Canon's Diary

The Osaka headquarters is located along National Route 171, which runs parallel to the JR Kyoto Line, stretching east to west through Miyata-cho in Takatsuki City. On the other side of the relatively wide road is a housing exhibition center. Employees weave through it during their commute, cross the traffic light, and enter the headquarters building. There’s not much of a green or nature-oriented impression in the area. There are plenty of supermarkets, convenience stores, pachinko parlors, and family restaurants, but if anything, the atmosphere feels more sentimental and nature-friendly in Naruse, Tokyo.

The headquarters building was completed in 2021, a year after I joined the company. Including those working in the manufacturing areas, nearly 1,000 employees commute here. The newly built headquarters is a large, six-story building. The building, which is a nearly square-shaped rectangular structure when viewed from above, has an open atrium from the 4th to the 6th floor at its center. A staircase spirals upward around this open space, connecting each floor, and offices are arranged around the staircase. The visibility throughout the building is quite good.The white walls are still fresh, and calm-colored floor carpets are lined with beige office desks. Aside from management-level staff, seating is non-assigned, so people can sit wherever they like. That said, people tend to gather with those who share the same work, and over time, their spots naturally become semi-fixed — a very Japanese phenomenon, I think.

The company day begins with everyone doing radio calisthenics together. After that, we move into a company-original stretching routine aimed at maintaining lower back health. While everyone performs the same movements, I have my own personalized menu of stretches I want to do, so I go through them thoroughly at my own pace, without syncing up with melody playing. No one’s ever pointed it out or told me to stop.

After the stretches, the work begins. My first task in the Project Management Section was to create the initial set of technical documents to be submitted to the client. In total, I had to submit 36 different documents, including design drawings and technical specification data. The system handles some parts automatically, but the fine details require checking both the client’s specifications and our internal standards to create accurate drawings. I’d only had one year of experience doing this kind of technical work back in 2020 when I first joined, so I had to work hard to recall how to use CAD and our internal technical support systems. At one point, I wanted to reach for the coffee pot next to my desk, but the thought never turned into action. My brain was completely occupied with the data in front of me, and I just kept pounding away at the keyboard, without even taking a moment to rest. I really wanted to complete this first assignment properly, but I found myself discouraged at times by repeated mistakes. Fortunately, a more experienced colleague — one who came from the design department — reviewed my draft and helped me a lot. My first day of hands-on work ended with inevitable overtime. The deadline was Wednesday, and the documents had to be submitted by the next day. I made sure to rest well that night, and in the morning, I ate more protein and carbohydrates than usual to wake up my brain.

The following day, I also showed the draft to the design department and asked for proofreading. Just like the day before, time flew by without pause. Through repeated checks and revisions, I somehow managed to get all the documents submitted by the deadline. I feel a bit relieved now, but I also realized there are still many issues to work on. We’ve been discussing them within the team, aiming to establish a more manageable routine and workflow going forward.

Now, I’m back at the hotel, writing this with a sense of calm. The bathtub here is quite small, but it does the job of easing the day’s fatigue. There are many things I need to think about — like the construction work at my family home — but I couldn’t get around to them. I plan to deal with those within the next few days. The area around me is completely quiet. I’ve gotten used to the sound of the JR Kyoto Line trains — they hardly bother me anymore.