HJ

What HJ does

HJ Inc. is a privately-held Japanese youth culture media and entertainment company founded February 22, 2006 and headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. The company operates a portfolio of teen-focused media brands including the legacy egg magazine (peak print circulation 500,000 copies, revived as a web property in 2018), nuts, KOGYARU, Natuul, I LOVE mama, and Popteen, distributing content across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LINE. Beyond publishing, the company runs a full-stack youth IP business: talent and creator management (including artists such as Mirichamu, Rara, Ryua, Yunachi and music groups like KOGYARU and Himerabu), music production and label operations, character IP development (notably the Reiwa-era gal character group HipShake/Usapoyo), video content production including the Houkago Engiha Club short drama series, and live events such as TGC teen, TGC KIDS, OKINAWA COLLECTION, egg Fes, and the KOGYARU WARS nationwide tour spanning 11 cities and 22 performances with 40,000 expected attendees. The company employs approximately 100-110 staff including contract employees and holds ¥523.9M in capital.

Name

HJ

Legal name

H.J. Corporation

Website

https://hj-s.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HJ is a Tokyo-based youth culture media and entertainment company operating teen-focused magazines, talent management, music production, character IP development, live events, and digital marketing services for Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences in Japan, backed by Avex and CyberAgent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Media & Entertainment

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Promotion Management & Optimization (TPM/TPO) (MPAAAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Children’s Subscription & Book Club Publishing (MPAJAFAO)

Keywords

• Youth media publishing
• Talent management
• Digital marketing services
• Event production
• Music label publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Media Operations: Magazine publishing (egg, nuts, KOGYARU, Natuul, I LOVE mama) and SNS content creation across multiple platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube.
2. Talent & Creator Management: Comprehensively managing activities, growth, and exposure of talent including artist IPs. Handles operational functions to maximize IP value.
3. Music, Label & Publishing: Music production, label operations, and publishing to distribute IP and artist expressions as works and rights.
4. Event Planning & Operations: Live performances and events transforming passion of IPs and artists into real experiences. Includes TGC KIDS, egg Fes, OKINAWA COLLECTION.
5. IP & Character Business: Character IP development including Usapoyo LINE stamps, merchandise, and collaborations.
6. Video & Content Production: Short dramas and programs expressing stories and worldviews of IPs and artists. Includes 放課後演技派クラブ short drama series.
7. Digital Marketing Services: SNS and digital marketing strategy services for brands targeting teen audiences.
8. Lifestyle Business: Real estate and food & beverage designing and operating spaces where IPs and talent gather, including MIYASHITA HOUSE AGENCY.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HJ is a Shibuya-based culture and entertainment company that operates teen-focused magazine and SNS media brands (egg, nuts, KOGYARU, Natuul), manages youth talent and creators, produces music and short-form video content, develops character IPs (Usapoyo), and runs live events such as TGC teen and TGC KIDS. It also provides SNS and digital marketing strategy services to advertising agencies, cosmetics and apparel brands, and media companies seeking access to Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences.

Product overview

HJ is a Japanese culture company based in Shibuya that operates a multi-brand media platform and entertainment business. The core offering consists of magazine/SNS media brands (egg, nuts, KOGYARU, Natuul, I LOVE mama, Popteen), music artist projects (ひめらぶ, 半熟たまごっち), character IPs (うさぽよ), and talent management. These are supported by video content production (放課後演技派クラブ, シブジョ部!!, studio428), event execution (TGC KIDS, TGC teen, OKINAWA COLLECTION, KOGYARU全国ツアー), teen insight research, SNS marketing services, and lifestyle businesses (MIYASHITA HOUSE AGENCY). The company also runs the 女子高生ミスコン contest platform. HJ distributes content primarily through social platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and LINE, with TV partnerships on ABEMA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KOGYARU: 小学生ギャルメディア (Elementary school gal media) - A magazine and media brand targeting young girls with gal culture.
• egg
• nuts
• Natuul
• I LOVE mama
• ひめらぶ (Himerabu)
• うさぽよ (Usapoyo)
• 放課後演技派クラブ
• OKINAWA COLLECTION
• TGC teen
• TGC KIDS
• JK labo

Products and services

• egg Media Brand Gal culture magazine and web/SNS media brand originally peaking at 500,000 print copies, revived in 2018 as a digital-first platform distributed via YouTube, TikTok (67M+ video views), Instagram, and web, leading current gal culture content for high school girls.
• KOGYARU Media Brand Elementary school gal magazine and SNS media brand launched in 2023, targeting younger girls with gal culture content. Includes a music group whose debut single SHIRANKEDO achieved 235M+ TikTok views and 12.1M YouTube views, and a nationwide 11-city 22-show tour.
• Natuul Media Brand Largest-scale serene/clean-style elementary school web media brand launched in 2025, positioned as the official rival to KOGYARU magazine. Includes a music group whose members come from high school beauty contests.
• nuts Media Brand
• I LOVE mama Media Brand
• Usapoyo (うさぽよ) Character IP Reiwa-era gal character IP representing Shibuya youth culture, distributed as the four-member HipShake circle (Usapoyo, Butatan, Pentamu, Nekopi). Commercialized via LINE stickers, animations, and KOGYARU magazine collaborations.
• Himerabu (ひめらぶ) Music Artist Project
• Hanjuku Tamagocchi (半熟たまごっち) Music Artist
• TGC teen Event
• TGC KIDS Event
• KOGYARU WARS National Tour
• egg Fes Event
• NUTS Fes Event
• OKINAWA COLLECTION Event
• Houkago Engiha Club (放課後演技派クラブ) Short Drama Series Short-form drama series featuring young actors and influencers, distributed on TikTok and Instagram. Acts as a gateway for Gen Z talent discovery and is positioned as a content vehicle for HJ's IP and talent ecosystem.
• Shibujobu!! (シブジョブ!!) Video Content Series
• studio428 Video Content Project
• JK labo Media Brand
• MIYASHITA HOUSE AGENCY Lifestyle Business
• Talent & Creator Management Service
• Teen Insight & Planning Service
• SNS & Digital Marketing Strategy Service
• High School Girl Miss Contest (女子高生ミスコン)
• Popteen vs egg MODELS CRUSH ABEMA Program Eight-episode ABEMA (AbemaTV) battle program co-branded between HJ's egg magazine and Popteen, positioning HJ as a TV content producer and co-branded media IP owner.

Quantifiable outcome

• egg magazine TikTok: 67M+ video views
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• W TOKYO (Tokyo Girls Collection): Operates Tokyo Girls Collection and produces teen fashion events; HJ co-produces TGC teen with them. Direct partner/peer in the teen fashion and event-IP business, with overlapping advertiser and brand-partner bases.
• ASOBISYSTEM: Tokyo-based kawaii and youth culture IP house that has managed Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and similar Harajuku-style teen talent. Closely comparable as a Japan-focused youth-culture media, talent, and IP business targeting Gen Z subculture consumers.
• Amuse Inc. Long-established Japanese talent management and artist IP firm with a multi-decade track record developing artists across music, acting, and content. Comparable business model of managing talent from discovery through music, TV, and live monetization.
• Stardust Promotion: Major Japanese talent agency that has historically operated female teen/gal subculture groups (Ebisu Muscats, Momoiro Clover Z) and runs the Stardust Theater. Comparable as a teen-focused talent management and media platform serving advertisers and brand partners.

Broad incumbents

• KADOKAWA Corporation: Major Japanese publisher of light novels, manga, magazines, and teen-focused media including Niconico-adjacent properties. Comparable as a publisher-and-IP operator targeting similar teen demographics through media properties and digital extensions.
• CyberAgent: Major Japanese internet company operating ABEMA, AbemaTV news, and ad-tech businesses; HJ strategic investor since 2018. Provides TV-level distribution and digital platform reach relevant to HJ's media operations.
• LDH JAPAN: Large Japanese talent management and entertainment group (EXILE / GENERATIONS) with substantial female divisions and event production. Comparable in core model of managed talent-to-IP-to-event monetization, though at greater scale and broader demographic.
• Avex Group Holdings: Major Japanese music and entertainment conglomerate and HJ strategic investor since 2017. Provides music distribution scale and artist network that HJ accesses, but operates across a far broader portfolio of adult entertainment, music labels, and live businesses.

Others

• LY Corporation (LINE Yahoo): Operator of LINE, where HJ distributes character IP through paid stickers and content. Indirectly comparable as the distribution platform partner for HJ's IP monetization, though not a direct competitor in talent or event production.

Emerging players

• WACK Inc. Independent Japanese idol label focused on female/alternative subculture acts (BiSH, ATARASHII GAKKO!). Comparable as a Japanese youth/gal-adjacent music IP company with significant overlap in target demographic and TikTok-era virality strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usapoyo_gal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KOGYARU_official
• Instagraminstagram.com/usapoyo_gal
• Facebookfacebook.com/HJ.CORPORATE.PAGE

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 HJ