Curves Japan

What Curves Japan does

Curves Japan Co., Ltd. (株式会社カーブスジャパン) is the operating subsidiary of Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime-listed Curves Holdings Co., Ltd. and runs one of the largest women's-only fitness chains in Japan, with approximately 2,000 franchise studios across all 47 prefectures and an estimated 850,000 active female members. Founded in 2005 with the opening of its first store, the company delivers a standardized 30-minute circuit program that alternates strength training on hydraulic resistance machines with aerobic stepping and stretching, conducted in a women-only environment staffed entirely by female coaches. The proprietary equipment set is arranged in a circle with the coach at the center, and the methodology is supported by published research from Baylor University (claimed 3x fat-burning effect versus walking), the University of Tsukuba Graduate School (claimed 5x iliopsoas and 9x thigh muscle increase versus walking), and Tsukuba Wellness Research (25% visceral fat reduction).

The business model is a franchise-driven subscription platform built around three monthly membership tiers — Store Plan (¥6,200-¥7,200/month), Home Plan (¥5,200-¥6,200/month, 24/7 digital access), and W Plan (¥8,000/month, combined access) — plus a one-time ¥15,000 enrollment fee, with promotional discounts and a 2-week free trial used as the primary customer acquisition channel. Member retention is exceptional at 97.7% for stores open 13+ months, and the brand has held the JCSI No. 1 position in the fitness club category for 11 consecutive years (2015-2025). The target customer is middle-aged and older Japanese women (average age 60-61) seeking accessible, low-intensity, time-efficient exercise, and the company has begun extending the underlying methodology into adjacent offerings — Men's Curves, the Pint-UP Body Movement Recovery Center, the Curves Health Protein Recipes program, and public-private health partnerships such as the Nagahama City MOU and the Kanagawa Mibyo Center certification covering all 148 in-prefecture stores.

Name

Curves Japan

Legal name

Curves Japan Co., Ltd. (株式会社カーブスジャパン)

Website

https://curves.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Fitness Club Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Fitness / Cross-Training Groups (HSADABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Weight Loss & Body Transformation Training (HSADAAAC), Small-Group Personal Training (Semi-Private) (HSADAAAN)

Keywords

• Women's fitness clubs
• Circuit training programs
• Senior fitness services
• Franchise fitness centers
• Exercise memberships

Headquarters

HQ city

Minato

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Membership Fees: Recurring monthly subscription fees for gym access. Three tiers available: Store Plan, Home Plan, and W Plan (combined). Members pay monthly regardless of usage frequency.
2. Enrollment Fees: One-time enrollment fee charged to new members at signup. Standard fee is 15,000 yen (16,500 yen with tax). Promotional discounts occasionally offered.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Curves Japan operates a women-only, 30-minute circuit training fitness program delivered through a franchise network of more than 2,000 studios across all 47 Japanese prefectures. Sessions combine strength exercises on hydraulic resistance machines, aerobic stepping on a central step board, and stretching, supervised by a female coach in the center of the equipment circle, with optional 24/7 at-home workouts via the Home Plan and a combined W Plan bundle.

Product overview

Curves Japan operates a women-only 30-minute fitness circuit program featuring hydraulic resistance machines with integrated cardio step boards. The core offering consists of in-store workouts (Store Plan) with female-only coaches during specific business hours, supplemented by an at-home workout option (Home Plan) available 24/7. A combined W Plan merges both access types. All programs follow a standardized circuit format combining 30 seconds of aerobic stepping with 30 seconds of strength training, repeated twice, followed by stretching. The company also maintains community engagement programs including an annual essay contest, haiku competition, and food drive initiative. Additional services include a men's fitness brand, body movement recovery center, and protein-focused nutrition program. Membership is structured on a monthly fee basis with optional add-ons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Curves Women's Fitness Club (カーブス) Women-only 30-minute circuit training fitness club combining strength exercises on hydraulic resistance machines, aerobic stepping, and stretching, supervised by a female coach. Offered across more than 2,000 franchise studios nationwide via Store Plan, Home Plan, and W Plan membership tiers, with sessions during weekday and Saturday business hours and a 24/7 at-home digital option.
• Men's Curves (メンズ・カーブス) Male-oriented fitness program operated as a parallel brand to the women's-only Curves, providing the same 30-minute circuit training methodology for men on hydraulic resistance machines with coached sessions.
• Pint-UP Body Movement Recovery Center (からだ動き回復センター) Posture and movement correction service operated by the Curves Group, focused on improving body movement patterns and recovery for members with movement or posture concerns.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3x fat burning effect compared to walking (based on Baylor University research)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kanagawa Prefecture Miyibouku Center CertificationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2025All 148 Curves locations in Kanagawa Prefecture were certified as Miyibouku (disease prevention) Centers, positioning each store as a community hub for health longevity support and preventive health services.
• Nagahama City, Shiga PrefecturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2024Memorandum of understanding signed between Nagahama City and Curves Japan for citizen health promotion initiatives, establishing public-private partnership for community health improvement.
• Tsukuba Wellness Research (つくばウェルネスリサーチ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research confirming Curves exercise reduces visceral fat by 25%, supporting health claims and providing scientific evidence for program effectiveness.
• University of Tsukuba Graduate School - Hisano Lab (筑波大学大学院久野研究室)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership demonstrating Curves circuit training produces 5x greater iliopsoas muscle increase and 9x greater thigh muscle increase compared to walking.
• Baylor University - Exercise & Sport Nutrition LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research partnership providing scientific basis for Curves' claim that fat-burning effect is 3x walking, analyzed through energy expenditure measurements.
• Okayama University HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical partnership for exercise safety and rehabilitation applications, providing medical institution collaboration for member health programs.
• Gifu Heart Rehabilitation Network (CR-GNet/NPO法人岐阜心臓リハビリテーションネットワーク)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in cardiac rehabilitation network, demonstrating Curves' role in cardiovascular health maintenance and post-rehabilitation exercise.
• Mori Orthopedics & Rehabilitation ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical partnership with orthopedic clinic supporting exercise safety and rehabilitation applications for members with joint and movement concerns.
• AskDoctorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party medical verification partnership where 100 physicians surveyed confirmed safety and efficacy, with 98% recommending Curves exercise program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Curves International: Global master franchisor of the Curves 30-minute women's circuit concept. Curves Japan is the exclusive operator of the Curves brand in Japan, making Curves International the closest peer and the source of the underlying franchise system and equipment IP.
• Anytime Fitness Japan: Franchise-based 24/7 fitness brand operating in Japan. Directly comparable to Curves on franchise-led nationwide distribution and monthly subscription model, though differentiated by 24-hour access and co-ed format.
• JoyFit: Franchise-driven Japanese fitness chain offering 24/7 unmanned access. Comparable to Curves on franchise-led scaling and monthly subscription pricing, though differentiated by unmanned operations and co-ed positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Konami Sports Club: One of Japan's largest multi-format fitness chains under Konami Holdings. Competes with Curves for Japanese fitness members but targets a broader demographic and offers fuller-service facilities rather than a women-only circuit format.
• Renaissance Inc. (Renaissance / Renesa): Major Japanese fitness chain operating nationwide studios and sports clubs. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the Japanese fitness category with overlapping membership economics, though it targets a wider demographic and offers more facility types than Curves.
• Central Sports: Established Japanese fitness chain with nationwide clubs. A broad incumbent competitor offering traditional gym access plus programs; comparable to Curves on domestic footprint and subscription model, though not specialised in the women-only circuit niche.

Regional players

• Tipness Co., Ltd. Japanese fitness chain with strong presence in eastern Japan. Comparable to Curves as a domestic subscription fitness operator with multiple studio formats, though it is more concentrated geographically and broader in demographic targeting.
• Fast Fitness Japan: Operator of the Anytime Fitness master franchise in Japan. Comparable to Curves on franchise-led national scaling of a subscription fitness brand, though it focuses on the co-ed 24/7 unattended gym segment.

Emerging players

• FEELCYCLE: Japan-focused indoor cycling chain with a premium, experience-led positioning. Comparable as a group-format subscription fitness operator with strong brand identity; differs from Curves in being single-discipline (cycling) and not women-only.
• ChocoZap (RIZAP Group): Low-cost, unmanned 24/7 fitness brand operated by RIZAP Group. Competes with Curves on price-sensitive Japanese fitness consumers but at significantly lower price points and with a digitally-led member experience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4f7M9QeadjFQi73eD0I0JA
• Instagraminstagram.com/curves_japan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments1 record

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

Frequently asked questions about Curves Japan