"Asuka III Original Performing Arts" Operator

"Asuka III Original Performing Arts" is an entertainment program staged in the Lumiere Theater, the entertainment space aboard Asuka III, the new flagship of NYK Cruises Co., Ltd., which entered service on July 20, 2025. It is a new kind of immersive performing arts experience that combines dance performance with dreamlike, dynamic digital art imagery on holographic and LED screens.

KAGUYA

An original work that pays homage to The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, weaving a fantastical story through distinctly Japanese lyrical beauty and dance, with the moon, bamboo groves, the Milky Way and the world of folding-screen paintings.

MYSTERIO

An original work themed on the mystery and romance of ancient Mexican civilization, weaving an enigmatic story through captivating culture and dance, with the sun, the jungle, vividly colored animals and prayers to the gods.

About Asuka III

• Entered service: July 20, 2025

• Operator: NYK Cruises Co., Ltd.

• Home port: Yokohama

• Gross tonnage: 52,265 GT (the largest Japanese-flagged passenger ship)

• Length / beam: 230m / 29.8m

• Cabins / passenger capacity: 381 cabins / 740 passengers

Position Summary

• Employment type: PROJECT MEMBER (Contract Staff), no transfers

• Field: Cruise ship

• Base: Nagoya Head Office

• Application deadline: Sunday, May 31, 2026

• Base salary: From JPY 252,800 per month (with additions for experience and skills), plus an overtime allowance for actual hours worked

Job Description

The Operator role for "Asuka III Original Performing Arts" combines work at sea and work on land across the year. At sea you run and manage the performances; on land you handle corporate and business work at the Nagoya Head Office.

Work at sea: Operator

Approximately four to six months a year. You sail aboard Asuka III and take comprehensive charge of running the performances at the Lumiere Theater.

Mission: Protect the quality and emotional impact of the performances on the extraordinary stage of a cruise ship. Evolve the experience through data analysis and improvement, contribute to audience numbers through strategic PR, and maximize the value of the experience.

• Show calling and stage management (technical rehearsals, running the live show, emergency response)

• Managing dancers' schedules, attending rehearsals, and supporting costume, hair and makeup

• Management and handling of costumes and props

• Operation and maintenance of video equipment such as holographic screens, LED screens and projectors (no experience required; this can be learned after joining)

• PR and advertising, marketing, website operation and social media operation

Work on land: concurrent role at the Nagoya Head Office

Approximately six to eight months a year. When not sailing, you work at the Nagoya Head Office in one of the following roles, decided after you join according to your aptitude and wishes.

Planner / Marketer / Manager

Mission: Take charge of audience growth, awareness and brand building for the business, handling everything from marketing strategy to execution. Work across a broad field that also includes IP strategy, global expansion and corporate management.

• Business planning, concept development, project management, production scheduling and outsourcing management for projection mapping, immersive art museums and immersive shows

• Negotiation with clients such as national and local government bodies, new business proposals, and preparation of quotations and reports

• Formulating and executing advertising and marketing strategy (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Google Ads)

• Formulating PR strategy, attracting media coverage and distributing press releases

• Operating and setting strategy for corporate social media (Instagram, Facebook)

• Formulating branding strategy and recruitment communications strategy

• Website production, operation and SEO strategy

• IP strategy, e-commerce, merchandise sales strategy and sales management

• Operating recruitment media

• Formulating and managing project budgets (P&L)

• Production cost management, production scheduling, outsourcing management and report preparation

• Training, work manual creation and office management

Director

Mission: Oversee the concept of an entire space and give concrete form to the value of the experience. Explore the history and culture of a region, devise the plan that becomes the core of the story, and lead the whole process from creative direction through experience flow design to schedule management.

• Business production, creative production and concept direction for projection mapping, immersive art museums and immersive shows

• Spatial design, zoning, interior design supervision, construction management and fixture selection

• Planning and production management of content (graphics, CG, interactive)

• Music and sound effect selection, attending MA studio sessions, and audio editing

• Production cost management, production scheduling and outsourcing management

• Arranging documentary photography and video, screening and revision

• Negotiation with clients such as national and local government bodies, new business proposals and preparation of quotations

• Business planning, income and expenditure planning, KPI setting, compiling visitor numbers, measuring effectiveness and preparing reports

Required Skills

• The autonomy, initiative and sense of responsibility to maintain motivation and performance over long periods of work at sea

• The cooperativeness and positive, proactive attitude to live well alongside others during long periods aboard ship

• Interest in projection mapping, immersive art museums and immersive shows (no experience required)

• Standard PC skills, AI skills and communication skills

• A standard driving license (if you do not hold one, you may obtain it after receiving an offer or after joining)

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

All of the following are for reference only. No specific experience or qualification is required.

• Dance experience (no experience required)

• Experience working at a theme park or similar facility

• Experience in the hotel, bridal, travel or airline industries

• Experience operating video, lighting or audio equipment (no experience required)

Number of Openings

A small number of positions.

Application Requirements

• Aged 18 or over

• Able to sail aboard Asuka III for up to about six months a year (a single continuous voyage ranges from a few days to about two months at most) and to work and live at sea

• Able to work at the Nagoya Head Office during periods on land (your current place of residence does not matter)

• During periods on land, able to work on event preparation and live operation including Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and late at night, and able to travel domestically and internationally

How to Apply

Please send your resume (any format, 10MB or less) to the following address.

To: recruit@hitohata.jp (HITOHATA, INC. Recruiting)

Deadline: Sunday, May 31, 2026, 23:59

Applications are screened in the order in which documents are submitted. Recruitment may close before the deadline once a successful candidate has been decided.

Example items to include in your resume

• Full name (with reading), date of birth (and your age as of the date of writing), gender, photograph, current address

• Family home address (if you have a family home you can live in), and contact details (email address and mobile phone)

• Education, work history (if any), licenses (with date obtained), qualifications (with date obtained)

• Reason for applying, self-introduction, desired position, and any other personal requests (including circumstances requiring special consideration)

Please apply after agreeing to the HITOHATA, INC. Privacy Policy, which sets out our rules on the handling of personal information.

Selection Process

• Entry (submission of resume)

• Notification of document screening result (by email, within about three weeks of the deadline)

• Aptitude test (SPI3), for candidates who pass document screening

• Interview, held in person at our Tokyo Office or Nagoya Head Office, for candidates who pass document screening

• Work experience or assignment (for example, hands-on work at our office or an event venue, or an assignment completed and submitted on a computer), for candidates who pass the interview

• Final interview

• Job offer

Emails may fail to reach us because of size limits or spam filtering. If you have not heard from us more than three weeks after the deadline, please contact us via the inquiry form.

Interviews are in principle held in person at our Tokyo Office or Nagoya Head Office. Online interviews are available only to candidates living outside the Kanto, Tokai and Kansai regions or outside Japan.

Details of the work experience or assignment will be explained to you according to the role and your circumstances.

Interviews, work experience and assignments may be held more than once depending on your experience, skills and abilities.

Travel costs for the first interview are at your own expense. Travel and accommodation costs for the work experience and final interview are covered by the company.

It can take up to about three months from the closing date or your entry until the final offer or rejection is communicated.

Interviews and communications about selection results are generally conducted in Japanese, although interviews can be conducted partly in English.

Inquiries About This Position

Please email recruit@hitohata.jp. Making an inquiry will not affect your selection either favorably or unfavorably, so please feel free to get in touch with any questions.

Compensation and Benefits

Employment type

PROJECT MEMBER (Contract Staff), one-year contract. Contracts are renewed automatically with no limit on the number of renewals, and a system exists for promotion to COMPANY MEMBER (Regular Staff).

No transfers: on land, your work location is limited to the Nagoya Head Office.

Salary, bonuses and allowances

• Monthly salary from JPY 252,800 (Grade 3, Professional, or above; determined with consideration of experience, skills and achievements)

• [Estimated annual salary] From JPY 4.04 million. Calculated from base salary plus bonuses of 4.0 months (FY2024 actual). Housing allowance and overtime allowances are not included

• [Model annual salary] Approx. JPY 5.16 million (Grade 3, with 28 hours of overtime per month). Monthly pay JPY 341,260 (base salary 252,800 + housing allowance 30,000 + overtime allowances 58,460) x 12 months + bonuses of 4.0 months, JPY 1,011,200 + business-trip per diem JPY 50,000. Overtime allowances are estimated for 28 hours per month (12 hours overtime, 8 hours overtime at late night, 8 hours on non-statutory holidays)

• There is no fixed overtime allowance. Overtime, holiday work and late-night work allowances are paid in full, calculated by the minute, as required by law

• Incentive scheme: incentives based on individual and team results, such as winning proposal and competition projects or meeting visitor-number and sales targets, are paid together with the bonus

• Base salary: from JPY 252,800 per month

• Grade: from Grade 3 (Professional Grade)

• Base salary and grade are determined with consideration of experience, ability and achievements

• Bonuses twice a year (June and December)

• Base salary and grade review once a year (July)

• Housing allowance: JPY 10,000-30,000 depending on your residential area, paid where renting a property in your own name is recognized as necessary

• Commuting expenses and travel to and from the ship covered in full

• Shipboard per diem (tax exempt): JPY 2,500 per day, paid according to the number of days aboard, on working days and days off alike

• Business trip per diem (tax exempt): JPY 2,500 per day, paid for overnight business trips or day trips of eight hours or more, on working days and holidays alike

• Relocation allowance of JPY 200,000 if relocation is required on joining. This applies to both new graduate and mid-career hires, including foreign nationals relocating to Japan from overseas; it is free to use as you wish with no receipts required, and is paid in principle in the month you join.

• Loan of a work PC you can take with you (a MacBook in principle)

Working hours, holidays and leave

Work at sea. Flextime system with no core time; start and finish times are set according to the performance schedule.

Work on land. 10:00-19:00 (one hour break, eight actual working hours), with a flextime system available.

• At sea: approximately one to two days off per week

• On land: Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the year-end and New Year period (December 29 to January 3) in principle

• 123 days off per year in total across work at sea and on land

• Annual paid leave: 10 days granted in the first year, six months after joining, increasing by one to two days each subsequent year up to a maximum of 20 days per year

• Leave can be taken as full days, half days or by the hour

• Special leave: three days granted in the first year only, separate from annual paid leave, three months after joining

• Refresh leave: after five years of service, 10 consecutive days of paid leave separate from annual paid leave, granted at the start of the business year and available within that year, and granted again every five years thereafter

• Other leave systems, including maternity leave, childcare leave, family care leave and leave to care for sick children

Probation period

Three months. There is no reduction in salary or allowances during the probation period.

Primary work location

At sea: aboard Asuka III. On land: Nagoya Head Office.

There are no transfers. On land, your work location is limited to the Nagoya Head Office (excluding business trips).

If you are promoted to regular staff through the promotion system, there is a possibility of future relocation, secondment or change of role within Japan.

Other benefits

• Full social insurance: employment insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance, health insurance, employees' pension insurance and nursing care insurance

• Regular health check-up once a year, with optional examination items designated by the company also covered by the company

• Subsidy for book purchases, training and study groups for skill development, where approved by the company and up to a set limit

• Outside activities such as lectures, writing and presenting your own work are permitted where approved by the company

• Further benefit programs are being introduced progressively

Training programs

A range of required and optional programs is available, including business etiquette training, logical thinking training, mentor training, communication training, time management training and leadership training.

Q&A

Q. When would I start?

A. We envisage June 2026 or later, but the start date can be adjusted to suit your current employment situation.

Q. What are the working arrangements?

A. In principle you work on land for around six to eight months a year, and sail aboard Asuka III for around four to six months of the annual performance period (up to about eight months a year). A single continuous voyage ranges from a few days to about two months. You work on flextime according to the performance schedule, regardless of Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays or the year-end and New Year period, with approximately one to two days off per week while aboard. Performance days vary by cruise, but two shows a day around dinner time are planned.

On land your primary place of work is the Nagoya Head Office. Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and the year-end and New Year period are days off in principle, though you may work on a day off for event preparation or live operation, or travel domestically or internationally.

Q. What is life like aboard Asuka III?

A. Operators for "Asuka III Original Performing Arts" board as working passengers and can use a cabin (twin room), the main dining room, the Grand Spa (large public bath) and the self-service laundry free of charge. Some paid restaurants and the salon and spa can also be used at the same rates as passengers. Some facilities are not available.

Cabins are generally twin rooms shared with other dancers or entertainment operators of the same gender. Each cabin has beds, a closet, a television, a refrigerator, a hairdryer, a shower, a washbasin and a toilet. Crew-only areas and facilities are generally not accessible.

Q. How can I spend my days off while aboard?

A. Days off aboard are spent much as other passengers spend their time, although some facilities are not available.

Q. Can I go ashore when the ship calls at or is berthed in a port?

A. Yes, you may go ashore at ports of call and while berthed.

Q. Do I need a passport?

A. Yes. The ship calls at foreign ports and you may board or disembark overseas, so a passport is required. If you do not currently hold one, you will need to apply for it at your own expense.

Q. What about travel costs for work at sea and on land?

A. Return travel between your home and the ship is reimbursed in full when boarding and disembarking. We also support your housing and accommodation, including during periods on land, so that travel does not become an excessive burden over a long career with us.

Q. How long is the employment contract?

A. The contract runs for one year from your start date, including a three-month probation period, and is renewable. If "Asuka III Original Performing Arts" continues to be staged after the contract period, renewal is the assumption unless there are particular circumstances.

If the production ends or work at sea becomes difficult, and you wish to continue working with us mainly on land, we will consider promoting you to regular staff through our promotion system, taking your work record and aptitude into account.

Q. What is the average salary or annual income?

A. For work at sea, a shipboard per diem of JPY 2,500 per day is paid according to the number of days aboard, on working days and days off alike. For example, for one continuous month aboard, JPY 2,500 x up to 31 days = JPY 77,500 is added to the base salary, giving a payment of JPY 330,300 for a graduate of a four-year university in Japan aged 22 at the time of joining.

For work on land, overtime, holiday work and late-night work allowances are paid separately and calculated by the minute. Monthly overtime for work on land is expected to average around 10 to 30 hours, including holiday and late-night work. Assuming 25 hours of overtime in a month (of which 10 hours are holiday work and 5 hours are late-night work), the payment would be JPY 305,730 for a graduate of a four-year university in Japan aged 22 at the time of joining.

Where work on land involves business travel, a business trip per diem of JPY 2,500 per day is added.

For reference, bonuses paid in FY2024 totaled 4.0 months of base salary (2.0 months in June and 2.0 months in December).

On that basis, for a graduate of a four-year university in Japan aged 22 at the time of joining who needs to rent a home and lives in an area eligible for the JPY 30,000 housing allowance (within a 60-minute commute), first-year annual income including salary, bonuses and the relocation allowance, excluding commuting and ship travel costs, is expected to be approximately JPY 5.05 million. (Simulation assuming six months at sea and six months on land per year, average monthly overtime of 0 hours at sea and 25 hours on land of which 10 hours are holiday work and 5 hours late-night work, a combined average of 12.5 hours, a housing allowance of JPY 30,000, 10 days of business travel a year, a June bonus calculation period of April 1 to June 30 and a December bonus calculation period of July 1 to December 31.)

Q. How many operators sail at a time?

A. Two operators sail as standard during the period when "Asuka III Original Performing Arts" is staged, about eight months a year.

In addition, four contract dancers from our company sail as performers, along with the entertainment department director, sound staff and lighting staff of NYK Cruises Co., Ltd.

Maintaining two operators aboard for about eight months a year requires replacement and backup staff at the end of each continuous voyage.

Of the four dancers, three appear in each performance; a continuous voyage lasts up to about two months, and as of April 1, 2026 the dancer roster totals twelve people.

Q. Does the Mariners Act apply?

A. No. Entertainment operators for "Asuka III Original Performing Arts" board as working passengers, so the Mariners Act does not apply.

Q. Are there rules on clothing?

A. When leaving your cabin on a working day at sea, the specified dress code generally applies.

Clothing for work on land is essentially free (office casual), though a suit may be required for events and similar occasions.

Q. Can I use a mobile phone and the internet aboard?

A. Within Japan, service is expected to be available while berthed in port and along coastlines where land is visible. The ship is made of steel, however, so signals are often blocked; in that case service is expected to be available on deck or in places with windows.

Q. I am worried about seasickness or falling ill aboard.

A. A ship doctor is always aboard. Seasickness varies from person to person, and many people find their symptoms ease as they get used to the ship, but please bring motion sickness medicine that suits you.

Q. Can I disembark for personal reasons while aboard?

A. In general you cannot disembark for personal reasons while aboard. Exceptions are made in unavoidable cases such as urgent family circumstances.

Q. Do I need English skills?

A. More than 90% of guests are Japanese or foreign nationals who speak Japanese.

Many of the crew are foreign nationals, however, so English may be needed to communicate with them.

That said, the dancers, entertainment operators and production staff of "Asuka III Original Performing Arts", and the entertainment department director, sound staff and lighting staff of NYK Cruises Co., Ltd., are all Japanese, so English is not a requirement.

Q. When and how are sailing dates decided?

A. You sail aboard Asuka III for around four to six months a year. A single continuous voyage ranges from a few days to about two months, and sailing dates are decided at least two months in advance, taking into account the overall balance of work across all entertainment operators.

Operator changeovers are in principle carried out when Asuka III calls at a port in Japan.

Q. Can my primary place of work on land be Tokyo or Osaka?

A. We also have a Tokyo office, an Osaka office and a local subsidiary in Milan, HITOHATA MILANO S.R.L., but our core members work at the Nagoya Head Office, and for handover and staff development reasons the primary place of work on land is the Nagoya Head Office.

If you are promoted to regular staff, there is a possibility of future relocation, secondment or change of role within Japan, including to the Tokyo or Osaka office, decided with full consideration of your work situation and family circumstances and with respect for your wishes.

We also take circumstances such as visits home into account, and may give priority in assigning work or business travel when a projection mapping or immersive art museum event is held near your hometown.

Q. I currently live far away. Can I still apply?

A. Of course. You will need to live within commuting distance of the Nagoya Head Office after being hired.

If you newly need to rent a home on joining, a housing allowance of JPY 10,000-30,000 is paid depending on your residential area.

Where a new rental is needed, we also help with your search by suggesting recommended areas and properties and introducing real estate agents.

Q. I have none of the preferred skills or qualifications. Can I still apply?

A. The preferred skills and qualifications are for reference only and are not required.

We place more weight on personal qualities: the cooperativeness and positive, proactive attitude to spend long periods at sea and aboard ship alongside others, the autonomy, initiative and sense of responsibility to maintain motivation and performance, and communication skills.

No experience is required for an interest in projection mapping, immersive art museums or immersive shows either, so please apply with confidence.

If you do not hold a standard driving license, you may obtain it after receiving an offer or after joining.

Q. I currently work at another company. Can the selection schedule be adjusted?

A. Yes. If you are currently employed elsewhere, we will adjust the selection schedule, for example by holding interviews on your days off.

Q. I currently live overseas. Are the interview and work experience mandatory?

A. Interviews are in principle held at our Tokyo Office or Nagoya Head Office, but candidates living outside the Kanto, Tokai and Kansai regions or outside Japan can be interviewed online. If it is difficult for you to take part in the work experience, we will assess you through an assignment submitted on a computer or similar instead, and we will adjust the selection schedule with you. Foreign nationals living overseas who relocate to Japan to join us are also eligible for the relocation allowance (JPY 200,000).

Q. I cannot apply during this recruitment period. Will there be future openings?

A. If this recruitment fills the planned number of Operator positions, there are no immediate plans for additional recruitment. However, additional recruitment may take place in the near future if the planned number is not reached, or if a vacancy arises.

If you would like to work as an Operator in the future, please apply now and note this in the personal requests section. If you meet our hiring standards through the selection process, we may put your offer on hold and give you priority when a vacancy arises.

Q. I am interested but not confident about working at sea. Can I apply for more than one position, and can I change position after joining?

A. You may apply for more than one position; please note this in the personal requests section.

If you are not confident about work at sea, and find after joining and experiencing a voyage that it is difficult for you, you can change to a position based mainly on land.

For work on land as well, you may change to another position after joining, taking into account your wishes and aptitude.