What YOAKE Entertainment does

YOAKE Entertainment Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based private joint venture that builds blockchain-based fan engagement infrastructure for the Japanese entertainment industry. The company operates the IRC APP, a mobile application built on Sony's Soneium blockchain that uses the $REC utility token to record, verify, and reward fan support behaviors — termed 'oshikatsu' in Japan — across music, film, anime, and gaming IP. Its underlying Record Protocol provides verified, on-chain fandom infrastructure that transforms engagement (social media support, event participation, merchandise purchases) into measurable records redeemable for exclusive experiences such as priority event tickets. The platform's go-to-market combines a self-serve consumer app with a large-scale event franchise (IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION, co-organized with Tokyo Girls Collection), a managed idol group (ONSENSE), and a planned B2B licensing layer for IP holders.

The company is backed by a five-party consortium: Sony Group (blockchain infrastructure and strategic investment), ASOBISYSTEM (artist management, including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu), TWIN PLANET (IP agency), W TOKYO (Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed organizer of Tokyo Girls Collection), and Y&N Brothers (Yasushi Akimoto's idol-creation business behind AKB48 and Nogizaka46). This shareholder base provides YOAKE with privileged access to Japan's most valuable idol and entertainment IP, top-tier event distribution, and enterprise-grade Web3 infrastructure — a combination difficult for independent competitors to assemble.

YOAKE's revenue mechanics span four streams: tiered premium memberships in the IRC APP (Gold/Silver subscriptions unlocking priority ticket lotteries), NFT collections tied to specific entertainment IP (e.g., The Seven Deadly Sins), event revenue from IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION festivals (ticket sales, sponsorships, ancillary fan spending), and prospective B2B IP infrastructure licensing of the Record Protocol across entertainment verticals. The company has raised approximately $4.45 million cumulatively, with $1.25 million in an April 2025 Extended Seed round and a $3.2 million strategic investment from Sony Innovation Fund in February 2026 earmarked for global expansion and horizontal IP-category deployment.

Name

YOAKE Entertainment

Legal name

株式会社YOAKE entertainment (YOAKE entertainment Co., Ltd.)

Website

https://yoake-entertainment.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YOAKE Entertainment is a Tokyo-based joint venture that builds blockchain-based fan engagement infrastructure (IRC APP and $REC token on Sony's Soneium) for Japanese idol, anime, and entertainment IP, serving fans, idol groups, and IP holders through the IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION festival and Record Protocol licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Blockchain Fan Engagement Platform

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Fan Membership, Subscriptions & Patronage Platforms (MPACABAF)

Keywords

• Fan engagement platform
• Blockchain entertainment
• Idol event management
• Music production studio
• NFT fan tokens

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. IRC APP Premium Memberships: The IRC APP operates a tiered membership model (Gold/Silver) where paying members receive exclusive benefits such as priority ticket lottery access for events like IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION. This subscription-like model provides recurring revenue from engaged fans.
2. NFT Collections: The company plans to launch NFT collections tied to entertainment IP, including one from the anime \'The Seven Deadly Sins.\' These digital collectibles create one-time or secondary-market transaction revenue tied to fan engagement with specific IP.
3. IP Infrastructure Licensing: YOAKE licenses its IRC APP infrastructure — the fan engagement and on-chain reward system — horizontally across IP and content categories (music, film, games, anime). This enables the company to earn fees or royalties from multiple IP holders deploying the platform.
4. Event Revenue: The company organizes large-scale idol and fashion festivals (IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION), generating revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships (TGC partnership), and ancillary fan spending via the IRC APP ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

YOAKE Entertainment operates a blockchain-based fan engagement platform built on Sony's Soneium blockchain. Its core offerings include the IRC APP (a mobile application that records and rewards fan support behaviors using the $REC token), the Record Protocol (verified fandom infrastructure), the IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION festival (Japan's largest idol and fashion event), and managed entertainment IP such as the ONSENSE men's group. The company plans, produces, and develops entertainment content across music, fashion, anime, and games, monetizing fan community participation through tokenized rewards and IP licensing.

Product overview

YOAKE Entertainment operates a platform-plus-services architecture centered on the IRC APP and Record Protocol blockchain infrastructure. The IRC APP is the core fan engagement application that leverages $REC tokens on Sony's Soneium blockchain to record and reward fan support behaviors. The Record Protocol serves as the underlying verified fandom infrastructure powering onchain entertainment experiences. YOAKE also manages entertainment IPs including the ONSENSE men's group and the IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION festival series, which serve as content properties demonstrating the fan engagement technology. The company focuses on transforming Japan's 'oshikatsu' (fan support) culture into quantifiable onchain value across music, film, games, and anime IP categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IRC APP: Official fan engagement app for IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION that records and rewards fan support behaviors using $REC tokens, enabling fans to earn recognition and exclusive experiences through verified participation.
• ONSENSE

Products and services

• IRC APP Official fan engagement application for IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION that records and rewards fan support behaviors using blockchain technology and $REC tokens. Fans earn recognition and exclusive experiences such as priority event ticket lotteries by supporting their favorite idols through social media engagement and event participation.
• Record Protocol Verified fandom infrastructure built on Sony's Soneium blockchain that transforms fan engagement across music, gaming, film, and anime into measurable on-chain records. Participants earn recognition, exclusive experiences, and in-game rewards through verified participation.
• IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION (IRC) Japan's largest idol and fashion festival co-organized with Tokyo Girls Collection (TGC), combining live idol performances with fashion runway shows featuring major Japanese idol groups such as FRUITS ZIPPER, Nogizaka46, AKB48, and Hinatazaka46. The 2025 edition attracted approximately 11,800 attendees, and 2026 will be the first twice-yearly edition with a larger venue at Yokohama Arena.
• ONSENSE A six-member men's entertainment group managed by YOAKE Entertainment as part of its global entertainment project. The group performs 'Bathtime Pops' - a genre combining traditional Japanese onsen (hot spring) elements with contemporary pop music. Members were selected through MEN'S YOAKE AUDITION 2024 and include Akari, Takuya Enomoto, Yu Tamamura, Atsuki Ide, Yoshiaki, and Usa Takuma.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 11,800 attendees at IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sony Block Solutions Labs Pte. Ltd.coreTechnology or IntegrationYOAKE develops the IRC APP and Record Protocol on Soneium, a blockchain developed by Sony Block Solutions Labs Pte. Ltd. (a subsidiary of Sony Group). This is a core technology partnership providing the blockchain infrastructure layer for YOAKE\'s entire fan engagement platform.
• ASOBISYSTEM Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASOBISYSTEM is a co-founder and major shareholder of YOAKE. Founded by Yusuke Nakagawa, ASOBISYSTEM manages globally recognized artists including Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and is a pioneer of \'Aomoji-kei\' (Harajuku) culture. Nakagawa serves as a Director on YOAKE\'s board. ASOBISYSTEM provides entertainment industry expertise, artist relationships, and content development capabilities.
• TWIN PLANET Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWIN PLANET is a co-founder and major shareholder of YOAKE. Founded by Kenji Yajima, the company operates as an IP agency across entertainment sectors. TWIN PLANET manages talent (including Nana Suzuki and Anna Murashige), operates the Tabekko Doubutsu LAND attraction (160,000+ visitors), and brings expertise in Web3, blockchain, AI, and XR integration. Both Yajima (as Director) and Masayuki Fukuyama (as Vice President) serve on YOAKE\'s board.
• W TOKYO Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerW TOKYO is a co-founder, major shareholder, and TGC organizer partner of YOAKE. Listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Growth Market (Securities code: 9159), W TOKYO organizes the Tokyo Girls Collection (TGC), Japan\'s premier girls\' fashion event. Noriyoshi Murakami serves as Director & CEO on YOAKE\'s board. The TGC partnership is central to the IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION co-branding.
• Y&N Brothers Co., Ltd.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerY&N Brothers is a co-founder and major shareholder of YOAKE. Led by Yasushi Akimoto (秋元康), Japan\'s legendary lyricist and creator of AKB48, Nogizaka46, and other iconic Japanese idol groups. Akimoto serves as General Producer and Nobuyuki Akimoto as Director. The company provides unparalleled entertainment IP creation and management expertise.
• Startale / Astar NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSota Watanabe, CEO of Startale and founder of Astar Network, serves as Outside Director on YOAKE\'s board. Watanabe brings deep blockchain expertise including serving as a director of the Japan Blockchain Association and advisor to Japan\'s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2022 honoree.
• The Seven Deadly Sins (七つの大罪)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYOAKE announced plans to launch an NFT collection tied to the anime \'The Seven Deadly Sins,\' representing one of its first IP partnerships outside of idol/music content. This expands the IRC APP ecosystem into the anime IP category as part of YOAKE\'s multi-genre expansion strategy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JYP Entertainment: K-pop entertainment major using Bubble for fan engagement and operating its own fan platforms. Comparable as a vertically integrated entertainment company leveraging fan monetization tooling across multiple idol IP properties.
• SM Entertainment: Major K-pop entertainment company operating Bubble, a 1:1 paid messaging platform connecting artists with fans. Comparable to YOAKE's IRC APP in providing premium paid fan experiences tied to entertainment IP, though without the blockchain/token layer.
• Avex Inc. Japan's largest music entertainment conglomerate, operating fan platforms (Fanpla, mu-mo) and managing major Japanese artists. Comparable as a Japan-headquartered entertainment platform player with multiple monetization streams across music IP.
• CyberAgent (ABEMA, FANTO): Japanese internet conglomerate operating ABEMA streaming and FANTO fan community platform for idol groups including AKB48-adjacent properties. Comparable as a Japanese fan-engagement platform operator for entertainment IP.
• LINE MUSIC / LINE NFT: LINE's music streaming and NFT marketplace operations in Japan provide a domestic comparison point for tokenized entertainment engagement. Comparable as a Japan-based Web3 entertainment platform with reach across Asian markets.

Direct peers

• Weverse Company (HYBE): Operates Weverse, the dominant K-pop fan community and membership platform used by BTS, BLACKPINK, and other HYBE-adjacent artists. Weverse is the closest functional analogue to YOAKE's IRC APP—paid fan memberships, exclusive content, and event ticketing integrated into a single platform.

Regional players

• W TOKYO Inc. Operator of Tokyo Girls Collection and co-founder of YOAKE Entertainment. Directly comparable as the Japan-region event platform partner; W TOKYO is both an investor and operational counterpart in the IDOL RUNWAY COLLECTION co-branded events.

Emerging players

• Royal: Music platform that lets fans buy royalty-bearing NFTs tied to songs, building on-chain fan-investor relationships. Comparable to YOAKE in its use of blockchain tokens to quantify and reward music fandom.
• Sound.xyz: Web3 music platform enabling artists to mint and sell tokenized tracks directly to fans, building on-chain fan relationships. Comparable to YOAKE's Record Protocol in its Web3 infrastructure approach to verified, monetizable music fan engagement.

Others

• Startale Group / Astar Network: Web3 infrastructure provider with CEO Sota Watanabe serving as Outside Director on YOAKE's board. Comparable as a Japan-based Web3 ecosystem enabler providing adjacent blockchain infrastructure for entertainment and IP applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YOAKEofficialJP
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors9 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about YOAKE Entertainment