WFA × Life in Kyoto

“Work From Anywhere At Anytime” (WFA) was introduced in September 2020.
In this “WFA Special” series, we offer insights into solving the challenges of working remotely by sharing some practices our colleagues have adopted. Please click here to view other articles we have published as a part of this series.

In this article, we are going to introduce you to Kenta Taki who is living in Kyoto Prefecture.

How long have you lived in Kyoto?

I was born, raised, and educated in Kyoto. Even my last job was in Kyoto!
My wife works close by to where we live, so had this position not been a fully remote opportunity, I probably would have decided not to join.

So, tell us frankly what you think about remote work?

I am not a fan of commuting so the fact that I don’t have to worry about it anymore is a big bonus. I am also a coffee lover so it’s great to be able to take time out to sit down with a cup of freshly ground coffee during my breaks. And, because I am in the Kansai area, it’s nice to be able to easily travel to the Koshien Stadium and cheer on the Hanshin Tigers!

And how about some of the challenges you’ve experienced from working remote?

Well, as my job involves developing new services for merchants, often we stumble upon new ideas for services when we’re having lighthearted chit-chat with fellow colleagues. But as we no longer have opportunities for such kinds of discussion anymore, I find that a challenge. Particularly when it comes to executive management. There are no opportunities to bump into and have a chat with executives at the office, which means we are only really communicating on a specific agenda at online meetings.

However, we now do have a chance to gather at the headquarters once a month, so we at least make time to communicate at that time. And I try to participate as much as I can. Also, we setup specific Zoom sessions for the purpose of casual brainstorming so that we can come up with ideas remotely.

What would you say to someone residing in rural Japan that is considering joining PayPay?

Regardless of whether you’re based in Tokyo or in elsewhere like I am, there will be no change to how often you’re required to come to the office, so I think living in a rural area is not a barrier to working at PayPay. It’s also possible to plan a staycation and travel somewhere else where you can work for a month. Even I want to try out doing this in the future.
(Note from editor: some of our employees are actually working nomadically!)

It’s very appealing to me that I can work anywhere I want with great people! So why not consider PayPay and our WFA system for your next career move?

So, Mr. Born and Raised in Kyoto, tell us about some local hotspots that you recommend?

We recommend renting a private sauna room from a famous Gyoza restaurant in Gion. There you can enjoy drinking beer while relaxing in a private open-air bath. Once you’re done you have delicious gyoza waiting for you so it’s truly the best experience.

The Kamo River flows close to where we live, so occasionally my wife and I go for walks or have small picnics together. If you’re planning to live in Kyoto, I highly recommend this location.

[Editor’s note]

So, what did you think of Kenta’s “WFA x Life in Kyoto”?
I was particularly impressed hearing about how he can live in an area he likes while working with great people. We hope this will give you some idea of what it could be like working at PayPay.

Thanks to: Kenta Taki / Editor: Kona (PayPay Inside-Out Editorial Team) / Translator: Jeanette / Translation Editor: Justin
*Employees’ affiliations are as of the time of the interview.