MESSAGE
I am Masamune Sato, who was appointed as the fifth-generation CEO in 2023.
Since our founding in 1916 (Taisho 5) by my great-grandfather Akira Sato, we have been able to continue our business to this day thanks to the support of our customers, business partners, employees, and countless others. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for this.
The primary reason for a company's existence is "to perpetuate." This is because a company's longevity means that it continues to be needed by customers regardless of the era.
Since our founding, our company has upheld the philosophy that "the store exists for the customer." Here, "store" refers to us. As a store, we have a mission to be of service to our customers and to live up to the trust they place in us.
The reason we use the more familiar term "customer" (お客) rather than the more formal "customer" (お客様) is that we aim to be neither condescending nor overly deferential, but to always maintain the same eye level and become a "partner" to our customers.
Our commitment to being a company that is supported by as many people as possible and trusted with their business remains an unchanging philosophy.
We will cherish this philosophy and continue to take on new challenges for our perpetuity.
Let us continue to accumulate tireless efforts, maintain an honest attitude, and create a wonderful industry together.
Kanesa Fujiwaraya Co., Ltd.
CEO:
Masamune Sato
Kanesa Fujiwaraya Co., Ltd.
CEO:
Masamune Sato
BLOG
Standing still is falling behind. This is something I tell our employees often. If we settle for the present and stop sincerely working to be useful to our customers, our company has no bright future. This year too, taking these words as our motto, we will work hard together as a group. Thanks to all of you, in April 2026 we were able to mark our 110th year since founding. This milestone is entirely thanks to everyone who has always supported us, and I am sincerely grateful. We humbly ask for your continued support of the Kanesa Group going forward. At our company, we set a slogan each year as a milestone toward realizing our management philosophy. This year’s slogan is, “UPDATE — Hotter than anywhere, expanding the possibilities.” is what we have decided. As a company that supports our region, it goes without saying that we will keep taking on challenges — keep stepping up to the plate. To do that, the most important thing is first to know ourselves and to update who we were yesterday. Or — the attitude of constant improvement — that is what feels essential to me. What are we good at?
CEO Blog
It’s been quite a while since I last updated this blog. With a refreshed mindset, I’ll make sure to post more regularly from now on! At our company, we hold a monthly all-hands morning assembly. It’s my chance to give a speech and share HR-related updates and other announcements. This month’s assembly was held today, September 10. To be honest, preparing a new speech every month for employees can be quite a challenge. Our employees are of many different ages. Naturally, their values and experiences also differ, so I put a lot of thought into the content and wording to make sure my message reaches as many people as possible. I know I still need to keep improving… but I’ll keep trying my best. Today, I spoke about great organizations and great teams. A great organization refers to systems and structures. In today’s information society, with so much knowledge available, organizational differences between companies are said to have become commoditized. So then, what is the difference between companies that grow and those that don’t? It is said to be the difference in the many teams within the company. Why do we even need teams? If each individual
CEO Blog
About Management
I encountered a work that made me want to check its meaning repeatedly. It’s “Lookback” by Tatsuki Fujimoto, the author of Chainsaw Man. It has also been adapted into an animation, with music by Haruka Nakamura, whom I adore. The anime can be watched on Amazon Prime. It was the first time I had encountered a work that made me want to understand the creator’s intention so strongly right after finishing it. That’s how much I believe this work allows for various interpretations. The story begins with an elementary school girl named “Fujino” who is good at drawing, and another girl named “Kyomoto” who is also good at drawing but doesn’t attend school. They each serialize their work in the elementary school class newspaper. Without ever meeting each other, they reach graduation, and Fujino is asked by the teacher to deliver Kyomoto’s diploma to her house as fellow contributors to the same serialization. This is where they meet face-to-face for the first time. From there, their lives change dramatically, and eventually Fujino becomes a successful manga artist, while Kyomoto goes on to art college. Then an incident occurs. I’ll omit details of this incident as it would completely spoil the
CEO Blog
Leader's Bookshelf