by Rihi Anzai, Wakayama Bureau)
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