I think hospitality is about whether
we can exceed the guests’ expectations.

• I would love to visit the new Tokyu Kabukicho Tower in Shinjuku. Shinjuku is one of the places that wowed me when I first came to Japan and made me think “This is Tokyo!” Back then, Copenhagen didn’t have any buildings taller than twenty stories. I remember the view of Shinjuku that I saw from the top of a highrise building even now.
  
• The difference between Shinjuku and other cities is that in Shinjuku, the boundaries are blurred. It has everything from businesses, livelihoods, and entertainment. Everything is jumbled together in a good way, and it’s a powerful city. We have a store in Shinjuku, and I have the impression that we serve a wide range of customers there.
  
• What I value in work, as well as in my choice of hotels, is whether or not it exceeds expectations. This is something I value personally, and also discuss with my store staff. For example, when you’re checking into a hotel, the receptionist often calls you by your name. They have a list in front of them that tells them what your name is. But what if they called you by your name again the following morning? It would make you happy, because you wouldn’t have expected them to remember it. When something exceeds your expectation of what you think will happen, people feel both surprised and happy. I believe that this is one form of hospitality. It’s something that is very important in my own work, and is something that I learned from hotels.
  
• One of my most memorable recent trips was to Okinoerabu Island in Kagoshima. It was a very exotic place and I got to see various types of flowers and nature. This summer, I’m planning to drive around Europe: Copenhagen to Berlin, Vienna, and finally Croatia via the Czech Republic. Thinking about travel still makes me feel excited.