Cross Talk 03 | Cosmos Hotel Management Co., Ltd.

Theme 01

What is the Appeal of Japan and the Kansai Region？

I majored in Japanese Culture in university in Italy, and then I first came to Japan on an exchange program. Why did everyone else come to Japan?

My situation was similar. I studied Japanese at a foreign language university in China, then I went on to attend graduate school in Kyoto.

I guess everyone has had similar experiences. I studied abroad at Kansai Gaidai University from the United States. After returning home, I felt like I wanted to try living in Japan, so I returned to Japan on the JET Program as an English teacher for 4 years.

People who study abroad in Japan tend to think of Tokyo first, so it's interesting that everyone chose Kansai isn’t it?

I’ve always lived in Kyoto, and I really like the feeling here that you can go anywhere with just a bicycle.
Kyoto and Osaka both have that “Kansai” personality, and once you live there you feel like you never want to leave, right?

Right, right. Tokyo feels futuristic, but in Kyoto you feel closer to Japan’s culture, and the people in Osaka are so interesting.

People in Osaka really are interesting aren’t they, and they have some similarities to Italian people too.
I’m working in Kyoto, but I don’t want to leave Osaka, so even now I’m still living there. Luckily, it's easy and convenient to commute to Kyoto.

I feel the same way. Osaka is like a hub to travel to Kyoto, Nara, and all over Japan. The diversity is also so nice!

Theme 02

Why Did You Join MIMARU?

We all first came to Japan to study, but why did you decide to work at MIMARU?

In my case, I finished graduate school and then decided to work at MIMARU.
I chose MIMARU because I love Kyoto, and I wanted to work using my own skills in a place like Kyoto.

I was working as an English teacher on a remote island in Kagoshima Prefecture. The island had a population of not even 100 people, and I met the same people every day. I decided I wanted to try something new, so I chose MIMARU as a place where I could encounter a lot of different types of people every day.

As for me, I had no hotel experience, I wanted to learn about the hotel industry, so I chose MIMARU. I began to be interested in management while working and gaining experience here, because at MIMARU you can become a manager regardless of your nationality. I started as front desk staff, and now I’m the manager of MIMARU Kyoto Station. I think the way that anyone can succeed here is what’s great about MIMARU.

I think so, too!
Before starting at MIMARU I had a general idea of what working here was like, but after the job training and watching my more experienced coworkers, I started to naturally think about how I could contribute. About not just being good at the everyday work, but about really listening to guests and making them happy. I think the work environment at MIMARU allows you to achieve what you can do, and what you want to do.

Theme 03

About Job Training

I’m jealous that you guys got to do job training!
When I started it hadn’t been set up yet, so a lot of people started working straight away without any experience. It was a bit rough at times!
But now everyone first does job training in Tokyo before being assigned to a hotel, so I think the overall level of our staff has improved.
How was the training for you, Davon?

My training group had 6 people, so we got to do the training in a group.
From things I learned in the training that wouldn’t have been possible at only the actual hotel, I feel like I became aware that I’m really a member of the company, and above all I’m glad that I made great friends there.
Even now we still keep in contact and exchange information, even though we’re all working at different locations.

I think the appeal of the job training is that on top of what we learn on-site, we gain an understanding of the company and its vision as a whole.
And because the training is in Tokyo, being able to see the how the people at the head office work was a good experience.

Theme 04

About Your Coworkers and Senior Coworkers

At MIMARU we have a lot of experienced coworkers with varying strengths.
For example, some people know so much about Kyoto, or others are great at English and can help guests make restaurant reservations. There’s so much to learn from watching them work and put their individual skills to use.
Moreover, I think it’s great how we have an environment where we can do things in our own way, suggest better ways of doing things, and respect each other’s opinions.

Everyone has different ways of doing things, but everyone has the same goal of providing service that surpasses guest expectations.
As a manager, I think it's very important to create an environment where everyone can express their thoughts, and a place where your colleagues will listen to your opinions. If we are aware of that, we can solve any trouble we have through teamwork.

It’s only been 6 months since I joined the company, so even though there are still times I make mistakes, I have experienced coworkers to serve as examples or to consult for advice, so bit by bit each experience is a chance for improvement.

Theme 05

To Our Future Colleagues

What kind of colleagues do you want to join MIMARU in the future?

You can learn new things here every day, so I think people with ambition and desire to improve would be a great addition!

I think people with a high level of curiosity would be suited for MIMARU!
Guests who come to Japan are curious about the country, so I think it's necessary for us to also be curious and keep learning in order to help them.

It really is! MIMARU has members from all different countries and backgrounds, and that requires a certain amount of flexibility, but it's also our strength. I truly recommend MIMARU to people who will enjoy this environment, and who will keep learning and improving.
As MIMARU continues to grow, our identity as a brand will become even more important. Anyone who works with us will definitely be able to contribute to MIMARU’s identity, and your new opinions and strengths will be indispensable. I hope you’ll join us in this challenge!