#Japan #Tokyo #Custom Pillows #Showa Nishikawa #MuAtsu

Showa Nishikawa's Innovative Onboarding Experience

On April 1, 2026, Showa Nishikawa Co., Ltd., renowned for its sleep products such as MuAtsu and custom pillows from Makurabo, held its annual onboarding ceremony in central Tokyo. The key highlight of this year's ceremony was a surprise mission announced by the President, Motohiro Nishikawa: newly hired employees were tasked with creating their very own custom pillows.

A Unique First Mission

The atmosphere shifted dramatically when President Nishikawa challenged the new hires with a spontaneous instruction: "Today, you will create your own custom pillows!" Amidst the buzz of surprise, the new employees formed teams of three, pairing up with colleagues they had not yet interacted much with. Under the guidance of specific rules, they were to focus on designing a pillow tailored to one member of their group.

As part of the process, the newly hired staff had to grapple with various practical decisions: How would they utilize the tools? What materials would they choose? Each team quickly dove into problem-solving mode, brainstorming the optimal solutions for their project.

To kick off the design process, new employees engaged in thoughtful discussions, asking each other questions such as, “What height and firmness do you prefer?” and “Do you have any specific sleep-related concerns?” Based on this feedback, they adjusted the height, firmness, and materials of the pillows to create personalized designs.

Through iterations and adjustments, the teams constructed what they aimed to be the “best pillow.” As a final step, each group presented their designs to everyone, detailing the rationale behind their choices in materials and height, as well as any challenges they faced during the task.

What is Makurabo?

Makurabo is recognized as a specialist in pillows and sleep. The brand measures each customer's body to adjust the pillow to the best height and firmness based on individual preferences. Engaging in a dialogue about sleep issues and bedding environments allows them to fine-tune each pillow within a 2mm range to ensure optimal comfort for the user.

The emphasis of this onboarding experience was not just on creating the product but on the collaborative and empathetic process that goes into customer service. This hands-on mission provided the new hires with invaluable lessons on communication and teamwork, essential skills for engaging with customers in the future.

About Showa Nishikawa

In January 2026, Motohiro Nishikawa took over the leadership of Showa Nishikawa at the young age of 29. While carrying the tradition of the Nishikawa brand, which has been a family name for over 460 years, he is leading a new chapter for the company.

Details of the Onboarding Event

• - Date: April 1, 2026
• - Location: Showa Nishikawa Headquarters
• - Number of New Hires: 30

Company Overview

• - Company Name: Showa Nishikawa Co., Ltd.
• - Head Office Location: 1-4-15 Nihonbashi Hamacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0007
• - CEO: Motohiro Nishikawa
• - Website: Showa Nishikawa Official Site

This innovative approach to onboarding demonstrates how Showa Nishikawa values direct employee engagement and customer-centric thinking, setting the stage for their future leaders to thrive in the industry.