One of the key factors driving Japan's unprecedented tourism boom is its culture of hospitality — epitomized by the concept of omotenashi, which can be roughly translated as "wholeheartedly looking after guests."
Yet perhaps because omotenashi has a long history and can be taken for granted by Japanese innkeepers — there was never a strongly perceived need for professional training programs at the university level.
Unlike in North America and Europe, university training to educate would-be managers in the hospitality industry can be hard to find in Japan.
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