Interview with Morimoto Rina
We spoke with Morimoto Rina, a young employee at Morimoto Komuten.
What does general affairs work that supports homebuilding involve?
I imagine you may have felt anxious about starting work after graduating from high school. Did you receive any training?
Morimoto (surname only)
After joining the company, I went through new employee training unique to Morimoto Komuten. For about a month, I accompanied a different employee each day and learned about the roles and duties of each department, as well as the overall flow of work at the company.
I joined the General Affairs Department, but during the training I also visited the lumber processing plant and went on site visits with construction supervisors. I got to do things like assemble rebar and learn about the machines used for processing. It was all new to me, and I really enjoyed it.
I also learned how work flows, and it was great that I was able to settle into the company quickly. I think the training right after I joined helped me build relationships with employees in other departments, too.
What do you enjoy about your work?
Morimoto
I find the social media accounts I manage for public relations rewarding because I can see the results in the numbers.
My colleague from the same hiring cohort and I handle everything for our social media videos, from planning to filming and editing. It makes me happy when the videos we make get more views or a lot of reactions.
My main work is usually office tasks, so I rarely get to go out to the job sites, but I always look forward to the time I get to interact with customers while filming. I love children, so I especially get excited when children appear in our videos. Sometimes my colleague and I try different things to help them feel at ease.
On the other hand, what have you found difficult?
Morimoto
It took me quite a while to learn specialized construction terminology. I hadn't attended a high school specializing in construction, and of course I had never built a home of my own, so there was a lot of new specialist knowledge to learn.
When I first joined, customers used lots of construction terms I didn't know when they called, and it was difficult to pass on what they were saying to the person in charge. I think the customers knew more than I did.
Construction terminology sounds difficult to learn. What did you do to get better at it?
Morimoto
I just kept listening and learning, over and over.
At Morimoto Komuten, anyone will teach you, so whenever I came across a word I didn't understand, I asked someone nearby. I still come across words I don't know, so I feel like there's always more to learn.
I have a colleague from the same hiring cohort who studied architecture, so it's reassuring to be able to ask them all sorts of things right away. I'm grateful to work in an environment where it's easy to ask for advice.
A wide range of duties adds to your experience
You're now in your tenth year with the company and handle a wide range of duties. Was the work different from what you imagined before joining?
Morimoto
I didn't feel there was much of a gap. But because it's a small company, each person's scope of work is inevitably broad.
On the other hand, being entrusted with new tasks helped me develop more skills. If I had only done accounting, for example, I don't think I would have had the chance to use Illustrator or video editing software.
It took time to get used to each of them, but my experience grew as a result.
What do you keep in mind as you work?
Morimoto
Recently, I've been entrusted with more tasks, so I value working quickly. Accounting in particular is a field where the numbers are expected to be right, so I focus on handling things accurately and quickly.
What are your coworkers like?
Morimoto
Regardless of department, I think everyone is friendly and easy to talk to.
Construction work can be dangerous, so people are serious and sometimes look stern while working, but they know how to switch gears. If you go to them with a question, they explain things carefully, and if you ask for help, they'll joke, “Oh, come on,” but still do it properly.
People may have a tough image of craftspeople in particular, but many of them are kind.
There have been more young employees lately, and about a third of the staff are in their 20s and 30s. I've come to look forward even more to lunch breaks when we all eat together!
Employees unite to foster exchange with the community at the “Kinoka Festival”
Is there an experience that made you feel how deeply rooted the company is in Tamashima?
Morimoto
Morimoto Komuten holds an annual appreciation event called the “Kinoka Festival.” In 2025, when it was held for the 24th time, around 400 customers came.
The Kinoka Festival is a lively event centered around a woodworking corner, with workshops that children can enjoy and food trucks. Not only our customers but also people from the local community who live nearby come along.
When I see children who attended the Kinoka Festival grow up and come to our company as interns, or customers who have attended for two generations of their family, I really feel that Morimoto Komuten is trusted across generations.
We often hear comments that are unique to a local company, such as, “I grew up in a Morimoto Komuten home, so I want to build one myself!” and “My parents say, ‘If you're building a house, ask Morimoto.’”
It sounds like your exchange with local people and customers has continued without interruption.
Morimoto
That's right. There were years when we couldn't hold it because of COVID, but the following year, customers called to ask, “Are you holding the Kinoka Festival this year?” I was happy that so many people were looking forward to it.
By the way, employees take turns serving as the Kinoka Festival's organizing committee chair.
Did you also serve as the event's organizing committee chair?
Morimoto
I did. The year I served as chair happened to be a year when we couldn't hold the event because of COVID.
But many customers were looking forward to it, so we wanted to do something... After discussing it in the organizing committee, we decided to sell woodworking kits that people could make at home by reservation and create a how-to video to upload to YouTube.
We didn't have filming equipment, so we attached a selfie stick to a stepladder and filmed our hands. Looking back, I think it was an interesting challenge.
An option to grow alongside a local company
Do you have a message for young people your age?
Morimoto
I think many people now take jobs outside their home prefecture, but lately I've been feeling that local companies have qualities that are unique to the area.
For example, some people may think that companies rooted in the community, like ours, are old-fashioned and rigid. But in reality, they take young people's opinions seriously, and I think many are eager to move forward and update things little by little.
Of course, sometimes there are traditional ways of thinking, but I think that's also part of why the community has come to love these companies. The differences in perspective between generations are new ideas to me, and there are things I can learn from them.
I hope working for a local company will become one of the options people consider.
From the Writer
In this day and age, changing jobs has become commonplace. Personally, I think it's remarkable for a young person to keep working at the same company for ten years.
Taking on multiple roles must come with challenges, but perhaps it also brings a sense of fulfillment through new opportunities to take on challenges.
Hearing about Morimoto’s unwavering efforts inspired the writer to approach their own work with renewed enthusiasm. I hope to continue supporting Morimoto as she shares the appeal of Morimoto Construction with even more people.
Be sure to check out the Instagram account that Morimoto helps run.
Stories of Kurashiki Work Woven by Young People: Back Issues
Morimoto Construction Co., Ltd. Information
| Organization Name | Morimoto Construction Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Industry | General construction, first-class architect's office, real estate brokerage |
| Representative | Hajime Morimoto |
| Year Established | 1971 |
| Address | 1026 Tamashima Yuzaki, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-528-2121 |
| Website | Morimoto Construction Website |
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