From 0 guests on opening day to 5,000 annually after 10 years. A self-introduction by Kiyo, owner of the Matsumoto guesthouse 'Tabishiro'.

Hello! I'm Hitomi, a staff member at Tabishiro.

Tabishiro's note is still just getting started, but we are overjoyed that so many people read our first article. Thank you!

For this second installment, I interviewed Tabishiro's owner, Kiyo.

A backpacker in his student days, he worked for a major travel agency after graduation. Why did Kiyo decide to start Tabishiro in Matsumoto?

From here on, I'll let Kiyo tell the story in his own words!

Travel is the best! The difference between travel and tours as felt at a travel agency, and the motivation for starting Tabishiro.

At the major travel agency, I worked in group sales (for company trips, etc.) and educational travel (school trips), and served as a tour conductor.

I didn't want to provide tourism; I started the guesthouse because I wanted to spread the joy of travel.

The trips I took on my own by arranging a single plane ticket werefree, and I loved the feeling of returning to my true self.that's what it was.

When I was backpacking as a college student and stayed at a guesthouse on Khao San Road in Thailand, I repeatedly met people I wouldn't encounter in my everyday world, and it was fun to see my world expand like in Dragon Quest (though I only met 'playful' types, haha).

'Is there a world like this? Travel is the best!'I thought.

While tours have their merits, the itineraries are set in stone as packages, so those kinds of coincidences rarely happen.

Because you encounter unexpected people, things, and events, travel is like an adventure and it's fun. I wanted to support that kind of travel and increase the number of people going on trips, so I decided to try running a guesthouse.

I want people to feel the vastness of the world through travel. What kind of experience does Tabishiro want to deliver to guests?

I want people to feel diversity through travel.

Tabishiro receives guests with various backgrounds. Some of our staff members quit their corporate jobs to move here, and since I think that's a decision most people can't easily make, I find it amazing.

When you go on a trip, you can feel thatthere are many people living lives different from your own.

I think there are times when you feel troubled precisely because you are working hard at your job or daily life, but at such times,if you can learn that 'there is a world like this,' your options for how to live might expand, or you might feel more at ease.

At Tabishiro, I hope to create opportunities to feel diversity by connecting the local community with travelers, and travelers with each other.

Things I want to share on the Tabishiro note in the future.

I want to talk candidly about what I've felt and the trial and error I've gone through over the 10 years of running Tabishiro.

On the first day we opened, we had zero guests (laughs).

It wasn't successful from the start, but thanks to everyone, I've been able to keep it going for 10 years by shaping the exciting things right in front of me one by one, such as the sauna, gelato, and renting out the whole building.

My own thinking has changed, and there are many new things I want to do from now on.

By sharing my experiences and thoughts through the Tabishiro note, I would be happy if it becomes an opportunity for readers to enjoy their stay in Matsumoto more, think about going on a trip, or try doing something they've wanted to do.

In closing

Thank you so much for reading this far!

Listening to Kiyo's story, I, Hitomi, also felt once again that I want to deliver the experience of the world expanding through Tabishiro and travel.

If you like, I would be happy if you could like and follow to support us!
See you again!Have a good trip today!

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