2022 is underway at SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP! Along with our “Kanji of the Year,” each group company shares its New Year’s resolutions.

Happy New Year, everyone! This is Sunny-chan from PR. We appreciate your continued support this year as well.

Many of you may still be in a New Year’s mood, but are you ready to get back to your routine? (Sunny-chan has been eating too much and is moving a bit sluggishly…)

Today at SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP, we kicked off the year with an online New Year’s work kickoff, and we would like to share a report!

Each year, on the first business day of the New Year, we have held a work-kickoff event by inviting a guest related to that year’s zodiac sign (Year of the Sheep: a real sheep; Year of the Rooster: the members of Ostrich Club; Year of the Dog: a member’s pet dog; Year of the Boar: Antoki no Inoki, etc.). This year as well, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the event was held online.

Click here to see last year’s event.
We held our 2021 New Year’s work kickoff online! Each group company announced its “Kanji of the Year.”

Rewinding two months… Since this year’s zodiac sign is the Tiger, a serious meeting was held to decide what kind of zodiac-themed event to host.

Ideas flew around, such as “I want to meet Tora-san!” and “Should we go for it and invite a tiger cub?” However, we thought what would truly make everyone happy might be delicious food… so this year’s New Year event was packed with tiger-themed food and drinks, along with plenty of New Year–only activities!

At the morning kickoff meeting, President Tsugihara wore a hoodie with tiger ears and livened things up to wake up the bleary-eyed members (maybe?). (Apparently, she really wanted an “Osaka auntie” style instead… haha)

Now, let us get started with our report from the morning meeting!

At 10:00 a.m., cheerful voices rang out with “Happy New Year!” and the morning meeting began with greetings from President Tsugihara.

SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP President Tsugihara’s greeting

The Year of the Tiger is said to be perfect for “growth” and “new beginnings.” Carefully assessing the situation, and when the time is right, seizing opportunities with the momentum of a tiger taking a big bite.

Exactly—“If you do not enter the tiger’s den, you will not catch its cub.” If you do not go into the cave where the tiger lives, you cannot capture the tiger cub inside. I hope each of you will take on challenges that lead to your growth, even if it involves some risk.

I believe that each person’s small challenges will also lead to major growth for the group as a whole.

So, this year as well, let us put health first and create some “fun commotion”!

Then, as is customary, representatives from each group company announced their Kanji of the Year! Here are a few highlights.

Kanji of the Year

■ SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP

“Sun”

One of my recent daily pleasures is NHK’s 2021 second-half serialized TV novel “Come Come Everybody,” and in fact, the song featured in the drama is one of the inspirations behind the name SUNNY SIDE UP.

It is about continuing to walk the sunlit path no matter how difficult the times may be. With COVID-19 still far from fully contained, that is exactly how I feel this year.

Our work is, by nature, to be behind the spotlight, but precisely because of these times, I want us—at least in spirit—to walk together right down the middle of the sunlit road.

■ SUNNY SIDE UP

“Carry On”

With this kanji, we express our commitment to continue striving for steadily improving results, while also taking on new initiatives that will lead to what comes next.

■ Wise Integration

“Mountain”

To strengthen the company, we will move forward with the mindset of climbing a mountain together as a team—never choosing the easy path, and taking on challenges every day. By each member building their strength and growing, we aim to become a stronger company.

■ Good Company

And Good Company, which launched last year after changing its trade name!

“Transformation”

Good Company is a company that works with the theme of doing good for society and solving social issues. To move as many hearts as possible and change the world, we want this year to be one in which we create “chemical reactions” by working together with a wide range of people and companies to achieve what cannot be done by one person or one company alone.

Other group companies also presented kanji such as “Leap” and “Bond,” each reflecting their determination for the new year. Even though we have not yet returned to life as it was before the pandemic, these “Kanji of the Year” conveyed a shared resolve to keep moving forward together.

Last year Sunny-chan’s kanji was “Super,” but this year it is “Calm”! Not that I am about to retire… Rather, even as the world and our surroundings change from moment to moment, I chose it with the hope that it will be a year we can spend peacefully and happily. ^^

Tiger-themed food drinks make an appearance!

After the morning meeting, tiger-themed food and drinks were lined up one after another in the central kitchen on the 7th and 8th floors of the Sendagaya office!

Morning: Cornflakes with a tiger character as the hallmark

Lunch: Gyoza and mapo tofu from Benitora Gyozabo
Ramen from Torashokudo (Shirakawa ramen)
Tiger Beer from Singapore

Evening: Not dorayaki, but “tora-yaki”

We would be delighted if this helped energize our members for the New Year, so they can start running forward with the momentum of a tiger!

And at one end of the office, a New Year–style calligraphy (kakizome) booth was set up temporarily!

Could the person who wrote this double circle be…!?

Many members gathered, reminiscing, “Is this the first time I’ve held a brush in decades!?”—and we ended up with an incredible 40 pieces of work!

While having fun, everyone wrote their own “New Year’s resolutions” in calligraphy. We plan to post an article about this later—please look forward to it!

With a series of New Year–like events, this year’s work kickoff comes to an end here!

In 2021, even as we hoped we might return to normal, the year passed by. Hoping that this year will bring back days when everyone can gather and spend time together, we will close out our first article of the year!

With the entire team, we will continue to move forward so that we can create new “fun commotion” again. We appreciate your continued support of SUNNY SIDE UP GROUP in 2022!