At VASARA KIMONO Kamakura Komachi-dori store,
Usui has been working as a staff member since the opening.

Currently, he is in charge of three stores: Kawagoe Ekimae store, Kawagoe Koedo store, and Yokohama Minato Mirai store.
We spoke to Mr. Usui, who is active in this field.

-Please tell us your profile.

My name is Ayaka Usui and I work at three stores: Kawagoe Ekimae Store, Kawagoe Koedo Store, and Yokohama Minato Mirai Store.

-What job did you do before joining the company?

I have worked in technical positions such as assistant at a beauty salon and as a colorist at a color specialty store, and also worked a little bit in renting furisode.

-What made you decide to join VASARA?

I discovered the fascination with kimonos in beauty school classes, and after graduating from the kimono dressing class I had been attending while working as an assistant at a beauty salon, I realized I wanted to work in kimono dressing! When I saw the recruitment for the opening staff at VASARA Kamakura Komachi-dori store, I applied because there was a system for employees to be promoted to full-time employees.

-What kind of work are you currently in charge of?

In addition to guiding customers, dressing, styling hair, and suggesting outfits, I am also in charge of three stores, so I also do administrative work such as making shifts and managing sales. In addition to my work as a store manager, I also work for VASARA, such as taking photos of VASARA 's key visuals, proposing outfits and hair styles for them, and taking photos for Instagram.

-What is the most important thing to you when doing your job?

I place the utmost importance on cooperation with staff. As I am also in charge of key visuals and Instagram photography, I cannot always be in the same store, so the daily information and suggestions from part-time staff are important. This is because I want to think together with the part-time staff who are always on-site about things that happen in the store, areas for improvement, ways to make people choose VASARA more, etc.

-Please tell us about your future outlook for your business and operations.

We want customers all over the world to think of VASARA when they think of kimono rental, so we will make VASARA the No. 1 brand in the kimono rental industry!

-What is the happiest episode that has happened to you so far?

There are many things I look back on since I started working at VASARA, but looking back over the past year or so, it was the fact that we were able to achieve our budget within the first month of the Koedo store opening. This was the result of everyone working together as one, despite the high budget, despite being mostly just the opening team.

-What has been the most difficult episode so far?

On busy days such as fireworks festivals, many customers come to the store from early in the morning until late at night, and there are days when you feel dizzy because you are handling reception, dressing, and styling hair all day long, but in March, there are graduation ceremonies where customers come in early every morning, and during the day it is busy with spring break customers, but it doesn't end with just being busy! We take on the next busy season with touching stories of our customers, happy words from our customers, and a sense of accomplishment that all the staff did their best!

-What have you gained from working at VASARA?

The determination to never give up! It took a bit of a detour from part-time to full-time employment, but I didn't give up and aimed to become a full-time employee, and ever since then, I've kept that determination in my heart and have been able to overcome any difficulties that come my way.

-What is your favorite travel destination?

I love indulging in ikura in Hokkaido ♡

-What are your hobbies and special skills?

I go to see my favorite idols' performances and concerts, watch anime and manga, and I also love Disney so I go there often! I balance my work with my favorite idols and enjoy both!

-Please give a message to those who are considering applying.

If you want to do kimono dressing and hair styling, or if you don't have any skills yet but would like to be involved with VASARA, please feel free to apply! I myself only studied hair styling at beauty school, and although I had qualified as a kimono dressing instructor, I had no practical experience. However, after gaining experience in part-time positions, I am now in charge of three stores and am also in charge of VASARA signboard. Of course, it's not all fun and games, but VASARA has the appeal of allowing you to carve out your own future. I look forward to meeting you all!