Inheritance: A Story of Conflict and Commitment

Yumeorinosato has a 67-year history. It was founded by Minami's grandfather, passed down to his father, and is now led by Minami as the third-generation owner.

But the road to succession was anything but smooth. Minami’s father originally studied engineering in Tokyo and had no intention of taking over the family business. However, when his older brother proved unsuitable for management, he was summoned back to Amami. Minami later found himself facing a similar dilemma.

'Growing up, there was always an unspoken assumption that I would eventually take over,' he recalls. 'But my parents never pushed me. They told me to find my own way.'

He began his career at a nationwide kimono retailer, which at the time was the industry leader in sales, only for it to unexpectedly go bankrupt. When the security he sought crumbled, he made a pivotal decision at 26. 'If I’m ever going back,' he thought, 'it has to be now.' And so he returned home. Despite his inner conflict, Minami came back to Amami, his resolve to continue the family business hardening. Driving him was a sense of duty—'this tradition cannot be allowed to disappear'—and an appreciation for 'a value that only becomes clear once you've been away.'