May 2023. The training camp was held at Kannawa Onsen in Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, the birthplace of HAA. Twelve members from all over Japan gathered for their first and long-awaited training camp. Here is a report on our first and long awaited training camp.
Day 1 -Day 1
Members from all over Japan gathered in Kannawa
In the light rain, HAA members, who usually work remotely, arrived at Kannawa Onsen one after another from all over Japan. A total of 12 people participated this time. They were from different locations such as Tokyo, Shizuoka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka, as well as from different occupations. Unfortunately, some were unable to attend, but the majority of HAA members were able to gather.
Workshops to get to know each other
Workshops to get to know each other
Our first stop was the coworking space a-side-Mansuya-, located in Kannawa Onsen. This facility was renovated from a building that was once a therapeutic bathhouse.
Here, we first held a workshop to deepen our understanding of each other.
The theme is "Team Building".
Using cards, we will delve into what values we usually hold dear.
Turning over the cards for various values such as "Challenge," "Trust," "Vision," and "Happiness," we carefully selected only five cards that we hold dear and shared them with our team members.
This was a valuable opportunity to take a fresh look at one's own values and at the same time learn about the values of the team members. It was a stimulating experience with many discoveries and learnings.
We also conducted the 16Personalities personality test that became a hot topic in the world a while ago, and the results of each diagnosis seemed to be quite accurate.
As for the "16Personalities" personality test, the results were quite accurate.
Tour of the Yunohana Hut Tour of the hot spring hut
After the workshop, we visited the hot spring hut. After the workshop, we visited the hot spring hut.
The yunohana, the raw material for HAA for bath bath products, is made in this triangular-roofed hut.
The yunohana, which has been produced in Beppu hot springs for about 350 years, is a crystal of hot spring water that reacts only with blue clay from the mountains of Beppu. With HAA representative Ikeda as our guide, we all gained a deeper understanding of yunohana production.
This is the yunohana. Yunohana grows about 1 mm per day inside the hut. The technique of yunohana production is designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Asset of Japan. So it is something that has been carefully protected and passed down in this land through techniques handed down since the Edo period.
Kannawa Onsen's specialty, "Jigoku-mushi" (steamed in hell)
After the tour, we moved to Yanagiya, a therapeutic bathhouse in Kannawa Onsen, and began preparing dinner.
This time, we tried "jigokumushi," one of the traditional food cultures of Kannawa Onsen.
Jigoku-mushi is a steamed dish made using hot spring steam.
A colander lined with ingredients is placed in a steam-blowing oven called a jigoku-kiln, covered, and all that remains is to wait.
The dishes that are steamed one after another have a slightly salty flavor due to the mineral components in the steam.
Although delicious as is, the flavor of the ingredients is enhanced by adding a little yuzu kosho (Japanese pepper) or salt.
The good thing about jigokumushi is that although your stomach is full, your body feels light and guilt-free.
After the meal, each of us soaked in the hot spring and went to sleep to prepare for the next day.
-Day 2
Next morning. Until breakfast time, each of us was free to spend the rest of the day at our own leisure.
At around 6:00, I took a walk around the neighborhood of the inn and found a fantastic scene of steam smoke rising from various parts of the town.
Even though it was early in the morning, we saw many locals heading to the public bathhouse.
It was impressive to see everyone bowing and bowing to the Jizo-san on the side of the road before heading to the baths.
Other members of the group also seemed to be taking morning baths at hot springs that they were interested in. Just being able to soak in a hot spring in the morning is a luxury, but being able to choose which hot spring to take a bath in is also a pleasure that only a hot spring resort can offer.
Breakfast
Breakfast was also cooked by myself in hell steam.
The soup, filled with seasonal vegetables, has a gentle taste that soaks into your body after a morning bath.
The half-boiled eggs are cooked in a hell oven for exactly 6 minutes.
After a few days in Beppu, we enjoyed steamed bread from a bakery that Beppu residents swear by as delicious, corn on the cob, and other treats to fill our bellies for the rest of the day's training.
Meeting
After checking out of Yanagiya, we had another meeting at the co-working space "a-side-Mansuya.
A review of the past, a status report on ongoing projects, and a presentation by each person in charge of future initiatives, followed by an exchange of ideas.
What value do you want to provide as HAA? How do we give concrete shape to it? We all worked together on the vector, digging deeper into "bringing deep breaths into our daily lives.
During a break, a good idea was suddenly born during a chat, and the scene became exciting.
We will continue to shape and deliver deep breaths to you one by one, so please keep an eye on HAA's future activities.
Finally, at the hot spring, ha~.
At the end of the training camp, we went to soak in the Teruyu Hot Springs. The spring water is mild and warm, and just a few minutes soaking in the water warms your body. After taking a bath, the breeze outside was pleasant, and everyone spent the rest of the day taking deep breaths and relaxing.
After the camp
This time, by experiencing a hot spring cure at Kannawa Onsen, the birthplace of HAA, the members learned anew the importance of deep breathing.
We want to bring this feeling to your daily life.
This desire to bring this feeling to everyone's daily life became even stronger.
We will continue to apply the various ideas generated at the camp to our products and services, and bring deep breathing to everyone.
We look forward to your continued support of HAA.
