Message from the Founder

When the economic bubble burst in the 1990s, Japanese companies adopted performance-based methods of management and new challenges emerged in the workplace: coworkers became rivals and communication breakdowns occurred, which were exacerbated by digital technology. In other words, organizations seriously lacked unity. Undokaiya was born in this environment.

After graduating from university, I found a job in sales and worked long hours. The environment was brutal. Relationships were hierarchical and the sales quotas were severe. If I asked for help, I was scolded. “Do or die! Toughen up!”A lot of people quit, and management was clueless. It wasn’t long before I left downtrodden and dispirited.

Figuring IT was the future, I went to work for a tech company and found a completely different environment equally fraught with problems. People stared at screens all day and barely uttered a word. This left me equally despondent and I started questioning my ability to connect with others and society.

The news was equally depressing, filled with stories of mental health problems and suicide. I realized everyone hides their problems and true feelings, and so was I. Something had to give.

Thinking upon happier times, I recollected playing for my school baseball team. We were a tight group and relied on one another. Playing brought us together in a way I had never experienced. I realized that this was the way to form bonds and connect with others that was lacking in the workplace.

So, I established a non-profit organization in 2007 to carry out a vision of “sports communication.” I settled on a model of utilizing Japanese sports festivals known as undokai. It focused on group play that allowed participants to partake in a variety of roles and was accessible enough for anyone to participate in, regardless of age or ability.

Although I was passionate about the idea, no one else was. Companies weren’t using employee-engagement services much. But I kept at it because I believed communication problems persisted.

Finally, after a year an Osaka-based beauty salon chain tried my event. Hairdressers were throwing balls and running around! It was great! Everybody loved it. I knew this event would produce results, and I made it my mission to re-introduce undokai all over Japan.
I never looked back and companies began utilizing my services because it produced results. Now we’re doing nearly 240 events annually for more than 100,000 participants.

Problems facing management, organizational culture, and school education are connected and all are universal, and companies have realized that undokai addresses invisible barriers that inhibit broader success by appealing to a harmonious office culture. The sooner your organization starts playing together, the more your staff will realize they can form real connections. That is the real power of undokai!

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