Careers

Join Maana — Where Craft, Culture, and Hospitality Meet

At Maana, we believe in creating spaces and experiences that feel timeless, warm, and deeply human. Our work celebrates Japanese craftsmanship, culture, and everyday simple moments. We're building a small team of curious minds and passionate storytellers. If you love shaping ideas into meaningful details that bring people together, we'd love to meet you.
Join us to build a world of inspiration and connection.
We're hiring key roles to help shape Maana's next chapter.
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Homes Manager

Location: Kyoto, Japan
Type: Full Time
About the Role
At Maana, hospitality is more than just service. It's about warmth, care, and making people feel truly at home.
As a Homes Manager, you'll be the person who makes that feeling a reality. You'll oversee the day-to-day operations of our accommodations, ensuring every home is impeccably maintained, every guest feels genuinely cared for, and every stay runs seamlessly from arrival to departure. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who takes quiet pride in the details, leads their team with empathy and clarity, and understands that a truly great stay is built on trust and consistency.
Beyond day-to-day operations, you'll also play a key role in shaping what's next. As we develop a new hotel project, you'll work closely with leadership to build the systems, standards, and brand identity that will define the Maana hospitality experience at a larger scale.
Responsibilities
Operations & Guest Experience
  • • Oversee daily operations of Maana's homes, ensuring every stay meets the highest standards of comfort, care, and consistency.
  • • Be present and hands-on — support the team on the ground, step in where needed, and lead by example.
  • • Coordinate with housekeeping and maintenance to keep all properties guest-ready at all times.
  • • Handle escalated guest concerns with calm, thoughtful problem-solving.
  • • Conduct regular property checks to uphold Maana's standards.
  • • Oversee any maintenance or construction issues.
Revenue & Strategy
  • • Oversee reservations, booking performance, and revenue — tracking data and identifying opportunities to grow.
  • • Collaborate with the marketing team to develop strategies that drive occupancy, awareness, and guest loyalty.
  • • Monitor key metrics and translate insights into actionable improvements.
Community & Advocacy
  • • Manage and help build Maana's advocate program — nurturing relationships with VIP guests and our wider community.
  • • Develop initiatives that turn guests into long-term supporters of the Maana brand.
Cross-Department Collaboration
  • • Work closely with retail, atelier, cafe, and other departments to create a cohesive and seamless Maana guest journey.
  • • Help develop operational systems and brand standards for our upcoming hotel project.
  • • Partner with leadership to define what the Maana hospitality experience looks and feels like as we grow.
Team Leadership
  • • Lead, mentor, and support the homes team — building a culture of care, accountability, and collaboration.
  • • Set clear expectations and create an environment where the team feels empowered to do their best work.
Qualifications
  • • Required: Bilingual in Japanese and English.
  • • 3–5 years of experience in hospitality or accommodations management.
  • • Comfortable being both a strategic thinker and a hands-on operator.
  • • Experience developing or implementing operational systems and brand standards is a strong plus.
  • • Experience with revenue management is a plus.
  • • Proven ability to lead and motivate a team.
  • • Highly organized, warm, and solutions-oriented.
  • • Genuine passion for hospitality and creating meaningful guest experiences.

Front Desk

Location: Kyoto, Japan
Type: Full Time
About the Role
At Maana, hospitality is more than just service. It's about warmth, care, and making people feel truly at home.
As a Front Desk Staff member, you'll be the heart of the guest experience — the first person people meet and the one they turn to throughout their stay. Your home base is the front desk, but at Maana, no role exists in isolation. When the cafe gets busy or the retail space needs a hand, you'll step in naturally, because that's just how we work. We show up for each other so that every guest, no matter where they are in our space, feels looked after.
This is a role for someone with genuine warmth, positive energy, and a curiosity for people. If you thrive in a close-knit team, feel energized by meaningful interactions, and love being surrounded by culture, design, and good hospitality — you'll feel right at home here.
Responsibilities
  • • Take ownership of the entire guest journey — from inquiry through departure — with thoughtful, clear communication.
  • • Welcome and check in guests with warmth, efficiency, and professionalism.
  • • Manage check-in and check-out processes, ensuring a smooth and memorable experience.
  • • Provide concierge services — offering thoughtful recommendations and assistance to help guests make the most of their time with us and in Kyoto.
  • • Handle reservations across phone, email, and online platforms, maintaining accurate records.
  • • Process retail transactions and assist customers in the retail space; a solid understanding of our inventory and product knowledge is essential. (Required for all positions in our company)
  • • Serve as a connector across all of Maana's spaces — the atelier, cafe, retail, and homes — ensuring guests experience a cohesive and seamless journey throughout.
  • • Maintain a thorough knowledge of each department so you can speak confidently and helpfully about everything we offer.
  • • Coordinate with housekeeping, maintenance, and other departments to ensure smooth day-to-day operations.
  • • Support opening and closing tasks as needed.
Qualifications
  • • Required: Bilingual in Japanese and English.
  • • 1–3 years of experience in hospitality, customer service, or a related field.
  • • Warm, friendly, and reliable.
  • • Comfortable communicating with guests from diverse backgrounds.
  • • Able to stay calm and organized in a fast-paced environment.

Graphic Designer

Location: Kyoto, Japan
Type: Full-time
About the Role
At Maana, we believe in creating spaces and experiences that feel timeless, warm, and deeply human — and every detail of how we look and feel matters. We are looking for a Graphic Designer who shares that same pull toward beauty and intentionality, and who wants their work to be felt, not just seen.
This is a rare in-house creative role where your work will span photography, video, brand, and digital — shooting our rooms, workshops, and retail objects; designing campaigns and collateral; and helping shape how Maana is seen by the world. No two weeks will look the same.
We are a small, close-knit team, so we need someone who is genuinely versatile, highly organized, and thrives working independently. Most days are remote, with shoots and team time in Kyoto as needed. If you love the craft of making things look exactly right — and want your work to matter — this role is for you.
Responsibilities
Photography & Visual Content
  • • Plan and execute photo and video shoots across our rooms, workshops, and retail products — including styling and art direction.
  • • Build and maintain a well-organized visual asset library for internal use.
  • • Own all visual assets across PR, in-house shoots, and collaborations.
Website
  • • Maintain and update website visuals in collaboration with the marketing team.
  • • Prepare clear design handovers for development and flag improvements through regular reviews.
Marketing & Collateral
  • • Design on-brand assets for social media, campaigns, newsletters, and launches.
  • • Design all printed and physical materials, managing collaborators as needed.
Qualifications
  • • Strong photography skills with a confident, considered eye — this is central to the role.
  • • Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.
  • • Versatile across digital and print, with the ability to switch between mediums.
  • • Highly organized, independent, and proactive — someone who takes full ownership and works well with minimal direction.
  • • Comfortable managing multiple projects simultaneously within a small team.
  • • Video shooting and editing experience is a plus.
  • • Styling and art direction for product or interior shoots is a plus.
  • • Basic understanding of website design and UX is a plus.
Language
  • • If visa sponsorship is required, JLPT N2 Japanese proficiency is necessary.

Head of Retail

Location: Kyoto, Japan
Type: Full-time
About the Role
Maana is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Retail Manager to oversee the efficient operation of our physical retail locations while leading the ground-up launch of our e-commerce platform. This role is perfect for someone who thrives on creating efficient systems—from logistics and inventory forecasting to customer relationship management—while ensuring our retail experience remains seamless and on brand. You will be instrumental in translating Maana's refined brand into a highly functional and profitable online and offline experience.
Responsibilities
E-commerce Launch & Operations
  • • Lead and own the full launch of Maana's online store on Shopify, including platform setup, product upload, and customer experience design.
  • • Establish all shipping, fulfillment, and returns processes for domestic and international orders.
  • • Integrate and synchronize inventory systems between online and offline channels.
Inventory Management & Forecasting
  • • Build accurate inventory forecasting models to anticipate demand and prevent stockouts or overstock.
  • • Monitor sales velocity and seasonal patterns to guide purchasing decisions.
  • • Coordinate replenishment strategies with suppliers and internal teams.
Customer Insights
  • • Segment customers to personalize communications and drive loyalty.
  • • Provide actionable insights on customer behavior to inform retail and product strategies.
Retail Store Oversight
  • • Manage daily operations of two Kyoto retail locations, ensuring consistent service and visual presentation.
  • • Oversee staff scheduling, training, and performance evaluations.
  • • Monitor in-store sales performance and customer feedback to refine retail strategy.
Reporting & Strategy
  • • Prepare regular reports on e-commerce performance, inventory health, and CRM metrics to guide leadership decisions.
  • • Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and drive sustainable growth.
Qualifications
  • • Proven experience in retail operations management and e-commerce launch/operations.
  • • Demonstrated, hands-on expertise with the Shopify e-commerce platform is mandatory.
  • • Strong analytical and organizational skills; comfortable building systems from the ground up.
  • • Experience leading an e-commerce platform launch or scaling in the Japanese market is a strong bonus.
  • • Knowledge of CRM tools and ability to turn customer data into actionable strategies is a plus, but not required.
  • • Excellent communication skills and a passion for Japanese craft, culture, and design.
  • • Familiarity with inventory software, retail POS systems, and e-commerce (Shopify) platforms.

Head Chef

Location: Kyoto, Japan
Type: Full Time
About the Role
We're creating a restaurant we'd want to return to, again and again.
Not a destination, not a concept, not an extension of a hotel—but a true neighborhood place. The kind of space that feels right at any hour. Where the food is thoughtful but never overworked, the atmosphere is easy, and the doors stay open for years without needing to reinvent itself.
We're not chasing Michelin stars. We're building something with longevity—driven by people, community, and a clear point of view. A place that feels grounding, familiar, and quietly special.
Maana is looking for a Head Chef to shape this experience from the ground up. This is a rare opportunity in Kyoto to build both the breakfast and dinner offering—defining a culinary direction rooted in nourishment and care, while growing your own vision alongside a brand guided by soul, simplicity, and warmth.
We believe breakfast sets the tone for the day, and dinner offers a moment to slow down and gather. Our food should feel nourishing from the inside out—simple, beautiful, and deeply satisfying.
We are a small, intimate team. This role offers real ownership, creative freedom, and clear authorship of what you build.
This position is for someone who wants to create something lasting. A place with character, energy, and a sense of ease—where food, people, and atmosphere exist in quiet balance.
What You'll Do
  • • Develop the breakfast concept, menu, and kitchen rhythm.
  • • Stabilize and evolve the breakfast operation.
  • • Shape the direction of the dinner offering.
  • • Source seasonal ingredients and build relationships with local producers.
  • • Train and support cooks and staff.
  • • Maintain high standards across taste, timing, cleanliness, and flow.
  • • Collaborate with the team on the broader Maana experience.
Who This Is For
  • • You have experience leading a kitchen, or are a strong sous chef ready to step up.
  • • You are comfortable working in a small, thoughtful kitchen environment.
  • • You understand the power and nuance of breakfast.
  • • You care deeply about flavor, detail, and how food makes people feel.
  • • You are looking for ownership, creative space, and a long-term place to build.
  • • You are based in Kyoto, or willing to relocate.
  • • Japanese language ability required.