Japan’s best-designed offices — one company, one walkthrough
QUESTIONS › DO JAPANESE COMPANY PRESIDENTS HAVE THEIR OWN OFFICE?

Question · Working in Japan

Do Japanese company presidents have their own office?

Traditionally, yes — the shachōshitsu, the president’s room, is a fixture of the Japanese company. Many still have one, but it is often smaller, shared with the board or turned into a meeting room.

The president’s room
The president’s room

01 · Still there

Shimadzu Diagnostics keeps the full set

Shimadzu Diagnostics shows the traditional arrangement: the president’s room, an executive reception room for important outside visitors, and the meeting rooms around them.

The president’s room
The president’s room

02 · One stop on the tour

CTC and Mizuho Marubeni Leasing

Some companies include the president’s office in their own office tour as just another stop. CTC photographs the door of the president’s office; Mizuho Marubeni Leasing lists the president’s room among its meeting booths and free space.

Outside the president’s office
Outside the president’s office
The president’s room
The president’s room

03 · Named, not ranked

BBS calls its executive room Sakura

BBS names its rooms after traditional Japanese colours; the executive room is Sakura, after the flower that stands for Japan.

The executive room
The executive room

04 · The boardroom

Uzabase names it for what it is

At Uzabase the spaces are named like parts of a town — a square, a street, a park, a library — with one exception. The board room is the one space named for what it is.

BOARD ROOM
BOARD ROOM

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