JAPAN'S BEST-DESIGNED OFFICES
Concept
The whole office is a journey
Expedia began in 1996 as a division of Microsoft and now runs in more than 31 countries; its Japanese arm was set up in 2005 and supports Japan’s growing inbound travel. When the Tokyo office moved in August 2016, the aim was a more open office where people talk more easily — so free address and free spaces came in.
Everything follows the travel theme, so staff can feel they are travelling the world without leaving their desks.
01 · Reception
Yellow, blue and a view
The entrance uses Expedia’s yellow and blue, with travel illustrations on the walls. An open free space next to it is one of the most popular places to take a break.
02 · Workspace
A new seat every day
The work floor is free address: bags go into lockers and everyone picks a seat each morning, so a chance conversation with a neighbour can start a new idea. At the entrance, a staff-drawn map of the office covers a large blackboard.
03 · Meetings
From Europe to Yakushima
Rooms carry the names of continents — Asia, Europe, America — and Japanese sights such as Fuji and Yakushima. The America room is drawn with Hollywood and Las Vegas; Europe with the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. Video calls with colleagues overseas, in English, are part of every day.
04 · Free spaces
EDO and NANIWA
Two large free spaces, EDO with Mount Fuji and NANIWA with cherry blossoms, are favourites for lunch meetings. The kitchen serves free coffee and drinks all day.
05 · Culture
First names and home by eight
New sales staff train with their global peers, recently in Malaysia or Singapore for about a week, and meet their managers one to one. Everyone uses first names regardless of rank. As a travel company it pushes people to take holidays; most leave by 19:00 or 20:00, and shorter hours and working from home let parents of any gender adjust. Expedia was named a Glassdoor Best Place to Work in 2018.
