Tamashima Shinkin Bank, whose vision is to “support the growth and dreams of its customers (members),” is a long-established financial institution in Kurashiki, founded during the Taisho era.
In addition to the services offered by a typical financial institution, it also focuses on unique initiatives aimed at contributing to the community, such as its “Community Support Projects.”
What kind of people work at Tamashima Shinkin Bank, which is committed to solving local challenges with an altruistic spirit?
We interviewed Kaneko Rino, a young employee at Tamashima Shinkin Bank.
The information presented here is current as of the article’s publication in June 2026. Please note that it may differ from current information.
About Tamashima Shinkin Bank
Tamashima Shinkin Bank is a financial institution based in Kurashiki City with a history spanning more than 110 years.
Unlike banks, which prioritize shareholder profits, shinkin banks are cooperative organizations that prioritize the interests of their members and local communities. In addition to providing financial services such as deposits, foreign exchange, and loans, their defining feature is their strong commitment to contributing to the community.
Guided by the principle of “forgetting oneself and benefiting others” (moko rita), Tamashima Shinkin Bank completely abolished sales quotas in 2017. It has created an environment where employees can focus on solving challenges faced by customers and the community, rather than meeting quotas.
Through its unique “Community Support Projects,” each branch also takes on a variety of initiatives to address local challenges.
From “Parking Marche,” which supports areas where shopping is difficult, to “Kids Summer School,” which helps families with childcare during the Obon holiday period, all branches are carrying out activities that go beyond the scope of finance. Tamashima Shinkin Bank covers all costs associated with these projects, allowing local residents to use the services free of charge.
These activities may seem like volunteer work, but such altruistic efforts build trust with the community and continue to support Kurashiki’s sustainable growth and the realization of its dreams.
Kaneko at Tamashima Shinkin Bank
Our interviewee is Kaneko Rino, who works at Tamashima Shinkin Bank’s Hachioji Branch. Born in 2002, she is from Kurashiki City.
“I’ve enjoyed talking with people since I was a child,” says Kaneko. Drawn to Tamashima Shinkin Bank because of its close relationships with customers, she joined the bank as a new employee in April 2025.
The Japanese term for joining a shinkin bank is used in the same way as “joining a company.”
Kaneko’s work
Each branch of Tamashima Shinkin Bank has three roles: “Personal Retail,” which assists customers visiting the counter; “Sales Representatives,” who visit customers to help solve their challenges; and “Money Advisors,” who provide advice on financial matters such as asset management and investment trusts.
After being assigned to the Hachioji Branch, Kaneko first worked in Personal Retail, learning the basics of counter services such as deposit transactions.
The branch counter is also a place where customers bring a wide range of questions. For loan inquiries, she connects them with a Sales Representative; for concerns about asset management, she seeks advice from a Money Advisor. She has worked hard to assist customers while coordinating with her colleagues.
Now in her second year, she works as a Sales Representative, primarily helping corporate customers solve their challenges.
After several months of sales work, Kaneko says, “Customers’ concerns are often hidden in casual conversation.”
For example, while talking with a restaurant owner about rising crude oil prices, the owner casually mentioned concerns such as, “Our paper aprons might go up in price too,” and “They might stop making the containers we use for takeout.”
Above all, a relationship of trust with customers is essential to identifying their concerns and challenges.
That is why, when taking over an account from a senior colleague, she makes sure to learn not only the administrative details but also each customer’s personality and topics of interest.
Kaneko is also actively involved in the Hachioji Branch’s Community Support Projects.
In the summer of her first year, Kaneko planned and ran a class to help children with their summer vacation art assignments. Drawing on her experience studying art at university, she supervised eight elementary school students as they worked on their pictures.
The project began with the thought that “it must be hard for parents to supervise their children’s homework,” and it was a great success. It seems to have helped ease the burden on parents during summer vacation.
How she came to Tamashima Shinkin Bank
Kaneko says she has always enjoyed talking with people and chose part-time jobs that let her interact with others while she was a student. In her job search, she focused on work that involved interacting with people, considering a wide range of options, including staffing and printing companies.
Among them, she discovered Tamashima Shinkin Bank, which emphasizes its close ties to the community. Learning about initiatives such as its unique Community Support Projects, she was drawn to how close the bank is to its customers and the local community.
As the selection process progressed, she realized that working at Tamashima Shinkin Bank would allow her to connect with people more deeply than anywhere else. Her conviction that “I can work in a way that feels true to myself here” became the deciding factor.
During the final interview with the chairperson and others, Kaneko, who was then studying in the Faculty of Education, was asked, “What do you think about education today?” She says it was an unexpected question, but she spoke passionately about her outlook and dreams for education and exchanged views with the chairperson and others.
Looking back on how she felt at the time, Kaneko smiles and says, “I was nervous, but I rarely had the chance to exchange views with people with such broad knowledge, so all I remember is how much fun it was.”
What does Kaneko see as appealing about Tamashima Shinkin Bank as a workplace?
Kaneko says the greatest appeal of Tamashima Shinkin Bank is that every employee is passionate about “energizing the local community.” She also says that many employees are dedicated learners, pursuing qualifications and attending training to help revitalize the community.
Supporting this desire for self-improvement is the bank’s unique “Self-Innovation Learning” program. It allows each employee to take training suited to their needs, choosing courses based on their career and the challenges they face.
The training covers more than just sales and specialized financial knowledge. The wide range of courses includes everything from a unique “How to Get What You Want” workshop to classes that help employees reassess their suitability for their current work.
Kaneko says another appealing aspect of Tamashima Shinkin Bank is that it offers many opportunities to grow not only professionally but also as a person.
The skills employees develop individually will eventually be put to use in serving the community and customers.
Kaneko joined Tamashima Shinkin Bank and entered her second year in 2026. We asked her about the rewards of working at a financial institution rooted in the community and about what it is like to work in her second year.
Tamashima Shinkin Bank data
| Organization | Tamashima Shinkin Bank |
|---|---|
| Business | Deposits, loans, domestic exchange, foreign exchange (transactions handled through Shinkin Central Bank), agency services, foreign currency exchange, counter sales of government bonds, investment trusts, life insurance, and non-life insurance, etc. |
| Representative | Takuwa Hirohiko |
| Year established | 1914 |
| Address | 1438 Tamashima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086－526－1351 (main) |
| Website | Tamashima Shinkin Bank website |
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