E-fran Holds 2026 Entrance Ceremony | New Employees Share "Reasons for Joining"
E-fran Co., Ltd. held its 2026 entrance ceremony at Pacifico Yokohama on March 30, 2026, welcoming 182 new employees. Following the ceremony, the "E-1 Grand Prix," a buying sales role-playing competition, was held, where the winner received a VIP training trip to Singapore. The company continues its 26 consecutive years of sales growth, aiming for 1 trillion JPY in sales through business diversification and accelerated overseas expansion.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 1, 2026 at 04:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 30, 2026 at 20:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 30, 2026 at 20:35 (3 min after Collected)
E-fran Co., Ltd. 2026 Entrance Ceremony
E-fran Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Daishi Kamura; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") held its 2026 entrance ceremony on Monday, March 30, 2026. This year, many ambitious new employees joined the Company, which continues 26 consecutive years of sales growth, primarily driven by its high-price purchasing brand "Otakaraya," which operates over 1,760 stores nationwide (as of April 2026).
This press release provides an overview of the entrance ceremony, the results of a "Reasons for Joining Questionnaire" conducted among new employees, and an introduction to the welfare benefits and other factors that make E-fran a chosen employer.
## A total of 182 new employees join — Entrance Ceremony held at Pacifico Yokohama
On Monday, March 30, 2026, the Company held its 2026 entrance ceremony at Pacifico Yokohama. A total of 182 new graduates attended the ceremony, where a congratulatory address was given by Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe, words of encouragement by President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura, and an oath was recited by a representative of the new employees.
"Please fulfill your dreams and hopes within this company." — Congratulatory Address from Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe
Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe:
"I believe you have joined with great dreams and hopes. Our company offers many opportunities to reach your goals in a short period. Last fiscal year, our sales were approximately 100 billion JPY, and we anticipate exceeding 200 billion JPY this fiscal year. Beyond that, we envision ambitious targets of 400 billion JPY and even 1 trillion JPY. Moving forward, we will further accelerate our 'Otakaraya' overseas business, which operates in five countries worldwide, and promote diversified management, including fitness, golf, real estate, and marine businesses. Those who wish to work overseas or play a central role in the company are most welcome. Please realize your dreams and hopes within this company."
"Only by overcoming the harsh cold of winter at the right time for growth can flowers bloom." — Congratulatory Address from President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura
President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura:
"I would like to report on the continuation of the cherry blossoms I spoke about at last year's entrance ceremony. Last year, the bonsai cherry tree I grew in a warm room did not bloom because it did not experience the cold winter. So this year, I grew it outdoors, but it still did not bloom. Cherry blossoms bloom only by overcoming the harsh cold of winter at the right time for growth. Now is precisely the time to accumulate both difficult and enjoyable experiences. How you spend these next few years will form the foundation of your life for decades to come. I want you to learn many things quickly and become 'someone' in this company."
A detailed report of the entrance ceremony is also available on our owned media "E-LIFE":
[E-fran Co., Ltd. 2026 Entrance Ceremony Report] 182 New Graduates from 2026 Join — The Next Generation Challenging the "1 Trillion Yen Company" Begins: https://e-fran-elife.jp/216/
## "E-1 Grand Prix" held after the Entrance Ceremony — New employees compete in buying sales skills
After the entrance ceremony, we held our unique buying role-playing competition, the "E-1 Grand Prix." The participants were three individuals who achieved excellent results in our unique pre-employment training "Early Career Up Program" and won through fierce preliminary rounds.
The selected participants fully demonstrated the results of experiencing the Company's unique know-how, cultivated over 25 years since its founding, in actual stores. President Kamura and heads of various departments participated in the judging.
This year's E-1 Grand Prix featured the most luxurious championship prize ever. The prize was a "3-night, 4-day Singapore VIP Training Trip worth 1.5 million JPY," including a business class flight, Rolls-Royce transfer, and accommodation in a Marina Bay Sands suite. This training trip conveys the company's message that they want employees to experience an environment similar to that of a business executive and gain a managerial perspective.
Furthermore, Singapore, the destination of the training, is currently the fastest-growing base among our overseas operations. The representative of that Singapore subsidiary is Yagyu, who joined in 2024. The presence of Yagyu, a new graduate serving as the representative of an assigned country, demonstrates the opportunities available to new graduates. The Company's enthusiasm for overseas expansion and high expectations for young talent were also reflected in the fact that all three finalists wished to work overseas.
Nakamura was the impressive winner who secured the ticket to the VIP training trip.
Winner's Comment (Winner's Name: Nakamura)
"I have made my own efforts, but besides that, especially the staff in the same area, they gave me a lot of guidance. It is because of that guidance that I am standing here today..."
E-fran Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Daishi Kamura; hereinafter referred to as "the Company") held its 2026 entrance ceremony on Monday, March 30, 2026. This year, many ambitious new employees joined the Company, which continues 26 consecutive years of sales growth, primarily driven by its high-price purchasing brand "Otakaraya," which operates over 1,760 stores nationwide (as of April 2026).
This press release provides an overview of the entrance ceremony, the results of a "Reasons for Joining Questionnaire" conducted among new employees, and an introduction to the welfare benefits and other factors that make E-fran a chosen employer.
## A total of 182 new employees join — Entrance Ceremony held at Pacifico Yokohama
On Monday, March 30, 2026, the Company held its 2026 entrance ceremony at Pacifico Yokohama. A total of 182 new graduates attended the ceremony, where a congratulatory address was given by Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe, words of encouragement by President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura, and an oath was recited by a representative of the new employees.
"Please fulfill your dreams and hopes within this company." — Congratulatory Address from Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe
Representative Director and Chairman Kikio Watanabe:
"I believe you have joined with great dreams and hopes. Our company offers many opportunities to reach your goals in a short period. Last fiscal year, our sales were approximately 100 billion JPY, and we anticipate exceeding 200 billion JPY this fiscal year. Beyond that, we envision ambitious targets of 400 billion JPY and even 1 trillion JPY. Moving forward, we will further accelerate our 'Otakaraya' overseas business, which operates in five countries worldwide, and promote diversified management, including fitness, golf, real estate, and marine businesses. Those who wish to work overseas or play a central role in the company are most welcome. Please realize your dreams and hopes within this company."
"Only by overcoming the harsh cold of winter at the right time for growth can flowers bloom." — Congratulatory Address from President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura
President and Representative Director Daishi Kamura:
"I would like to report on the continuation of the cherry blossoms I spoke about at last year's entrance ceremony. Last year, the bonsai cherry tree I grew in a warm room did not bloom because it did not experience the cold winter. So this year, I grew it outdoors, but it still did not bloom. Cherry blossoms bloom only by overcoming the harsh cold of winter at the right time for growth. Now is precisely the time to accumulate both difficult and enjoyable experiences. How you spend these next few years will form the foundation of your life for decades to come. I want you to learn many things quickly and become 'someone' in this company."
A detailed report of the entrance ceremony is also available on our owned media "E-LIFE":
[E-fran Co., Ltd. 2026 Entrance Ceremony Report] 182 New Graduates from 2026 Join — The Next Generation Challenging the "1 Trillion Yen Company" Begins: https://e-fran-elife.jp/216/
## "E-1 Grand Prix" held after the Entrance Ceremony — New employees compete in buying sales skills
After the entrance ceremony, we held our unique buying role-playing competition, the "E-1 Grand Prix." The participants were three individuals who achieved excellent results in our unique pre-employment training "Early Career Up Program" and won through fierce preliminary rounds.
The selected participants fully demonstrated the results of experiencing the Company's unique know-how, cultivated over 25 years since its founding, in actual stores. President Kamura and heads of various departments participated in the judging.
This year's E-1 Grand Prix featured the most luxurious championship prize ever. The prize was a "3-night, 4-day Singapore VIP Training Trip worth 1.5 million JPY," including a business class flight, Rolls-Royce transfer, and accommodation in a Marina Bay Sands suite. This training trip conveys the company's message that they want employees to experience an environment similar to that of a business executive and gain a managerial perspective.
Furthermore, Singapore, the destination of the training, is currently the fastest-growing base among our overseas operations. The representative of that Singapore subsidiary is Yagyu, who joined in 2024. The presence of Yagyu, a new graduate serving as the representative of an assigned country, demonstrates the opportunities available to new graduates. The Company's enthusiasm for overseas expansion and high expectations for young talent were also reflected in the fact that all three finalists wished to work overseas.
Nakamura was the impressive winner who secured the ticket to the VIP training trip.
Winner's Comment (Winner's Name: Nakamura)
"I have made my own efforts, but besides that, especially the staff in the same area, they gave me a lot of guidance. It is because of that guidance that I am standing here today..."