Kenryo Tanaka, President and Representative Director, Kirin City Holdings Co., Ltd.

Making the world a more vibrant place. Enriching people's time together with a glass of beer and a dish of food.

Kenryo Tanaka, President and Representative Director, Kirin City Co., Ltd.

■ Profile
President and CEO of Kirin City Co., Ltd. Through sales and external assignments at Kirin Brewery, and management planning work at Kirin Holdings, he gained experience encountering diverse values. Attracted by "the power of beer to connect people," he is currently working on the growth of Kirin City and the creation of new value.

Kirin City Co., Ltd. aims to further enhance the value of Kirin Beer through the skills and service of its employees, providing the best possible experience. This time, we spoke with President and CEO Kenryo Tanaka about the company's commitment to beer restaurants and his thoughts on his work.

During my university years, I started street dancing after seeing a performance at the school festival shortly after I enrolled. Back then, dance wasn't a required subject in middle or high school like it is now, and there weren't many people who did it. However, I was drawn to the idea of ​​moving my body to show others and communicating across language barriers, and I became quite engrossed in it.

■ "I want to do work that brings joy to someone's life."

What I valued most during my job search was the desire to "do a job that brings joy to someone's life, if I'm going to work anyway." Beer naturally exists in all kinds of situations where people connect, accompanying people during happy times, when they have completed challenges, and at milestones in their lives. I wanted to be involved in something that creates such positive moments, so I aspired to work in the beer industry. Among the various companies, I was drawn to Kirin Beer because of its philosophy of "customer-centricity and quality-centricity" which has been cherished since its founding, and also because of the personalities of the senior employees I met at the time, so I decided to join Kirin Beer.
In 2021, I was seconded to an economic organization. There, I had many opportunities to interact with company presidents from various industries, not just the beer industry, as well as representatives of consumer groups and NPOs. I even had contact with politicians and bureaucrats. It was at this time that my perspective on work changed. Until then, I had only thought about the industry I worked in, focusing on the economy, but a mentor I met there taught me that "politics cannot cross national borders, but corporations can." The ultimate goal of humanity is world peace, and this is not something that can only be achieved by politics, administration, or public institutions such as the United Nations. Rather, there are ways in which only corporations can contribute to making people around the world happy. These words greatly broadened my understanding of what it means to "work for the benefit of others."

■We want to be a beer restaurant that nourishes the soul.

At Kirin City, our mission is to contribute to the happiness of the world through restaurants filled with smiles. To achieve this, we serve Kirin beer in the best possible way, paired with the finest food. To this end, we have honed our skills and service through practices such as the "three-pour" method of serving beer and our Beer Meister program, and for 43 years we have continued to pursue the goal of "delivering memorable experiences through beer."
Furthermore, we value not comparing ourselves to other companies, but continuously focusing on "what truly constitutes a valuable experience for our customers." We will continue to evolve in order to be chosen for value, not price.

■ People who can work for the benefit of society and others

There are three types of people I would like to work with. First, someone who has experienced something moving, anything at all, in their life. Even if they can't put it into words, the experience is still within them, allowing them to imagine how to make others happy. They have the ability to transform their own emotions into something meaningful for others. Second, someone who considers themselves "lucky." While it's certainly better to be genuinely lucky, someone who considers themselves lucky is able to view things positively, encompassing both good and bad experiences. I believe such people will be able to use their experiences to their advantage when they enter the workforce. And most importantly, someone who wants to work for the benefit of society and others. I believe that every job has value in supporting society. That's why I want to work with people who take pride in their work and can sincerely engage with the customers in front of them.

■Message to students

Having a vision of what you want to become in the future is important, but following that vision isn't the only right path. Every experience will have meaning when you look back on it later, and it will lead you down your own unique path. I hope you'll believe that giving your all to what's in front of you now will be the power that opens up your future, and that you'll do your best.

Student Newspaper Online, May 11, 2026 Interview: Kyohei Nakazawa, 3rd year student at Waseda University / Reina Inomoto, 1st year student at Kyoto University of the Arts

Kyohei Nakazawa (3rd year, Waseda University) / Haruna Shoji (4th year, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences) / Haruka Tsukamoto (3rd year, Rikkyo University) / Reina Inomoto (1st year, Kyoto University of the Arts)