Monosus' company trip has changed from "everyone going together" to "go with whoever you want to go with."
This summer, about 20 members, including their families and partners, headed to Suo-Oshima, where our satellite office is located.
Following on from the first part , we'll look back on the event with plenty of photos we all took.
Journey Itinerary
Day 1
HOSHIKAZE BBQ
Day 2
SUP tour, Nagashi somen noodles made from bamboo, Free diving into bubble coral, Toast with island food!
Day 3 Review: Eco Tour & Miyajima Sightseeing
See Japanese fringe coral by skin diving
In the afternoon of the second day, we split into several groups to enjoy experiences unique to summer on Suo-Oshima.
While some people went to visit the island's shops, the course with the most members was the one that went free diving to see the Japanese bubble coral.
With Aoki, who is used to playing in the sea, as our leader, we prepared thoroughly and headed to the sea.
Everyone brought their own equipment. Some members brought their own equipment, hoping to take this opportunity to get into the ocean.
Some of the members were trying free diving for the first time. Mr. Aoki taught them how to dive.
We were talking about how it might be difficult for everyone to get there, but before we knew it, we had all swam about 150 meters to the point.
By the way, what everyone went to see was the Japanese bubble coral. In Japan, it has been confirmed to inhabit the Pacific coast from Chiba Prefecture to Tanegashima, but the colony that grows there, covering an area of about 1,000 m2 right next to the Suo-Oshima Satellite Office, is said to be the largest in the world.
Japanese coral, sometimes called the "bouquet of the sea," appears in a variety of colors depending on the season and water temperature. If you don't like diving, you can see it at Chikamuro Park, located along the coast.
Japanese fringe coral is grown at Chikamuro Garden. You can observe it moving gently with the water flow.
Even though we couldn't go to see the Japanese bubble coral, some members still enjoyed the shallow waters.
Manabe-san came back. We were all surprised to find that everyone could swim!
When we got back, we were all exhausted.
The ice cream will soak in while you take a break.
Cheers with island food!
While everyone was enjoying the island, the team was hard at work preparing dinner.
Shimazu Fresh Fish Shop provided sashimi to be made into hand-rolled sushi, and the island's Izakaya Shichiten Hakki (commonly known as Nanakoro) prepared hors d'oeuvres.
Let's toast with beer and Hiker's Gin made by the project members!
cheers!
cheers!!
I was so impressed with the fish soup made by Chef Iino of MONOSUS Shokken!
Members who normally work on different projects and rarely talk to each other are able to have lively conversations.
After beer, maybe sake? says Iino-san.
Seafood barbecue again today.
Everyone is spending their time freely, with some people drinking and chatting a lot, some children starting to catch bugs, and others enjoying the sauna.
Here, the two are being taught by a staff member at HOSHIKAZE how to fully enjoy the starry sky.
Astronomical observation team.
A campfire at the end.
Day 3 Review
The next morning, the members who had gone to sleep early felt refreshed, while those who had been talking late gathered together rubbing their sleepy eyes.
As it was the final day, Aoki suggested, "Why don't you each draw a scene that was memorable to you during this trip?"
Miyagawa-san saw the moonlit path on the first night.
Kakarai's dream of SUP came true.
The organizer, Mr. Nagai, painted a picture that spoke of the joy he felt at having so many members gather on the usually quiet island.
Flowing somen noodles, sauna, bubble coral, camping trips where you couldn't sleep because of the heat...everyone has their own memories.
After checking out, we split into teams again. Some members were heading home at this point, so we disbanded for the time being.
Ms. Morino came to see me just before she was about to go on maternity leave. We said goodbye and wished her a healthy birth!
Eco Tours & Miyajima Sightseeing
Just like yesterday, we split into several teams and acted until our return flight.
These are participants in an eco-tour who boarded a boat from Suo-Oshima to learn about the origins and history of the surrounding islands.
Board a small boat and embark on a one-hour eco-tour.
Our guide was Masaaki Fujimoto, a member of the Association for Promoting Ecotourism in the Eastern Sea Area of Yamaguchi Prefecture. He was happy to tell us anything we asked him about the topography of the area.
There are also a number of small uninhabited islands dotted around Suo-Oshima. Fujimoto-san took me to his favorite island, Kominasejima.
Some of the members who did not join the eco-tour drove for about two hours to Miyajima, Hiroshima.
This was also a good day for sightseeing.
The children seemed to enjoy it until the very end.
Although we all work at different locations, are involved in different businesses, and have different titles, we all enjoyed the summer on Suo-Oshima during this company trip.
Although a large number of people gathered, everyone was able to do what they wanted, which I think is what makes it Monosus-like.
Thank you to everyone who planned and prepared this trip, including Aoki-san and Nagai-san, for your hard work!
NAKAJIMA Kimi
Freelance, living in Ryukazaki, Ibaraki. I first encountered Monosus through an interview with “Nihon Shigoto Hyakka” and am now involved in several things, a bit outside of Monosus.