Japan’s tourism industry has seen a strong post-COVID rebound, with 36.8 million inbound visitors in 2024—a figure expected to surpass 40 million in 2025 and reach 60 million by the end of the decade. As a company involved in the tourism sector, what do you believe makes Japan such a compelling destination for travelers from around the world?
Japan offers a unique blend of traditional heritage and modern culture, and it’s this coexistence that makes the country so appealing to international visitors. From centuries-old temples to cutting-edge skyscrapers, travelers can experience both ends of the cultural spectrum—all while enjoying world-renowned Japanese hospitality.
Visitor preferences vary, of course. While manga and anime remain major draws, we’re also seeing the growing popularity of J-pop as interest shifts from K-pop. Geographically, Japan is also well-positioned. We’re located near many rapidly developing Asian countries, making travel relatively short and convenient. For Western travelers, Japan still holds an exotic allure as a Far Eastern destination.
Despite being a small country, Japan offers a large range of experiences—from beaches to snow-covered mountains, often just a few hours apart. This diversity in culture, geography, and climate adds to Japan’s broad appeal.
As a hotel company, we see Japanese hospitality as one of the country’s defining strengths. It’s deeply rooted in our culture to be thoughtful and detail-oriented, and the level of care guests receive here is truly on another level compared to many other countries.
Omotenashi, or Japanese hospitality, is world-renowned, with many visitors coming to Japan expecting an exceptionally high level of service. As we understand it, omotenashi often comes down to reading the room—anticipating a guest’s needs before they even have to ask. In the hospitality industry, this can take many forms. Could you share your approach to omotenashi, and how you encourage your staff to deliver that experience to your guests?
We want our guests to feel completely at home, so we encourage our staff to treat each guest as they would treat a member of their own family – with warmth, attentiveness, and sincere respect. Our goal is to provide a warm, holistic hospitality experience that makes people feel comfortable, welcome, and genuinely cared for.
Another unique aspect of Japan that adds to the guest experience is our four distinct seasons. Each season brings its own charm—like cherry blossoms in the spring—and we see these seasonal changes as a powerful draw for travelers. These natural transitions offer guests something new to enjoy throughout the year and are a key selling point for Japan as a holiday destination.
As we’ve discussed, Japan offers visitors an incredible range of experiences—from snowy mountain peaks to pristine beaches. Yet most tourists tend to follow the Golden Route through Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, rarely exploring beyond these major hubs. With the Japanese government now positioning tourism as a tool for regional revitalization, what steps do you believe are necessary to encourage travelers to venture beyond the Golden Route and discover more of what Japan has to offer?
I believe the core issue comes down to accessibility. One of the main reasons international tourists don’t visit regions like Tohoku in the northeast is the perception of a lack of convenient access and services. For example, outside of major hubs like Tokyo, train stations often have signage only in Japanese, which can be quite confusing for travelers who don’t speak or read the language. Implementing multilingual signage would make a significant difference and this is now being done in most places, making the regions more accessible.
Digitalization, or DX, is also critical for enhancing the travel experience in Japan. If we can streamline access to information and services through digital tools, I believe it would greatly encourage more visitors to explore beyond the Golden Route.
One of the amazing strengths of Japan is that each region in has its own unique culture, but these local identities have not always been effectively communicated to international travelers in the past. It is my firm belief, that once visitors are aware of the diverse experiences Japan offers, I’m confident many of them will choose to explore beyond the typical tourist path. I’ve heard that the repeat visit rate for inbound tourists is over 70%, which suggests that once people come to Japan, they’re highly likely to return—often looking for something different from their first trip.
I believe one of the key roles that a hotel company can play is to better promote the richness of regional Japanese culture through our deep connections into the local community, we can draw more interest to these lesser-known destinations. In fact, we have a project called My Town that is focused on capturing and sharing the unique culture of local communities with visitors. It’s one way we’re working to contribute to regional revitalization through tourism.
Could you tell us more about how you’re communicating the appeal of regional areas to tourists—especially those who may have never heard of these destinations before coming to Japan?
We collect a great deal of content from local areas, but since most of it is originally in Japanese, our next step is translating it into multiple languages to make it accessible to international audiences. Once translated, we share this content on social media platforms like Instagram.
We focus on showcasing visually compelling examples—such as cherry blossoms near Tokyo, scenic spots in Hokkaido, and cultural highlights from Kyushu. We’ve found that photographs and short videos are some of the most effective ways to convey the beauty and unique appeal of these destinations to travelers who may not be familiar with them.
Are you interested in partnering with Instagram influencers or content creators to help broaden the reach of this regional content and connect with a wider international audience?
Currently, we work with influencers in countries like Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Most of our influencer partnerships are focused on Asian markets. Not many hotel companies are actively doing this, so we saw it as an opportunity to differentiate ourselves and make our content stand out with a more personalized and localized touch.
How important is community engagement and involving local stakeholders to the success of your business operations and long-term strategy?
We’re currently partnering with regions like Shizuoka and Higashi-Osaka—areas that typically don’t receive many foreign visitors. These communities often face challenges in attracting inbound tourism, so in many ways, they see us as a kind of promotional partner—almost like an advertising agency—helping to bring more visitors and visibility to the region.
In recent tourism interviews, we’ve often heard about the importance of pairing food experiences with a location. Osaka, for example, is known for its regional specialties that help travelers form a deeper connection with the area. How do the food offerings at your hotels help guests engage more meaningfully with the regional destinations they’re visiting in Japan?
Food is one of the most accessible and effective ways to communicate the cultural differences across Japan’s regions. Take Osaka, for example—kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), takoyaki (octopus balls), and fugu (puffer fish) are all iconic local dishes. In Hokkaido, ikura (salmon roe) is a standout specialty. Of course, it’s difficult to serve every regional dish in a single location, so the idea is for guests to experience what each area uniquely offers.
Our goal is for travelers to use our hotels as a gateway to explore the full breadth of Japanese culture—including its culinary richness. By offering curated local dishes, even starting with something as simple as breakfast, we provide guests with a sample of what the region has to offer. If they enjoy what they try, they’re more likely to explore further during their stay.
We’re also working on curating and collecting these food experiences into a single platform, allowing tourists to plan their culinary journey in advance. Guests will be able to customize their stay, choosing not only the hotel but also the local experiences and dishes they want to enjoy.
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We’d like to learn more about your integration with Polaris, which culminated in a comprehensive management merger in December 2024. This move positioned your company within a much larger group—now operating 96 hotels and over 15,000 rooms. From our understanding, Polaris is involved in ventures such as Red Planet in the Philippines and Best Western here in Japan. Could you share some of the synergy benefits you’ve experienced since joining the Polaris group? What was the rationale behind the acquisition, and what are your expectations for the future under this new structure?
Before the merger, we operated independently but found ourselves trailing behind top-tier brands—particularly in terms of scale. Through this partnership with Polaris, we expect to benefit from economies of scale, something that had previously been difficult to achieve on our own. The integration allows us to conduct joint promotions and reduce overall costs, which we believe will lead to increased sales. In many ways, this marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company.
Polaris has a strong background in real estate investment, asset management, and capital strength. By becoming part of their group, we can tap into those advantages. At the same time, we bring expertise in areas where they are less established—particularly hotel operations and our deep connections with regional markets. We see this as a mutually beneficial relationship that can help strengthen the group as a whole.
Another important element is the integration of headquarters functions. When combined, our operational capabilities and resources become more powerful, giving us the ability to take on larger challenges. Additionally, as we scale, we gain more credibility and visibility within the industry—making it easier to attract top talent.
With Best Western, you offer a highly cost-competitive option, while Wing Premium serves the mid-to-premium tier segment. At the same time, Japan’s hospitality market is seeing new growth in the ultra-luxury segment, as well as rising demand for long-term family accommodations and facilities tailored to digital nomads. Now that you’re benefiting from the synergies of being part of the Polaris group, what new segments or niches within the hospitality sector do you see as promising opportunities for future growth?
First and foremost, we’re looking to increase the number of properties we’re invested in. At the same time, we’re exploring innovative concepts—such as fully staff-less hotels. These properties would operate without a front desk, allowing guests to check in via smartphone using a QR code. That code links directly to their phone, which then functions as a digital room key. This would then also free up staff to be able to act more as agents of service to customers.
Another area of focus is offering larger rooms. We’ve recognized that smaller rooms can feel limiting, especially for guests traveling with significant luggage. This is particularly relevant as we look to attract more in-bound tourists who often travel in groups or with family.
As you mentioned, there’s also growing demand for mid-to-long-term stays, which presents a unique opportunity. We’re developing more spacious room types, called Family Residences, that can accommodate groups of 2–3 or even 4–6 people, particularly within our premium offerings. We hope to expand this segment to meet growing demand.
We’re also considering expanding into ryokan-style inns, especially those located near onsen hot springs. We’re currently in negotiations related to this, and we hope to share more news soon about our entrance into this segment.
Ultimately, by expanding and diversifying our offerings—from contactless hotels to premium group accommodations—we aim to appeal to a much broader range of customers across different travel needs and preferences.
During our research, we were particularly interested in your community engagement efforts. We came across initiatives like your garlic farm, among others, which are helping regions affected by natural disasters recover and thrive. What inspired you to launch these kinds of projects, and how do they contribute to meaningful engagement with local communities?
At Minacia, we promote a sustainable tourism model that balances environmental responsibility with regional revitalization.
Food safety is something we take very seriously, and one way we’ve addressed that is by improving transparency around sourcing. We believe that giving greater visibility into where our food comes from not only enhances trust but also allows us to share that story with our guests. By using locally sourced ingredients, we’re able to promote the rich resources of the region through our restaurant offerings.
While not a regular occurrence, we’ve occasionally invited guests to participate in harvest activities—an experience they’ve greatly enjoyed. It’s also an important part of our new graduate training program, where trainees are brought to the fields to plant new crops themselves.
Another initiative we’ve implemented is the use of compost made from food waste generated at our restaurants. By turning this waste into nutrient-rich compost, we support nearby farms in growing fruits and vegetables. It’s a small but meaningful way we’re contributing to a virtuous cycle—reducing waste, supporting local agriculture, and deepening our connection with the communities we operate in.
You recently announced a partnership with Sabre Hospitality, integrating Minacia into their global distribution system. This connects you to an international network and promotes your services to a broader global audience. How do you see this partnership contributing to an increase in international bookings and expanding your presence in overseas markets?
The primary objective of this partnership is to reach more business travelers. This segment can be difficult to engage directly, as many rely on travel agents or corporate booking platforms. We saw a clear need to be present on a platform that could broaden our reach and appeal to this specific demographic. Partnering with Sabre allows us to tap into that network and better position ourselves within the global business travel market.
Are you looking to pursue more partnerships like this in the future to further expand your reach and capabilities?
Ideally, we’re looking to connect with local OTAs—particularly those based in Asia, such as in Southeast Asia—rather than focusing solely on large global platforms like Booking.com. We believe these regional partnerships can offer more targeted reach and align better with our strategic goals.
OTA booking fees can be quite high, and in many of our recent interviews with tourism industry leaders, we’ve heard a growing emphasis on improving company websites and introducing loyalty programs to drive more direct bookings. Is this a strategy your company is also pursuing—particularly now that you’ve integrated into the Polaris group?
At the moment, we have a membership program, but it’s not yet a full-fledged loyalty program. Members currently receive about 3% back on each direct booking, along with added perks like early check-ins and late check-outs.
That said, we’re looking to enhance the program by introducing tiered levels—such as bronze, silver, and gold—so that the more guests book, the more benefits they receive. Our goal is to make the program more appealing and rewarding, encouraging more guests to book directly with us over time.
As president, what are the key goals or milestones you hope to achieve before passing the leadership baton to the next generation of executives?
I began my career at Tokyu Corporation—a domestic railway company that also operated a hotel business. I was mainly responsible for the hotel side and spent about 10 years there. While the company had strong operations, it lacked marketing capabilities, particularly when it came to branding and outreach.
After that, I went on to work for several different companies, including an OTA, before returning to the hotel industry in 2021. It was then that I realized many Japanese hotel management companies were still lagging in branding and marketing. I saw a real opportunity to strengthen this aspect of the business to become more competitive—both domestically and internationally.
Looking ahead, my goal is to continue pushing this area of the business and, more importantly, to pass on the insights and lessons I’ve gained throughout my career to the next generation of executives. I hope to leave behind a foundation where branding and marketing are seen as core strengths of the company.
In an era where hotel brands are expected to cultivate loyal fans both domestically and internationally, Minacia together with Polaris Holdings and its other partner brands, is striving to become a beloved brand that resonates deeply with guests.
For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.hotelwing.co.jp/en/
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