Hello

Hello, I'm hayashi-d1125, I joined the company in February 2025! In this article, I asked our new joiners from February 2025 to share their initial impressions after joining. I've compiled their thoughts here. I hope this content proves helpful for anyone interested in KINTO Technologies and offers a moment of reflection for the members who took part in the interview!

Yasuharu Satake

• Self-introduction
  • I'm Satake from the Project Promotion Group of the New Service Initiatives Division. I work as both a product manager (PdM) and project manager (PjM), handling new products and projects planned internally within the company.
• How is your team structured?
  • The Project Promotion Group has a total of 15 members, six of whom make up the product management team that I’m part of.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • As an in-house development company within the Toyota Group, I was surprised to find how highly organized and well-developed the internal structure was.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • Our team has a strong mutual support system—whenever someone has a question, it’s easy to get information or advice from other members. When we're in the office, we often go out for lunch together, and even outside of work, there are regular social events across divisions, creating a lively and friendly environment.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I used to read this Tech Blog before joining the company, but I didn't expect to be contributing so soon after joining. I'm very honored, and I enjoy sharing ideas and information, so I'd love to keep writing when the opportunity arises in the future.
• Question from Hiraku Kudo to Yasuharu Satake
  • How do you interact with members of other divisions?
    • I actively participate in cross-division events like Bear Bash and club activities within KINTO Technologies, which help me build connections across the company. In particular, at Bear Bash, I performed as a DJ for the event's background music, which gave me the chance to interact with many colleagues!

Yurie Wakisaka

• Self-introduction
  • I work in the Corporate Planning Group of the Development Support Division. I mainly handle financial back-office tasks such as billing and budgeting at KINTO Technologies.
• How is your team structured?
  • Our team is made up of six members, and we share the workload by dividing tasks among ourselves.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I was surprised at how quickly decisions are made and turned into action!
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • I find the on-site atmosphere to be very collaborative. Since our team is distributed across various locations, most of our communication happens remotely. However, we hold regular meetings to maintain clear communication and keep projects on track.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I'm not very good at writing, but I saw this as a great opportunity and decided to take it on with a positive attitude.
• Question from Yasuharu Satake to Yurie Wakisaka
  • What differences have you noticed between KINTO Technologies and your previous workplaces?
    • I feel the company invests generously in learning, such as study groups and seminars.

Xiaolong Yang

• Self-introduction
  • I'm Yang from the Salesforce Development Group in the Business System Development Division. I work on maintenance and development for KINTO FACTORY.
• How is your team structured?
  • Our group consists of six members, including myself.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I felt "freedom." From dress code to flexible working hours.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • Everyone on the team is kind and approachable, making it easy to ask questions whenever I'm unsure about something.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I'm not so confident when it comes to writing about personal thoughts, so this was challenging for me.
• Question from Yurie Wakisaka to Xiaolong Yang
  • What has been the biggest challenge you've faced since joining the company?
    • Sometimes in meetings or chats, I encounter words or terms that I don’t understand. I'm still working hard on improving my Japanese!

Yohei Hayashida

• Self-introduction
  • I am Hayashida from the Platform Engineering Team within the Platform Group. I'm involved in developing, providing, and maintaining various tools for our development teams at KINTO Technologies. I'm based at the Osaka Tech Lab.
• How is your team structured?
  • We have three members at the Osaka Tech Lab, and six at the Jinbocho Office. Since we work across different locations, we rely on communication tools like Slack and Teams.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • Given how well-developed the systems and workflows were, it was hard to believe the company had only been around for four years. On the other hand, there are still many areas within my own team that are yet to be developed, and I'm excited about the opportunities to take part in building it.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • Osaka Tech Lab, where I work, started with just one person, and by the time I joined, the team had finally grown to three members. Since we're not based at the main Jinbocho Office, I sometimes feel a bit out of the loop with what's trending there. I think there's still room to improve communication across different locations.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I used to write blog posts at my previous job, so I didn't feel particularly uncomfortable or hesitant about it. But finding good topics is always a challenge regardless of the company (laughs), so I try to regularly explore new technologies to keep fresh ideas coming.
• Question from Xiaolong Yang to Yohei Hayashida
  • How do you spend your days off?
    • I have a family of five, my wife and children, so I spend most of my time off with them. Last week, we all drove to Chubu Centrair International Airport in Aichi Prefecture for a family outing.

Sakura Kodama

• Self-introduction
  • I'm involved in data analysis in the Analysis Production Group in the Data Analytics Division.
• How is your team structured?
  • Our team consists of my boss, four senior colleagues, and myself.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I was surprised at how thorough the orientation was. Aside from that, just as I had heard beforehand —appropriately flexible, so nothing came as a major surprise.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • Everyone is calm and kind, but highly professional. An unexpected contrast that really struck me! (I had this stereotype that professionals are scary.)
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • When I first heard about it, I honestly thought, "This sounds like a pain." But once I started writing, it turned out to be a great way to reflect on where I am now, and I'm glad I gave it a try. It reminded me how important it is to take on new challenges.
• Question from Yohei Hayashida to Sakura Kodama
  • What made you decide to work in data analysis?
    • While working in the outsourcing industry, I was unexpectedly assigned to an access analytics team to fill a sudden vacancy at a client's office. I had no experience and didn't even know this kind of work existed, but once I got into it, I found myself wanting to dig deeper—and here I am now.

Shuya Ogawa

• Self-introduction
  • I'm Ogawa from the Salesforce Development Group in the Business System Development Division. I'm responsible for maintaining the Factory BO system.
• How is your team structured?
  • Our team consists of one manager and five members. We handle Salesforce operations and maintenance, data integration, and projects related to Salesforce.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I thought that working in a team of engineers would mean it might be hard to ask questions without a certain level of technical knowledge. But the atmosphere was very open, and I found it easy to ask for help. They responded quickly and were genuinely supportive.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • As I mentioned above, the atmosphere is really open and approachable.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I have never written a blog post before, so I'm grateful for the opportunity.
• Question from Sakura Kodama to Shuya Ogawa
  • **How do you refresh during work breaks? **
    • When I work from home, I go for a 30-minute run during my lunch break. When you're running, you don't have time to think, so you're forced to clear your mind. When I work in the office, I'm still figuring out the best way.

Saki Yasuda

• Self-introduction
  • My name is Yassan and I'm now working at the Cloud Infrastructure Group in the Platform Development Division. As the department name suggests, I work on the cloud infrastructure that supports our service platforms.
• How is your team structured?
  • The Cloud Infrastructure Group has nine members, but is further divided into smaller teams.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I came in expecting a rigid environment with lots of strict rules, but the reality was quite the opposite. The atmosphere was casual with open communication across all levels. Even in chat, people casually use stickers, which was a surprise for me.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • At my previous job, it was hard to bring up work-related question because of the "quiet" atmosphere. Now, I can discuss things with people right away, and we get along well as a team, so we always go out to eat lunch together.♪
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I used to read this blog before joining the company, so it feels really special to be writing for it now!
• Question from Shuya Ogawa to Saki Yasuda
  • Do you have any favorite lunch spots around the Jinbocho Office?
    • I highly recommend a restaurant I recently visited called Mori no Butchers. The lunch menu included hearty beef and pork steaks—they were absolutely delicious! I went around 11:30 and still had to wait 30 minutes, but it was totally worth it!

Hikaru Kudo

• Self-introduction
  • I'm Kudo and I've joined the Engagement Group in the Mobility Product Development Division. My role is to support the digital transformation (DX) of operations within dealerships.
• How is your team structured?
  • Our team is made up of three members, including the manager. We collaborate closely with other development teams in the division and the KINTO Sales department, working directly with dealerships to understand their needs for digital transformation.
• What was your first impression when you joined KTC? Were there any surprises?
  • I got the impression that there were a lot of engineers around. Since I hadn't worked so closely with engineers before, seeing everyone's monitors filled with code was a fresh experience for me.
• What is the atmosphere like on-site?
  • I’m frequently out visiting dealerships, but I’m always inspired by how everyone prioritizes the dealers’ needs when crafting proposals.
• How did you feel about writing a blog post?
  • I have never been involved in a company blog before, so knowing this will be published makes me a bit nervous.
• Question from Saki Yasuda to Hiraku Kudo
  • How do you think generative AI could be used to boost engagement?
    • We already have products that use generative AI to suggest alternative vehicle options to customers. I see great potential in utilizing it to internal tasks like streamlining inquiry handling. There are many ways generative AI can enhance operational DX at dealerships.

Conclusion

Thank you everyone for sharing your thoughts on our company after joining it!

There are more and more new members at KINTO Technologies every day! We'll be posting more new-joiner stories from across divisions, so stay tuned!

And yes — we're still hiring! KINTO Technologies is looking for new teammates to join us across a variety of divisions and roles. For more details, check it out here!