Crossing Boundaries: Dr. HiRose’s Journey from Corporate Tokyo to Lifelong Learning
Yumiko HiRose is a university researcher specializing in life transitions, career development, and lifelong learning. She also shares Japanese wisdom through her YouTube channel, Heart Neutral Life, as Dr. HiRose. Her work combines academic research, personal reflection, and a deep passion for exploring how Japanese philosophy can enrich modern life.
After more than 30 years at Japan’s largest advertising company in Tokyo, she chose to transition to a new chapter in her life. Her career there was exciting and rewarding, offering diverse experiences in secretarial work, accounting, human resources, marketing planning, and account management, as well as opportunities to lead projects in environmental sustainability and regional revitalization. These experiences provided invaluable learning and a broad perspective, which continue to shape her work today.
However, she also realized that living only within one corporate world felt unsatisfying—even suffocating at times. Having another realm beyond the company helped her restore balance in both mind and body, and this became the foundation for her lifelong interest in crossing boundaries. In 2017, she began studying in a research lab, moving between the two worlds of business and academia. This journey ultimately shaped her current research focus: developing career support programs based on career psychology, cross-boundary learning, and intercultural exchange.
Today, she divides her time between three unique places that influence both her research and the insights she shares on Heart Neutral Life:
- Tokyo — a metropolis where she explores how to find stillness amid the urban rush, while also nurturing curiosity and fresh perspectives.
- Yugawara— a hot spring town that embodies nature’s rhythms and the wisdom of slowing down, offering deep healing for both body and mind.
- Southern Oregon, U.S. — a hay farm in abundant nature, where she learns from the land and animals, practicing coexistence and daily mindfulness.
Through these environments, Dr. HiRose shares stories, ideas, and reflections, expressed through beautiful Japanese keywords drawn from Zen, Buddhism, and traditional culture. Her expertise and philosophy embody these values, offering inspiration for well-being, balance, and coexistence.
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