Introducing Premium Holiday: up to 24 consecutive days off! We will report on the fastest year-end wrap-up scene of the Reiwa era!

How is everyone spending the first year-end of the Reiwa era? This is Sunny-chan from SUNNY SIDE UP’s PR team!

At SUNNY SIDE UP, as part of what we call “holiday-style reform” (rather than “work-style reform”), we encourage employees to take paid leave and other time off at year-end, enabling them to take an extra-long year-end and New Year break of up to 24 days through our “Premium Holiday” initiative!

Japan currently has the world’s lowest rate of paid leave usage. According to the “Paid Leave: International Comparative Survey of 19 Countries,” the paid leave usage rate among Japanese people is 50%, and the number of days taken is 10—both the lowest in the world.

To challenge Japan’s approach to “working and taking time off,” we have been implementing “Premium Holiday,” an initiative that supports year-end and New Year holidays, since 2017. By promoting “holiday-style reform” rather than work-style reform, and with improved operational efficiency also contributing, we achieved record-high sales since our founding this year: ¥14.6 billion (up 8.1% year on year)!

In addition to promoting these extended holidays, SUNNY SIDE UP has also been holding an earlier-than-usual year-end wrap-up for the past few years.

As in previous years, we put away the Christmas tree and set up kadomatsu decorations before Christmas. In addition, with the cooperation of soba-making artisans, our members made their own “New Year’s Eve soba” noodles!

What is more, the soba made by our members was shared with local residents who always support us, as well as with people from the shopping street whom we met through interviews such as those for Dagaya Sandou TIMES.

And then, the big day finally arrived!

On the year-end wrap-up day, the day began with putting away the Christmas tree.

Removing the Christmas tree…

Setting up kadomatsu decorations at the entrance!

And then, the soba-making experience that everyone had been looking forward to finally began!

Knowing that the soba they made would be served to fellow members, they rolled it out with care and affection…

It was a rare experience to make soba in the office, and everyone got so absorbed they forgot about work (laughs).

The quality may not match that of professionals, but soba made with our own hands is truly exceptional!!

Mr. Okazaki, a director of the local shopping street association who always supports us, also came to visit!

After that, all employees gathered for the year-end party.

With a renewed commitment to continue creating all kinds of “fun commotion” next year, we raised a toast together at the president’s lead!

And with that, SUNNY SIDE UP’s 2019 came to a lively close!

During the 24-day Premium Holiday, each of us will take in new ideas through fresh experiences, and the entire team will continue to work hard to create more “fun commotion” next year.

We appreciate your continued support of SUNNY SIDE UP next year as well!