Kagaya, a leading inn in Japan, is known to everyone in Wakura Onsen , Ishikawa Prefecture. The innkeeper is Oda Mayumi. If the late Oda Takashi, the previous innkeeper, built the foundations of Kagaya's hospitality, it is Oda Mayumi who has brought about the current prosperity of Kagaya known throughout the country for its best hospitality in Japan. "My mother-in-law taught me everything, from the spirit of giving my all to hospitality to the attitude of cherishing the employees who work for me. I want to preserve this spirit and attitude towards customers, even as times change," says Oda Mayumi. The inn is especially renowned for its human resource development.

Smile and praise the good points of your employees. When scolding an employee, be careful with your words. Communicate with your employees' feelings. Give them a change of mood from time to time. The more clumsy or inept the employee is, the more they will love and value him or her. Provide opportunities for self-development. Reprimand employees who talk too much or who prioritize procedures. Teach them knowledge. Transfer them if there is an incompatibility. And remember that all responsibility lies with the proprietress. These are Oda Mayumi's 10 principles for developing people, and the premise behind all of these is the idea that "treasures are on the job site."

Every morning, she shows up at the office and receives a detailed report of the services she has provided up until that point. After fully understanding the details, she sees off each and every customer. She stands at the head of the cabin attendants, bends almost 90 degrees, and waves cheerfully to the customers until the bus is out of sight.

Next, they work with the guest room center, front desk, and kitchen, paying attention to what kind of groups will be arriving that day, whether there are any regular guests, whether there will be any problems with the room attendant allocations, and whether there have been any oversights in the preparations for people visiting on anniversaries or other special occasions. After a short break in the afternoon, they hold a meeting, and soon it's time to welcome guests. As the hotel begins to get bustling, they split up with the manager and head out to the guest rooms to greet guests. Dinner is apparently after most of the guest rooms and banquets have finished. They repeat this every day, using their sharp observational eyes and sharp nerves to make sure there are no glitches in the service, and they keep track of the entire hotel and the employees. They are truly masters of hospitality.

" Nihonnoyado Koyo " in Kaminoyama Onsen . It is widely known that Koyo was named after the remains of a kiln from the Nara period, about 1,300 years ago, that was excavated on the premises. The kiln site is now a power spot, with a Kama Shrine enshrined there. One of the hospitality experiences offered is the Koyo, even in all of Japan.

Continuing from the lobby is the Raku Pottery Gallery. Many Raku pottery pieces by famous people from various fields are on display. They are displayed throughout the building, and they will catch your eye.

Ryuzo Sejima wrote, "Creating something new with an old kiln," while Master Danshi Tatekawa wrote, "Bringing tradition to the modern age." They were probably expressing the impression of hospitality at an Koyo in a very sensible way. The words are exactly like an Koyo. The famous actor Hisaya Morishige wrote, "What do I remember of the pine trees and the frost-covered trees? The snow falling around Zao." Perhaps he was looking at it from the large bath with a view that seemed to stretch out into the sky. It was like catching a glimpse of the majestic and rugged nature of Zao. Manga artist Mitsuru Yaku wrote, "Thank you again tonight, Mokichi," along with a portrait. Kaminoyama is the hometown of the famous poet Mokichi Saito. Rokusuke Nagai's work includes, "The inn where the guests were waiting, the inn where the inn was waiting."The Koyo hopes for good relationships with its guests through its Raku ware works. What he feels in his Raku ware is fate. The second-generation proprietress says, "Encounters lead to Raku ware, and Raku ware leads to new encounters. Raku ware works are the very history of the Koyo that has been loved and blessed with connections by many people."

The book "Koyo Mandala" published by Hiroshie Sato, the second-generation proprietress and current president, contains her own experiences as well as her deep gratitude to her mother-in-law, the first proprietress, Sachiko Sato, whom she deeply respects as her mentor. In 2023, Sachiko Sato, who currently serves as vice-chairman of Koyo, published a book titled "En" (En). It is a compilation of her humane ways of life and memorable exchanges of words from her heartfelt interactions with Sugako Hashida, Jakucho Setouchi, Shintaro Ishihara, and others. Naoki Prize-winning author Yoshio Takahashi commented, "This "En" is her memorable 10th book. She is doing better than ever. She is a master of life. I am amazed."

Since 1967, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has been selecting and awarding the foremost experts in their field and the highest level of craftsmanship in Japan. These are the "Contemporary Master Craftsmen." In 2018, Mayumi Oda of Kagaya and Sachiko Sato of Koyo were selected as food and beverage servers. This was the first time that such an honor had been awarded in the hospitality field, especially for a female innkeeper.

Mayumi Oda has inherited the spirit of hospitality from her predecessor and has thoroughly implemented the "customer first" principle. She has established the Kagaya style of hospitality, from greeting customers at the entrance and serving them in the guest rooms to seeing them off. In addition, the company has been highly praised for creating an environment where employees can demonstrate their hospitality skills, such as by introducing a food delivery robot and an in-house nursery school.

Ms. Sachiko Sato was highly praised for passing on the art of hospitality to the next generation as a traditional innkeeper representing Japan. The main reasons for her selection were her track record of streamlining the service system, such as setting up a traditional Japanese restaurant within the inn 40 years ago to reduce the workload of staff, and her "exemplary skills as a ryokankeeper who manages and directs an inn."

Mayumi Oda of Kagaya said, "It is an honor for the inn's proprietress to be selected as a 'Contemporary Master Craftsman.' I am very happy that the inn's invisible hospitality has been recognized. And I cannot help but wish happiness upon the people who work at Kagaya. If we value our guests, the room attendants who interact with them must also be happy."Wakura Onsen was hit hard by the Noto Peninsula earthquake on New Year's Day 2024. The damage suffered by the large inn Kagaya was also severe. What we hope for now is for Kagaya to restart as soon as possible. Please come to Noto and Kagaya when that day comes. I'm sure there are many people who just can't wait any longer.

Sato Sachiko of Koyo said, "It is difficult to express the skill of heartfelt hospitality in words, but it is a great honor for the innkeeper to be selected as a contemporary master craftsman. I think that innkeepers are a part of Japanese culture that cannot be found anywhere else in the world." The "bond" between the inn and its guests through Raku ware will continue into the future.