My name is Fujita, and I'm from Tochigi Prefecture. I started working at Sakaeya in 2023.

I wanted to become a chef, so I graduated from culinary school and got a job at Sakaeya. Since joining the company, I've come to feel respect and gratitude for the people around me. The truth is, before joining the company, I was someone who hardly paid any attention to those around me.

I've always been physically weak, and since elementary school, I've caused a lot of worry for the people around me, including my family. A little running would trigger my asthma, and if I tried to push myself a little harder, I'd get a fever. This continued until middle school, and in middle school, I became afraid to give it my all or try harder than others.

As a result, compared to when I was motivated in elementary school, there were times when I wouldn't do my homework, I'd just do tests half-heartedly, and I wouldn't do any preparation or review at all. Even things that I could have done well if I put in the effort, regardless of whether I was good or bad at them, I stopped doing. I think I also started slacking off in my club activities compared to when I first started.

At that time, everyone around me was worried about me. Of course, I was grateful, but more than that, I also felt like I didn't want any attention, that I just wanted to be left alone.

By the time I was in high school, my body had become stronger, and I no longer had the asthma I had been born with. However, at the same time, my desire to be left alone, which I had felt before, became even stronger.

To my shame, at that time I had absolutely no gratitude for those around me. I wanted to leave my parents' home as soon as possible, so I started a part-time job, where I discovered my dream of becoming a chef. I took out a scholarship and went to a vocational school. I studied cooking at school, and during my job search in my second year, I came across Sakaeya.

When I joined Sakaeya, I was overwhelmed by the professional atmosphere, which was clearly different from when I was working part-time. Of course, there were various factors, but everything was new and fun at first—the unfamiliar place, the people, the atmosphere. However, once I started to get used to it, I began to make mistakes, and things I didn't understand or wasn't good at became apparent. I gradually began to feel anxious and frustrated with myself. I had never really put in my best effort, and I had always done things at my own pace in my own world, so I didn't know what to do.

Around that time, I happened to have a training session that allowed me to reflect on myself. The training involved unfamiliar things and things I had never done before, but when it was over, I felt a little more at ease and was able to pay a little more attention to my surroundings. It was then that I realized something for the first time.

I was surprised to see that people who work quickly, don't make mistakes, cover for others quickly, and are reliable all have one thing in common: they respect those around them and act in ways that make things easier for the next person and make others' lives a little easier. Until now, I thought that to be able to do my job well, I just needed to do my own thing. But when I looked closer, I realized that everyone was paying attention to those around them, which relatively reduced mistakes and allowed them to work accurately and quickly. I now want to be like that too.

Once I started putting that into practice, I quickly became more capable, and before I knew it, I was entrusted with my own responsibilities. It was challenging because I hadn't been conscious of it before, but it was a moment when I realized that putting what I had learned into practice was the right thing to do. I will continue to work hard with respect for my colleagues at Sakaeya who taught me this, and with gratitude for their help.

Respect and gratitude were all-powerful.

Hayato Fujita

【profile】
Born in Tochigi Prefecture
Joined the company in 2023
Motto: Don't laugh at the unskilled; that's the path you've traveled. Don't envy the skilled; that's the path you're going to travel.
Special skill: Gaming