Yasuo Sasano, 62, is the manager of Kurumi Mansion, an extended-stay hotel in Tokyo's Koto Ward. Located on the Sumida riverside, across from Tokyo City Air Terminal, Kurumi Mansion's convenient position and reasonable prices have made it a magnet for savvy travelers. An added attraction is Sasano himself, whose warm welcome — in fluent English and basic French — adds to the cozy atmosphere emphasized by the hotel's potted plants and quaint tiny water mill by the entrance. Kurumi Mansion is a repeater's haven, a home from home, and the heart and soul of the operation is definitely Sasano. A former salesman and world traveler, he's a mine of information that visitors are welcome to tap into.

In Japan, if the content is good, there is no need to pay attention to the surface — just keep it clean. I was a salesman for 35 years. I visited hundreds of companies in Japan, and some abroad, too. I found that in Japan many famous companies are housed in old, run-down buildings. Keeping offices in such a state means the president and the board members are frugal and confident. They don't want to show off and publicly display that they are making a lot of profit. In Japan, the rich often looks poor.

Inbound tourism is still down but the level of affection visitors have for Japan is way up. Before, only unique, wonderful people would come to Japan; but now, a year after the March 11 triple disaster, the people who visit here are truly special. These foreigners really love Japan and their positive attitude creates even more positive feedback. We Japanese are so thankful for every person who lands on our islands, and we now make more of an effort to make sure they enjoy their stay. I think now is the time to visit Japan.