What Yamate Group does

Yamate Group (山手グループ) is a privately held Japanese taxi operating group headquartered in Tokyo, comprising three core subsidiaries: Yamate Kotsu Co., Ltd. (山手交通株式会社, Tokyo Itabashi/Kita wards), Shinshin Taxi Co., Ltd. (新進タクシー株式会社, Tokyo), and Happy Taxi Co., Ltd. (ハッピータクシー株式会社, Saitama Kawaguchi/Warabi/Toda). The group's origins trace to OK Taxi, established in 1928; Yamate Kotsu was founded in 1949, and Shinshin Taxi and Happy Taxi were brought into the group in 1960 and 1954 respectively. The three companies entered a business partnership and joined the km Group (Kokusai Motor Group / 国際自動車グループ) in June 2010, becoming part of one of Tokyo's four major taxi conglomerates that operates 3,300 taxis, 600 hired cars, and 100 tourist buses across 5,651 employees. Yamate Group itself employs approximately 630 people across its three subsidiaries.

The group offers a layered portfolio of taxi services built on a digital wireless dispatch platform operational since 2007, the km Group's S.RIDE ride-hailing app (launched November 2021 in Tokyo, extended to Saitama the same month), and integrated cashless payment infrastructure accepting 10+ electronic money systems including Suica, PASMO, QUICPay, and iD, plus credit cards. Standard services include metered taxi fares and fixed-rate airport/Tokyo Disney Resort transfers (zone-based pricing, late-night surcharges). Specialized add-on services include a Maternity My Taxi (with Fire Department first-aid-certified drivers, waterproof seat covers, 24/7 dispatch), Labor Pain Taxi (pre-registered hospital routing), Wagon Taxi for groups/luggage, Sightseeing Taxi with Tokyo City Guide-certified drivers, and Bilingual Taxi with English/Chinese-speaking drivers for international VIPs.

Yamate Group generates revenue through transactional per-ride fees (metered and fixed-rate), with distribution via phone-based call-center dispatch, the S.RIDE digital app, online reservation forms, and dedicated taxi stands at major Tokyo hotels and hospitals. Its customer base spans individual consumers (airport travelers, sightseers, expectant mothers), SMBs, and enterprise accounts (international VIPs, hotel/hospital partners). The group differentiates through a hospitality-first "人の和" (harmony) philosophy, brand heritage of 95+ years, exclusive hotel/hospital stand access, and km Group's corporate/VIP pipeline. No revenue figures, funding rounds, or venture capital backing are disclosed in available source material.

Name

Yamate Group

Legal name

山手交通株式会社

Website

https://yamatekotsu.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Yamate Group is a Tokyo-based taxi operating group comprising three subsidiaries (Yamate Kotsu, Shinshin Taxi, Happy Taxi) and a member of the km Group, one of Tokyo's four major taxi conglomerates. It serves individual riders, corporate clients, and international VIPs across Tokyo and Saitama with standard, fixed-fare, maternity, bilingual, and sightseeing taxi services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Taxi and Ground Transportation Services

NAICS

Taxi and Ridesharing Services (485310)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Taxi-Hail Aggregators & Dispatch Platforms (E-Hail for Licensed Taxis) (TLAFAIAD)

Keywords

• Passenger taxi services
• Airport transfer services
• Maternity taxi service
• Bilingual taxi services
• Sightseeing taxi tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metered Taxi Fares: Standard time-and-distance metered taxi fares in Tokyo and Saitama service areas. Includes late-night/early-morning surcharges.
2. Fixed-Rate Airport Fares: Pre-negotiated flat fares for routes between customer locations and Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and Tokyo Disney Resort. Varies by zone and time of day (standard vs. late-night surcharge rates).
3. Wagon/Group Transport: Large-capacity wagon taxi service for groups with heavy luggage, business trips, and domestic/international travel.
4. Maternity Taxi Services: Maternity taxi service with pickup fee (¥410) plus standard metered fare. Includes post-delivery payment option.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Yamate Group operates passenger taxi and specialized transportation services in Tokyo and Saitama through three subsidiaries (Yamate Kotsu, Shinshin Taxi, and Happy Taxi) under the km Group umbrella. Core offerings include metered taxi rides, fixed-fare airport (Narita/Haneda) and Tokyo Disney Resort transfers, maternity and labor-pain taxi services, wagon taxis for groups with luggage, sightseeing taxis with Tokyo City Guide-certified drivers, and bilingual (English/Chinese) taxi services for VIP and international travelers.

Product overview

Yamate Group operates as a hospitality-focused taxi conglomerate under km Group, consisting of three distinct company brands: Yamate Kotsu (Tokyo, Itabashi/Kita wards) and Shinshin Taxi (Tokyo) serving the metropolitan area with standard taxi services, fixed-fare airport transfers, and specialized offerings like maternity taxis and bilingual driver services; while Happy Taxi (Saitama, Kawaguchi area) serves the greater Tokyo metropolitan periphery. The group offers a portfolio of specialized taxi services including maternity/labor pain transport (for pregnant women), fixed-fare taxi services to airports and Tokyo Disney Resort, wagon taxis for large groups/luggage, sightseeing taxis with certified tour guide drivers, and bilingual taxi services with English/Chinese-speaking drivers. Service coordination is supported through the km Taxi App for dispatch and service registration, while payment infrastructure accepts major credit cards and 10 electronic money systems including Suica, PASMO, QUICPay, and iD.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yamate Kotsu Taxi (山手交通) Core passenger taxi service brand of Yamate Group operating in Tokyo (Itabashi and Kita wards) via the Head Office and Akabane Branch. Provides standard metered taxi rides, maternity taxis, fixed-fare airport (Narita/Haneda) and Tokyo Disney Resort transfers, wagon taxis, sightseeing taxis, and bilingual driver services.
• Shinshin Taxi (新進タクシー) Passenger taxi service company operating in Tokyo (Itabashi ward) since 1960 under km Group affiliation. Operates a fleet of 62 vehicles equipped with AT, ETC, automatic daily reporters, car navigation, internal/external security cameras, and card/electronic money payment systems. Awarded as an excellent business operator by transportation authorities.
• Happy Taxi (ハッピータクシー) Passenger taxi service operating in Saitama prefecture (Kawaguchi, Warabi, Toda areas) since 1954. Part of km Group, offering fixed-fare services to Narita/Haneda airports and Tokyo Disney Resort, labor-pain taxi service, and S.RIDE app-based dispatch.
• Maternity My Taxi (マタニティ・マイタクシー) Specialized taxi service for expectant mothers, transporting them to their designated hospitals with pre-registered routes. Drivers complete Fire Department-issued Ordinary Life-Saving First Aid Certification, and vehicles are equipped with antibacterial/deodorizing systems and waterproof seat covers. Available 24/7 with a ¥410 pickup fee plus standard taxi fares (¥310 in Yokohama Minami ward).
• Labor Pain Taxi (陣痛タクシー) Pre-registered expectant mother taxi service operated by Happy Taxi in the Saitama area (Kawaguchi, Warabi, Toda). Registered mothers can call for immediate transport to their registered hospital. Drivers receive special training and the service operates at standard taxi rates with registration via the km Taxi App.
• Fixed-Fare Airport and Disney Taxi (定額タクシー) Prepaid fixed-rate taxi service for travel to Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, and Tokyo Disney Resort from Tokyo 23 wards and Saitama areas. Zone-based pricing with standard and late-night/early-morning surcharge rates; advance reservation required (2 hours to 1 month prior).
• Wagon Taxi (ワゴンタクシー) Larger capacity taxi service for groups with significant luggage, suitable for domestic and international travel. Reservations available with English and Chinese language support.
• Sightseeing Taxi (観光タクシー) Tourism-focused taxi service staffed with km Group-certified sightseeing drivers who have passed the Tokyo City Guide Examination (selected from 5,000+ km Group drivers). Drivers provide route planning assistance, photo opportunities, boarding/disembarking guidance, and recommendations for shopping and dining spots.
• Bilingual Taxi (バイリンガルタクシー) Taxi service with English and Chinese-speaking drivers for transporting important business guests and international travelers. Reservation system accepts English and Chinese inquiries, with multilingual drivers available for airport and business transfers.

Quantifiable outcome

• km Group: 5,651 employees, 3,300 taxis, 600 hired cars, 100 tourist buses — industry-top scale in Japanese taxi market (market size ~¥2.1 trillion)

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Km Group (kmグループ / 国際自動車グループ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2010In June 2010, Yamate Kotsu, Shinshin Taxi, and Happy Taxi entered a business partnership and joined the Km Group (International Motor Group), one of Tokyo's four major taxi companies. This partnership provides access to km Group's digital dispatch systems, the km taxi app, S.RIDE platform, multilingual support infrastructure, corporate VIP networks, and the group's brand credibility as a top-tier Tokyo operator. The partnership also provides group-wide benefits including shared technology, operational best practices, and access to a larger driver workforce of over 5,000.
• Fire Department (消防庁) — SupportCab ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYamate Group participates in the Fire Department's SupportCab program for maternal emergency transport. All maternal taxi drivers receive Ordinary Life-Saving First Aid Certification (普通救命講習) issued by the Fire Department. This certification is a core differentiator of the Maternity Taxi (マタニティ・マイタクシー) service.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nihon Kotsu: Japan's largest Tokyo taxi operator with a similar full-service portfolio covering standard metered fares, fixed-fare airport transfers, corporate accounts, and app-based dispatch. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping Tokyo service area, multi-decade brand heritage, and diversified service mix.
• Hinomaru Motor: Major Tokyo-based taxi company with comparable corporate accounts, premium service positioning, and Tokyo 23-ward coverage. Direct competitor within the same km Group / Tokyo major-operator competitive set, targeting overlapping customer segments.
• Green Cab: Established Tokyo taxi operator with similar standard and premium service tiers, including corporate and individual rider accounts. Comparable in scale and customer base to Yamate Group within the saturated Tokyo market.
• Daiwa Motor Transportation: Long-established Tokyo taxi operator offering corporate and individual services with similar B2B and B2C mix. Comparable in operational scale and service portfolio to Yamate Group within the Tokyo metropolitan market.
• Checker Cab Group: Tokyo taxi operator with notable airport transfer focus and corporate account relationships. Comparable to Yamate Group as a Tokyo-focused operator with similar service diversification across standard, airport, and enterprise segments.
• Toyoko Taxi Group: Tokyo-based taxi group operating multiple subsidiary brands with comparable multi-subsidiary structure. Directly comparable as a Tokyo taxi group serving overlapping customer segments with similar service portfolio breadth.
• Teito Motor Transportation: Established Tokyo taxi operator with corporate and individual service tiers similar to Yamate Group. Comparable in operational scale, Tokyo market focus, and diversified service mix spanning standard, premium, and contract segments.

Regional players

• MK Taxi: Major Japanese taxi company with Kyoto heritage and growing Tokyo presence, known for premium service positioning and uniform fleet standards. Comparable as a Japanese taxi operator with similar premium positioning, though primarily serving the Kansai region.

Broad incumbents

• GO Inc. Japan's largest taxi-hailing app (formed from JapanTaxi and Taxi Go merger), connecting riders and taxis nationwide. A broad incumbent shaping the digital dispatch landscape; affects all traditional taxi operators including Yamate through both partnership and competitive pressure.
• Uber Japan: Global ride-hailing platform with significant Japan presence and growing taxi-partnership model. Broad incumbent competing for the same Tokyo customer base and pressuring traditional taxi operators on convenience, pricing flexibility, and digital UX.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat1 record

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/happytaxi.saitama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Yamate Group