Guild名鑑 No.190　裾花観光バス 代表取締役 佐野坂 敬さん

ぽかぽか言葉を文化にしよう！
裾花観光バス 代表取締役 佐野坂 敬さんのみんなで創る地域観光
(The English version follows the Japanese text.)

港区を起点にいろんなところで働く・暮らす、楽しい時間を創りたい人たちによるコミュニティCreative Guild。このギルド名鑑ではそんなCreative Guildでつながったユニークな方々をご紹介しています。今回ご紹介するのは、長野県の観光バス事業を展開する株式会社 裾花観光バスの代表取締役 佐野坂 敬さんです。“ひと”の温かさをつなぎ、みんなで地域観光を創っていくことをテーマに精力的に活動中です。

裾花観光は地域密着のバスツアーが強み。地元長野地域の豊かな自然を楽しんだり、地域の方々で東京の花火大会や相撲を見に行ったり。屋根のないオープントップバスSORA-BUSで季節の風を感じに行くことも。そんな裾花観光の代表として佐野坂さんはエンゲージメント強化をテーマに取り組みを推進中。テレワークやAIなども取り入れながら、働く“ひと”にも、地域の“ひと”にも、訪れる“ひと”にも優しく心地よく楽しい観光の在り方を、異分野や他地域も巻き込みながら探求しています。

そんな佐野坂さんが大事にしていることは、一言でいえば尊重。それは、異なる価値観を受けとめ、その人らしさを大切にしながら、つながり合い、一緒に心地よく、そして楽しい時間を築くことにつながっていきます。だからこそ佐野坂さんは、小学校などでも教えている温かさを生み出す前向きな言葉「ぽかぽか言葉」に注目しています。普段何気なく使う言葉一つひとつを丁寧に紡ぐことが、その人らしさを尊重し、温かく“ひと”と“ひと”をつなぐ、優しさという力になっていくからです。

変化の激しい今、正直どうしたらいいかわからない、ついていけないと感じる瞬間は誰にでもあります。現状に妥協し、挑戦を諦め、ついネガティブな言葉を重ねてしまうこともあるかもしれません。それは不用意に対立を生み、本来持っている可能性をも隠してしまいます。しかしながら、もしそれを超えることができれば、選べる選択肢は確実に変わっていきます。

だからこそ佐野坂さんのように「ぽかぽか言葉」から“ひと”の温かさを紡ぎ、誰にとっても心地よく楽しめる場づくりが必要なのです。もちろん、それはCreative Guildの“楽しいから始まる未来づくり”にも不可欠な要素。幸いなことに特別な技術は必要ありません。相手を思う気持ちで優しい言葉に置き換えていけばいいだけです。となれば、まずは身近な“ひと”たちと、できるところから「ぽかぽか言葉」を共有していきたいですね。そんなツアーがあったら、新しい“楽しい”も始まるかも？

Let’s Make “Warm Words” a Culture
Community Tourism Created Together — Takashi Sanosaka of Susobana Kanko Bus

Creative Guild is a community of people based in Minato City who work and live in many different places, all connected by a shared desire to create joyful moments in everyday life. In this Guild Directory, we introduce unique individuals connected through the Creative Guild network. This time, we are featuring Takashi Sanosaka, President and CEO of Susobana Kanko Bus Co., Ltd., a sightseeing bus company based in Nagano, Japan. His mission is simple yet powerful: connecting the warmth of people and creating regional tourism together with the community.

Susobana Kanko Bus is known for its community-centered bus tours. Some tours invite guests to experience the rich natural beauty of the Nagano region, while others bring local residents to Tokyo to enjoy fireworks festivals or sumo tournaments together. The company also operates the open-top SORA-BUS, allowing passengers to feel the seasonal breeze while exploring the area. As the company’s leader, Sanosaka has been focusing on strengthening engagement within the organization and the wider community. By incorporating remote work and AI into the company’s operations, he is exploring new forms of tourism that are kind, comfortable, and enjoyable—for the people who work there, the people who live in the region, and the people who visit. His efforts often involve collaboration with people from different fields and regions, expanding the possibilities of community-based tourism.

At the heart of Sanosaka’s philosophy is one simple word: respect. Respecting different values, honoring each person’s individuality, and building connections that allow people to share comfortable and joyful experiences together. That is why Sanosaka pays special attention to what Japanese elementary schools sometimes call “pokapoka kotoba,” or “warm words”—positive words that create a sense of warmth between people. When we choose our words carefully, even in everyday conversation, those words can affirm who someone is and gently connect one person to another. In this sense, kindness itself becomes a powerful force that brings people together.

In today’s rapidly changing world, everyone has moments when they feel unsure of what to do or feel left behind. Sometimes we compromise with the current situation, give up on trying something new, and unconsciously repeat negative words. Those words can easily create unnecessary conflict and hide the potential we truly have. But when we move beyond that mindset, the range of choices available to us can change dramatically.

This is why Sanosaka believes it is important to begin with “warm words.” By weaving warmth between people through the way we speak, we can create spaces where anyone can feel comfortable and enjoy being part of something together. This idea also lies at the heart of the Creative Guild vision—building the future starting from what is fun. The good news is that no special skills are required. All it takes is a willingness to think of others and choose kinder words. So perhaps the first step is simple: share “warm words” with the people around us, starting wherever we can. And who knows—if there were a tour built around that idea, maybe a whole new kind of “fun” would begin there.