Located in Kurashiki’s Bikan Historical Area and renowned as a tourist attraction, Kurashiki Ivy Square.
From facilities bustling with tourists, such as the hotel, restaurants, and souvenir shops, to cultural facilities like Kurabo Memorial Hall and Ivy Gakkan, this historic, multi-purpose tourist complex draws many visitors.
Many people surely visit tourist destinations with a sense of excitement. What kind of hospitality do the people working at Kurashiki Ivy Square bring to their jobs?
We spoke with Kondo Natsuki, a young employee who works as a hotel staff member at Kurashiki Ivy Square.
The information presented was current when this article was published in May 2026. Please note that it may differ from the current information.
About Kurashiki Ivy Square Co., Ltd.
Kurashiki Ivy Square Co., Ltd. (hereafter, “Kurashiki Ivy Square”) renovated the former site of the head office factory of Kurashiki Spinning Works, built in 1889 (now KURABO INDUSTRIES LTD.), and opened in 1974.
The expansive grounds, covering approximately 30,000 square meters, bring together a hotel, restaurants, Kurabo Memorial Hall, hands-on workshops, shops, and more. The complex is known nationwide as a multi-purpose tourist facility.
Kurashiki Ivy Square’s main businesses are hotel operations, cultural facility management, and retail sales.
The beautiful red-brick buildings, passed down through the ages, have been designated as Modernization Industrial Heritage sites and Japan Heritage sites. The company not only operates the site as a tourist attraction, but also works to protect its cultural facilities, including preserving the buildings.
Kurashiki Ivy Square makes use of buildings dating back to the Meiji era to create special experiences unique to this place. In particular, the hotel, a “cultural facility where you can stay,” continues to welcome visitors from Japan and abroad.
Kondo Natsuki, who works at Kurashiki Ivy Square
Our interviewee is Kondo Natsuki, who works in the Front Services Section of the Accommodation Department. She was born in 1997 and is from Kurashiki City.
Kondo says she had many opportunities to travel from a young age.
When job hunting, she sought work in the hotel industry, which interested her, and looked for an environment where she could use her strength—her Korean language skills. She joined Kurashiki Ivy Square in 2020.
About Kondo’s job
Kondo’s main duties include front desk services, such as check-in and check-out, and providing general assistance to guests, including information about nearby attractions.
As the hotel operates 24 hours a day, employees work shifts, including early, day, and late shifts.
When we asked about the duties of the day shift (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), we learned that there are many detailed responsibilities in addition to the main check-in and check-out duties.
These range from guest services, such as arranging taxis and looking after luggage, to administrative tasks, such as closing out accounts, checking email, and handing over duties to the late shift. Before check-in, she also goes around the guest rooms to make sure everything is ready to welcome guests.
When providing tourist information, she recommends attractions and shops tailored to each guest, focusing on the Bikan Historical Area. Many guests also head toward Kojima, and she suggests the best route, including whether to take the train or bus. In this way, she also serves as a travel concierge.
An essential part of the hospitality at Kurashiki Ivy Square is the thorough communication among staff. “We work closely together and share information so that every guest can enjoy a comfortable stay, no matter who assists them,” Kondo says.
How she came to Kurashiki Ivy Square
When job hunting, Kondo focused on the hotel and airline industries.
The inspiration came from her father, who had been posted overseas.
She recalls that, from childhood, she often traveled by plane and stayed in hotels, and loved the exciting atmosphere unique to travel.
She also looked for an environment where she could use her Korean language skills, one of her strengths, and that is how she found Kurashiki Ivy Square.
For Kondo, who is from Kurashiki City, Kurashiki Ivy Square is a tourist destination in her hometown.
She had of course known about it, but says she rarely had the chance to properly explore the facility.
However, at the first company information session she attended, she was strongly drawn to the kindness of the staff and the welcoming atmosphere of the workplace. Later, during the selection process, the interviews also proceeded in a calm atmosphere, and she says she was able to speak with greater peace of mind than in interviews with other companies.
After receiving an offer, Kondo was invited by a staff member to work part-time in March, just before joining the company. During that period, she got used to the workplace atmosphere and learned how the work was done. Just as she was about to start her new job, an unprecedented situation arose: the spread of COVID-19 in April 2020, shortly after she joined.
Kurashiki Ivy Square closed for a month, and all the training she would normally have received was canceled. Instead, however, she received one-on-one instruction from senior colleagues.
“Looking back, the time I spent receiving careful instruction may, in a way, have been a luxurious training experience,” Kondo says.
What does Kondo see as the appeal of Kurashiki Ivy Square as a workplace?
When we asked Kondo what she finds appealing about Kurashiki Ivy Square as a workplace, the first thing she mentioned was that “every employee is always thinking about how the guests feel.”
Hotels need to respond flexibly to each guest, so simply following a manual is not enough to provide satisfying hospitality. Each staff member makes use of their own personality as they strive to offer warm service.
For example, some staff members make guests feel at ease through friendly conversation, while others, like Kondo, offer careful, composed service that gives guests a sense of reassurance.
The hotel also welcomes many repeat guests. Being able to experience a different kind of service each time may be one reason guests want to return.
Kondo also said that “being able to work in an environment where people look out for one another” is another appealing aspect.
There are many occasions when a senior colleague asks a struggling junior, “Are you okay?” before they even have a chance to ask for help. When Kondo first joined, she thought, “At a company, you have to ask questions yourself to be taught,” but says she was surprised by her senior colleagues’ attentiveness and kindness.
Incidentally, the calm and kind impression she got at the company information session has not changed since she joined.
Kondo joined Kurashiki Ivy Square and will reach her seventh year with the company in 2026. We spoke with her about the appeal of working at one of Kurashiki’s most iconic tourist attractions.
Kurashiki Ivy Square Co., Ltd. Information
| Organization Name | Kurashiki Ivy Square Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | [Hotel Business] Accommodation, banquets, weddings, restaurants, parking, souvenir sales [Operation of Cultural Facilities] Kurabo Memorial Hall, Aibi Red Brick Hall, Ivy Gakkan, Aibi Kobo [Retail Sales] Hospital shop, factory shop |
| Representative | Kawazuto Yoshito |
| Year Established | 1974 |
| Address | 7-2 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-0011 |
| Website | Kurashiki Ivy Square Website |
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