JAL, which has bases throughout Japan, has been continuously implementing initiatives to revitalize local communities (currently known as the “JAL Hometown Project”), and In August 2020, the company launched the “JAL Hometown Ambassadors” program, in which flight attendants selected through an internal application process relocated to local communities to promote initiatives in their respective regions. In December of the same year, the company also appointed the “JAL Hometown Support Team,” whose members engage in regional revitalization efforts while continuing to fly. The aim is to utilize the expertise cabin crew members have cultivated in their roles to develop new products and address regional challenges in their hometowns or communities with which they have ties.
We spoke with Minori Mizukami, a JAL Hometown Ambassador who promotes dual-residence living in Hokkaido.
――Please tell us about your efforts.
Is there a town where you’ve ever thought, “I’d like to live there someday”? This spring, I started living in the town I’d always dreamed of living in.
That’s Sapporo.
Although I was born in Sapporo, I moved away before I could remember much, so I had almost no memories of my hometown. I had come to think that someday I would like to live in my hometown and do something to contribute to the community there.
I had been living in Tokyo ever since I joined JAL as a flight attendant, but this spring, I applied to become a JAL Hometown Ambassador, moved to Sapporo, and am now helping to revitalize the Hokkaido region.
And now, both at work and in my personal life, I’m experiencing firsthand just how wonderful Sapporo is.
In a nutshell, it’s “the convenience of a big city” and “stunning natural scenery and delicious food.”
From Sapporo’s modern office district, home to a concentration of trendy shops, it takes just a 30-minute drive to reach the great outdoors. With no trouble at all finding everything you need for everyday shopping, it’s a city where it’s very easy to switch between work and leisure—working in the city on weekdays and enjoying casual recreational activities on the weekends.
And then there’s “food.” As the gateway to Hokkaido, Sapporo is where fresh seafood, vegetables, meat, and dairy products from all over the prefecture converge. You can find wonderful locally produced goods at reasonable prices at any supermarket.
――How are you involved in this initiative?
Driven by a strong desire to “let people from outside Hokkaido experience the charm of living in Sapporo and Hokkaido for themselves,” we have launched the “JAL Two-Region Living Club.”
Have you heard of the term “living in two regions”? As the name suggests, it means having two places where you live. Here at JAL, we’re proposing a new lifestyle where you work in the city while spending your weekends and holidays in a different region.
“I want to live a rich, fulfilling life on my own terms.” When you find yourself thinking this, having a second base in addition to your current place of residence should greatly expand your options. The “JAL Two-Region Living Club” makes it easy to realize that dream by bundling the essentials for this new lifestyle—travel (flights) and housing (in Sapporo)—required for moving between a metropolitan area and a regional area, and including a “concierge service” designed to ensure your stay is safe, convenient, and fulfilling.
――Please share a message for travelers.
At JAL, we don’t just provide a “means of transportation”; we want to help enrich your lives and daily routines.
Why not take this opportunity to experience a more fulfilling life and a unique sense of well-being than ever before?
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