I went to Mt. Koya for my first solo workday [Seijoshin-in & Muryoko-in]

My name is Kai Fujisawa, and I'm in charge of public relations and recruitment, and I gained weight after eating too much vegetarian food at the temple.

In October 2021, Beyond has introduced a “workation system”

The rules of the system are as follows.

• Can be taken up to twice a year, starting from 3 years or more after joining the company.
• Duration is from 2 days to 2 weeks
• Expenses will be paid by the company up to a maximum of 50,000 yen (transportation expenses, office space usage fees, lodging expenses)

The workation system was introduced at a time when I was thinking, ``I want to work somewhere that is neither an office nor a home,'' so I thought I had no choice but to be the first to take advantage of it, so I went right away.

where did you go for how many days

When I asked the representative, Haraoka, if I wanted to go on a workcation, he said, ``Koyasan is fine,'' so I decided to go to Koyasan.

On Mt. Koya, there are several temple facilities called ``shukubo'' where you can stay overnight, and you can use the internet for free, so it's not only a great place to worship or practice, but also a place to work.

This time, I visited " Seijoshinin " and " Muryokoin " .

As for the duration, I was thinking that since I was going to do a workation, I would put all my energy into it and go for about a week, but Haraoka, who had experienced a 5-day workation at a campsite, said, ``(I'm going to work alone for a week. I received the advice that it would be better to do it for 2 nights and 3 days (because it's painful to do it), so I went for 2 nights and 3 days.

As advised, 2 nights and 3 days was just right for me both emotionally and physically.

What I prepared before going

Contact the temple

• Availability of internet and power
• Is it okay to make online calls while wearing earphones at work?
• Is it possible to take photos/videos and publish them on blogs and SNS?

I called to confirm things like, ``I'm going to work.Are you sure?''

Make a 3-day schedule

We simulated the Koyasan area while looking at Google Maps, including the travel time to the temple, transportation, and where to eat.

If I didn't confirm my travel time and method in advance, I might not be able to start work at the scheduled time, so I wrote my schedule exactly on Google Calendar and looked at it on the day of my work.

Very personal impressions of temple work

I will try to write down what I felt and noticed at the temple.

Everyone greets each other properly

People from temples and people staying at lodgings often say ``Good morning'' and ``Hello.''

kind, polite

Has good manners. (Although it's a small detail) The hospitality is pleasant, such as giving way to me, arranging my shoes, and serving me tea.

A somewhat athletic atmosphere

The people who work at the temple are not part-timers or employees, but are monks in training or priests, so it doesn't feel like they are forced to do things according to a manual. It seemed like he was working diligently, either following his own will or following the manners taught to him by his superiors.

I feel like I have to be a decent person too.

The sound of a bell, the voice of a sutra, and silence can be heard in a Japanese-style work room. By working in a clean and proper place, you will become aware that you too need to become a person who is suitable for the place.

can concentrate on thoughts

There's no TV, no music, and no conversations with people around you, so you can organize your thoughts.

I realized that I was living in a hurry

I think I'll do what I can do now without comparing myself to others. I feel like I have my feet on the ground.

Things to be careful about when working

A mobile battery is essential if you work in a place where you cannot borrow a power source.

Before checking in to the temple on the first day, I was working in a place where I couldn't borrow a power source for a few hours, but I was in trouble because I had forgotten the cable to connect my laptop and mobile battery. Don't forget to prepare a mobile battery that can be charged.

Plan your schedule in advance, including travel time.

No matter how well you plan, things don't always go as planned, so be sure to plan accordingly.

It is best to avoid scheduling meetings as much as possible.

It is best not to have important meetings during your workday. There is a possibility that things will not go well due to not being on time, internet problems, etc.

Don't force yourself to work and make time to relax

If you cram too much work into your workday, it will lose its meaning, so we recommend that you go on a workday when you have some free time.

summary

Workation is suitable for these people.

• People who want to experience a new environment “just a little bit”
• People who don't have to worry about travel time
• someone who wants to be alone

On the other hand, it is not suitable for such people. (perhaps)

• People who want to work in the same environment
• People who don't want to go outside as much as possible
• people who don't want to be alone

Temples are by far the best environment in terms of ``quietness,'' but they don't have desks and chairs suitable for work, so rather than working hard, you can think about something or organize your feelings. I felt like it was a place to go for something.

The coronavirus situation is starting to calm down a bit, so if you're tired of self-restraint, why not take a trip!

※postscript

The Koyasan workcation is available on YouTube, so please take a look if you have some free time.

Public relations work at the temple [Seijoshin-in & Muryoko-in] - YouTube -

Now, I'm Fujisawa, in charge of public relations and recruitment.