2019 Begins with New Year Rakuten Customs

Rakuten's first day of 2019 began with a new year speech from Mickey, followed by a traditional visit to the Atago Shrine, to pray for another successful year. The New Year Seminar in the afternoon featured presentations by external speakers and Rakuten Group executives, before the day ended with a sake barrel-opening ceremony.*
Catch all the details in this report!

*Sake barrel-opening ceremony: A traditional custom practiced at new year gatherings, involving the splitting of a sake (rice wine) barrel to start the event, before sharing the sake contained within among attendees.