Willbox Co., Ltd. Mr. Makoto Kamichi

Willbox Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, right next to Yokohama Stadium. We spoke to the representative director, Makoto Kamimoto.

There is a lot of greenery and the sea is close. The natural environment and the city are in good harmony, making it a comfortable place to live.

--Why did you choose Yokohama as your base?

Partly because I'm from Yokohama and I'm a big fan, but the environment is a big factor. It's an urban area, with lots of greenery, close to the sea, and convenient transportation. Even though there are many good shops like in Tokyo, I think it's not cluttered and it's a comfortable place to spend your time.
Also, considering our international logistics business, we chose Yokohama because we thought it would be a good place to have our roots, given its international history.

I often commute to work by bicycle after dropping off my children.

Raise the resolution of your business model in the Bay Area

--What is your favorite area in Yokohama?

Of course I like Yokohama as a whole, but if I had to choose, I would prefer the Bay Area. When I'm worried about work, I go to Osanbashi to calm myself down. I usually come at night, and when I saw the red bricks and the glittering night view of The Yokohama, I thought, ``Ah, this is how things will develop.'' I think about things like how to link together and how to expand the business. In terms of building up, it's a great place with a sense of openness.

Night view of Yokohama from Osanbashi

Chinatown, which is right near my office, is also my favorite area. When I go out for lunch with my colleagues, rather than just going to the usual restaurants, we all pick out the restaurants we are interested in and create a ``Chinatown Lunch Map,'' which we use as a human resource strategy. We are developing the business by going door to door. But in the end, when I find a restaurant that tastes good, I often end up going to the same restaurant over and over again (lol).

Original Chinatown lunch map. It is summarized with honest impressions such as whether it was delicious or OK.

Networking with senior entrepreneurs is a valuable opportunity

--Are there any connections between startups in Yokohama?

There is a president's meeting where the presidents of startup companies gather, and I sometimes participate. I'm about the second youngest, but there are many special stories from senior entrepreneurs with different levels of experience, and it's not only a great learning experience, but also a great way to get information that is one or two steps ahead. This is a valuable place to enter. Although our company is in a niche BtoB industry, there are many social companies in Yokohama, and I think it is attractive that we can have contact with people from various industries and have the experience of getting to know them.
I also hear that the number of startup companies is increasing in Yokohama, but I don't really feel that way. I'm not sure how many startup companies are attracting attention, but I think it would be great if there were more young companies and managers and we could connect with them.

Chinatown is about a 2 minute walk from the office.

You can concentrate on your business and have many opportunities to get to know the company.

――Please give a message to people who are currently starting a business or those who will start a business in the future about the appeal of starting a business in Yokohama.

Basically, I believe that people should start a business in their own backbone location. If Yokohama is an option for you, there is no doubt that it will be a place with a good environment where you can concentrate on your business. Another attractive feature is that there are many opportunities for people to learn about the company. The difference between starting a business in Shibuya and starting a business in Yokohama is that the number of startup companies you can get into contact with is smaller than in Tokyo. , I think the opportunity to get to know the company is the biggest difference.

"Let's create a big company!"

FAVORITE SPOT

"Osanbashi"
It's embarrassing, but it's also the place where I proposed, and it's also a place of great memories (lol)