Encountering the Unknown Is Exciting!
A First-Cohort Graduate of Eikei University of Hiroshima Who Polished Her Dream and Now Thrives in the Hotel Industry—The “Fearless Spirit of Challenge” She Gained

Eikei University of Hiroshima aims to foster a cadre of young people who have high aspirations to contribute to local communities and to the world in the midst of uncertain socioeconomic circumstances, as well as to boldly take on unsolved challenges, and to tenaciously pave the way for a new era.

As part of this mission, our liberal arts education—designed to develop competencies such as “foresight” and “self‑development”—offers courses that integrate perspectives aligned with the SDGs. Learning is structured around five core themes, known as the 5 Ps: Peace, Partnership, People, Prosperity, and Planet. Among these, Peace and Partnership are foundational courses required for all students, while the remaining three are advanced courses students can choose based on their interests. In People, students explore the humanities; in Prosperity, they study fields related to economics; and in Planet, they engage with the natural sciences, particularly environmental studies.

From these themes, Prosperity inspired Anna Matsuura, a first‑cohort graduate of Eikei University of Hiroshima, to refine her dream of working in the hotel industry through her studies in management strategy and organizational theory. We spoke with Ms. Matsuura about the strengths she was able to develop because she studied at Eikei University.

Having a managerial perspective improved the quality of my company selection.

— You’ve dreamed of working in a hotel for a long time. At first glance, choosing Eikei University of Hiroshima might not seem directly related to that goal, don’t you think?
I admired concierges when I was in junior high school, and since then, working in the hotel industry has been my dream. At the same time, I didn’t want to limit my possibilities. At Eikei University of Hiroshima, experiential and practical programs such as overseas internships and volunteer programs are mandatory, and liberal arts courses are also well-developed. I thought this would broaden my horizons. Among these opportunities, I became particularly interested in the field of business—an unexpected “discovery” for me.
Surprisingly, this turned out to be a positive outcome. By developing an interest in management, I was able to refine my dream of working in a hotel. In terms of competencies cultivated at the university, this relates to self-improvement. Advancing to Eikei University of Hiroshima allowed me to encounter new interests and learning opportunities, which improved the quality of my company selection.

— Currently, you are working in multiple roles—from front desk operations to planning—at “KAI Unzen,” a hot spring ryokan in Nagasaki Prefecture operated by Hoshino Resorts. Did you also prioritize a managerial perspective when choosing your employer?
Yes, I valued the criterion of “being able to engage in management” when selecting a company. Hoshino Resorts met that criterion, so I decided to join. I was also attracted by the company’s emphasis on staff-driven innovation, which makes it easy to incorporate insights and ideas from the field into hotel operations.

Understanding diverse values enables flexible responses.

— Are the management knowledge and other learnings you acquired at university useful in your work?
There are many, but first is how I approach challenges. In Project-Based Learning (PBL) exercises, we created “causal loop diagrams” to extract all elements necessary for solving a problem. By understanding the overall picture, identifying the “leverage points” that hold the key to solutions was an eye-opening experience. That way of thinking still helps me today.
Another important aspect is the spirit of taking on challenges without fear of failure, which I cultivated during my study abroad in Finland. The program lasted over four months, with no precedents, and it was my first time overseas. By proactively tackling unprecedented situations and taking initiative, I strengthened my ability to overcome problems one by one.
At the university in Finland, I studied management in English and developed an international business perspective. I believe that perspective is now useful when generating ideas for planning.
My study abroad also led me to the theme of my Degree project: “Veganism,” which is rapidly expanding in Europe and the U.S. For my research, I investigated how Hiroshima City accommodates vegans. I found that while Hiroshima attracts many inbound visitors, its repeat rate is not very high. Therefore, rather than simply increasing the number of vegan-friendly establishments, I concluded that improving the quality of service to meet diverse needs is essential. This kind of global and multifaceted learning experience is what Eikei University of Hiroshima offered me.

— Hotels that welcome many international guests can be seen as a microcosm of global society, can’t they?
Exactly. In that sense, understanding diverse values at university has become a strength in customer service, where flexibility is required.
Speaking of strengths, learning facilitation was also an invaluable experience. The skill of advancing a team by grasping the whole picture as a facilitator while clearly expressing one’s own opinions is something I now realize is crucial as a working professional.

Driving innovation through teamwork.

— What challenges do you want to take on in your career, or what values do you want to cherish in life?
First, I want to gain solid experience on-site and eventually test my abilities in the domestic planning and development division. Being part of the first cohort at Eikei University of Hiroshima reflects my passion for creating something from scratch. I hope to continue taking on new challenges and driving innovation through collaboration with my team.
No matter how advanced AI becomes, the privilege of thinking about what to do and pioneering new horizons belongs to humans. I want to keep traveling into the unknown with an unyielding spirit of challenge, without fear of failure.

■“Comment from the General Manager of ‘KAI Unzen’”

Her proactive approach and ability to involve others to move tasks forward are impressive. Currently, she plays a key role in dinner operations, but her ability to carefully capture diverse guest needs and immediately turn on-site insights and ideas into proposals greatly contributes to team progress. I also feel her approach aligns well with Hoshino Resorts’ culture, which values staff autonomy in thinking and decision-making.
She demonstrates the ability to organize issues and view them from multiple perspectives, proactively connecting on-site insights to improvement proposals. By leveraging insights from various customer touchpoints and satisfaction analysis, she creates new value and works on improving operations and workflows, significantly enhancing the guest experience.
Moreover, the spirit of challenge and understanding of diversity cultivated during her student years energize team discussions and guide them in a positive direction.