Hitotume
Hitotume is a Tokyo-based, bootstrapped Japanese new-graduate recruitment agency that sells contingency-based permanent placement, inter-agency agent support, and recruitment consulting to 5,000+ corporate clients, paired with the free Shutokari, Shutotech, and IPPOS student-facing brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Hitotume does
Hitotume (ヒトツメ株式会社) is a Tokyo-based, founder-controlled private recruitment agency founded on December 10, 2020 and licensed under Japan's Paid Employment Placement Business framework (permit 13-ユ-312930, issued March 2021). The company sells three enterprise-facing service lines — full-cycle permanent placement (人材紹介), inter-agency agent support (エージェント支援) for sharing job orders and candidate pools across recruiter firms, and recruitment consulting (採用コンサルティング) — operating on a contingency basis such that corporations pay only upon successful placement. On the demand side, the firm runs two student-facing sub-brands specialized by geography and vertical: シュトキャリ (Shutokari), a Greater Tokyo metropolitan area new-graduate employment agent rebuilt in May 2023 around deeper local employer matching, and シュトテック (Shutotech), launched in December 2023 for IT engineer candidates in the same region.
The underlying technical surface includes a web-based intake and advisory platform, the イッポス (IPPOS) anonymous Q&A community built atop 1,000+ pieces of public Q&A content within its first month and 3,000 within four months, and the 強みを活かす適職診断 (Strengths-Based Career Diagnostic) — a LINE-native career aptitude tool released in November 2024 and trained on what Hitotume describes as 100,000+ student records. Distribution combines direct sales to corporate HR, self-serve online registration for students, and a network of 30+ recruiting-tool partners spanning event platforms, job boards, direct-recruiting/navi sites, RPO providers, and ATS vendors. Marketing leans heavily on earned media across roughly 15 independent Japanese job-seeking media sites, on PR TIMES press releases, and on organic social via an IPPOS-branded X account.
The customer base spans new-graduate students (free services funded by corporate fees) and 5,000+ corporate clients across the Tokyo metropolitan area. Both co-founders — Representative Director Kiyama Kazuhide and Director Yanagi Tomokazu — previously worked together at the category-defining Japanese new-graduate placement pioneer, bringing their accumulated career networks and placement track records into Hitotume. The firm is bootstrapped with JPY 5,000,000 of stated capital, has not disclosed external funding or revenue, and currently operates exclusively within the Kanto region.
Hitotume firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hitotume
- Legal name
- ヒトツメ株式会社
- Website
- https://hitotume.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Hitotume is a Tokyo-based, bootstrapped Japanese new-graduate recruitment agency that sells contingency-based permanent placement, inter-agency agent support, and recruitment consulting to 5,000+ corporate clients, paired with the free Shutokari, Shutotech, and IPPOS student-facing brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Hitotume industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Recruitment Services / Permanent Placement
- NAICS
- Employment Placement Agencies (561311)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Campus / Early Careers RPO (BPACABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services (EDAAAKAO), Resume & Professional Branding (CV, LinkedIn, Portfolio) (EDAAAKAB)
Keywords
Where Hitotume is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Hitotume business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 人材紹介 (Staffing / Placement Fees): Placement fees charged to corporate clients on a success-only (contingency) basis. If placement is not achieved, no fees are charged. This is the primary revenue stream for the company, operating under licensed fee-based employment placement permit (許可番号 13-ユ-312930).
- エージェント支援 (Agent Support Services): Services provided to other recruitment agencies — sharing job orders and candidate pools. Agencies with limited resources can leverage Hitotume's network to fulfill client needs, improving their own service quality and placement rates.
- 採用コンサルティング (Recruitment Consulting): Consulting engagements analyzing hiring challenges and designing recruitment strategies, including target persona setting, recruitment channel selection, screening flow construction, and onboarding follow-up support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 人材紹介 — Contingency-based placement for corporations |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | 就活支援サービス — Free for job-seeking students |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Intern hiring — Hourly rate for intern positions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hitotume product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hitotume is a Tokyo-based recruitment agency providing contingent talent placement for new graduate and mid-career hiring, agent support for other recruitment firms, and recruitment consulting for corporate clients. The student-facing side is delivered through two dedicated sub-brands: Shutokari (Greater Tokyo Area-focused new graduate employment agent) and Shutotech (IT engineer × Tokyo metro specialized new graduate agent), supported by the free IPPOS Q&A platform and a proprietary Strengths-Based Career Diagnostic tool. All student services are free; corporate clients pay success-based placement fees and consulting fees under licensed paid employment placement business permit 13-ユ-312930.
Product overview
Hitotume operates a platform of HR and recruitment services organized into two divisions: enterprise-facing services (talent placement, agent support, and recruitment consulting) and job-seeker-facing services (under the シュトキャリ and シュトテック sub-brands, plus the イッポス Q&A ecosystem). The enterprise pillar offers permanent placement, recruiter back-office support, and consulting — all unified under one consultancy but positioned as distinct service lines. The job-seeker side centers on シュトキャリ (general new graduate agent) and シュトテック (IT engineer specialization), supported by イッポス as a free community and content platform that includes the 強みを活かす適職診断 diagnostic tool.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Shutokari (シュトキャリ) Greater Tokyo Area-focused new graduate employment agent service. Career advisors conduct thorough intake interviews, help students articulate their strengths and career goals, recommend suitable companies, and provide interview preparation and feedback throughout the selection process until job offer acquisition. Free for students.
- Shutotech (シュトテック) IT engineer × Greater Tokyo Area specialist new graduate employment agent service. Dedicated IT specialist advisors match candidates (including those with zero prior experience) with appropriate companies, provide industry-specific guidance on SI, SES, and product company distinctions, and offer interview coaching tailored to IT engineer hiring. Free for students.
- IPPOS (イッポス) Free job seeker Q&A platform where new graduates anonymously ask questions and receive answers from job offer holders (内定者), working professionals, and current job-seeking peers. Also offers aptitude diagnostic services, resume review by HR professionals, and access to real offer-holder essays.
- Talent Placement (人材紹介) Full-cycle permanent placement service for new graduate and mid-career hiring. Company-assigned consultants conduct needs analysis, source and screen candidates, and present matched candidates. Fully results-based pricing with no charge unless placement is completed. Licensed under paid employment placement business permit 13-ユ-312930.
- Agent Support (エージェント支援) Job order and candidate sharing service for other recruitment agencies facing resource constraints. Enables partner agencies to access each other's job orders and candidate pools, removing self-imposed limitations and improving placement outcomes for end clients.
- Recruitment Consulting (採用コンサルティング) Recruitment strategy consulting covering hiring target definition, recruitment channel strategy, selection process design, and post-offer follow-up. Combines the company's own services with a curated network of over 30 partner recruitment tools and service providers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Placement rate 5.3x higher than standard screening (Shuto-Kari, 2024 graduate cohort)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Hitotume
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hitotume technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Hitotume partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
39 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- 株式会社アクセス ネクステージminorEvent platform partner for corporate recruiting events and career fairs. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社アスリートプランニングminorEvent platform partner for recruiting events. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社キャリア・ナビゲーションminorCareer navigation and event platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社DEiBA CompanyminorEvent platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ナイモノminorRecruiting event platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社プレシャスパートナーズminorPremium partner recruiting event services. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社リアライブminorRecruiting event services partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- ルビーイン株式会社minorRecruiting event platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社アーシャルデザインminorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社イノースminorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- イノセル株式会社minorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社UZUZminorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- Mirise up株式会社minorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社リンキングminorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ローカルイノベーションminorIntroduction service partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社i-plugminorDirect recruiting and job board platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社アスパークminorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社グローアップminorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社太陽企画minorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社CheerminorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社テックオーシャンminorDirect recruiting platform partner specializing in tech talent. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社フリーシェアードジャパンminorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ベネッセi-キャリアminorDirect recruiting and job board platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- Matcher株式会社minorDirect recruiting platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ワンキャリアminorDirect recruiting and job board platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社アズライトminorRPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社新政不足 (应为株式会社新政不足, 原文如此)minorRPO partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 日本データビジョン株式会社minorRPO and data-driven recruiting solutions partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ポテンシャライトminorRPO partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社Re.makeminorRPO partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社アルバイトタイムスminorATS (Applicant Tracking System) partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- イシン株式会社minorATS partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- HRクラウド株式会社minorATS and HR cloud platform partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- ジョブプロジェクト株式会社minorATS partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- Thinkings株式会社minorATS partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社PPworkminorAdditional HR solutions partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社HajimariminorHR solutions partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社ラフールminorHR solutions partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
- 株式会社リーディングマークminorHR solutions and assessment partner. One of 30+ partner companies in Hitotume's recruiting ecosystem.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Hitotume competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EN Japan (エン・ジャパン): EN Japan operates エン就活 (En Shukatsu) and other new-graduate job-hunting platforms alongside its mid-career offerings, with broader scale and reach than Hitotume in the same Japanese recruitment market. It is a broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities.
- Leverages (レバレジーズ): Leverages is a large Japanese HR/media conglomerate operating multiple employment agencies (e.g., Leverages Career, Leverages Global) that overlap with Hitotume's placement and consulting services at greater scale and with broader reach. It is a broader incumbent operating across verticals beyond new graduates.
- Mynavi (マイナビ): Mynavi is one of Japan's largest new-graduate recruitment media and event operators, running national-scale job fairs, listings, and an employment agent division that directly overlaps with Hitotume's Shuto-Kari service for Tokyo-area students.
Others
- Recruit (リクルート): Recruit operates Rikunabi, the dominant Japanese new-graduate job board and recruitment platform, and Indeed-related properties. As the broader incumbent in the same space, Recruit's platforms compete for the same Tokyo student funnel and same corporate hiring budgets as Hitotume.
Direct peers
- UZUZ: UZUZ is a Japan new-graduate and career-change employment agent known for deep advisor involvement and IT/engineer specialization, closely paralleling Hitotume's Shuto-Kari and Shuto-Tech offerings. UZUZ is also listed as one of Hitotume's 30+ channel partners.
- Kimisica (No Company): Kimisica is a new-graduate recruitment platform focused on matching students with growth-stage and startup employers, often featuring high-touch advisory support similar to Hitotume's model. Both target Tokyo-area new graduates seeking non-traditional employers.
- OfferBox (i-plug): i-plug operates OfferBox, a new-graduate direct-recruiting platform where students post profiles and companies send offers; it competes with Hitotume for the same new-graduate placement flow and is also listed in Hitotume's partner ecosystem, reflecting the dual competitor/partner dynamic in this market.
- Benesse i-Career: Benesse i-Career is a major Japanese new-graduate employment agency backed by Benesse, offering advisor-led placement to Tokyo-area students in direct competition with Shuto-Kari. The firm is also one of Hitotume's listed channel partners.
- One Career: One Career operates one of Japan's largest new-graduate job-hunting platforms (onecareer.jp), offering company reviews, employee interviews, and selection-prep content aimed at the same Tokyo student audience as Hitotume's Shuto-Kari. Both compete for new-graduate attention in Tokyo and use content + community to convert students into applications.
- CareerTicket: CareerTicket is a Japan-focused new-graduate employment agent that runs 1-on-1 career advisory sessions and matches students to companies on a contingency basis, mirroring Hitotume's Shuto-Kari model. Both target Tokyo metropolitan students and differentiate on advisor quality and matching depth.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Hitotume compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Hitotume financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hitotume leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Hitotume funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hitotume M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Hitotume
What does Hitotume do?
Hitotume is a Tokyo-based recruitment agency providing contingent talent placement for new graduate and mid-career hiring, agent support for other recruitment firms, and recruitment consulting for corporate clients. The student-facing side is delivered through two dedicated sub-brands: Shutokari (Greater Tokyo Area-focused new graduate employment agent) and Shutotech (IT engineer × Tokyo metro specialized new graduate agent), supported by the free IPPOS Q&A platform and a proprietary Strengths-Based Career Diagnostic tool. All student services are free; corporate clients pay success-based placement fees and consulting fees under licensed paid employment placement business permit 13-ユ-312930.
Is Hitotume a public or private company?
Hitotume is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Hitotume founded?
Hitotume was founded in 2020.
Where is Hitotume based?
Hitotume is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Hitotume make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. 人材紹介 (Staffing / Placement Fees) is the primary driver. The others are エージェント支援 (Agent Support Services) and 採用コンサルティング (Recruitment Consulting).
Who are Hitotume's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EN Japan (エン・ジャパン), Leverages (レバレジーズ) and Mynavi (マイナビ). Recruit (リクルート) is listed as an others. Direct peers are UZUZ, Kimisica (No Company), OfferBox (i-plug), Benesse i-Career, One Career and CareerTicket.
Does Hitotume have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hitotume.
What industry is Hitotume in?
Hitotume's product category is Recruitment Services / Permanent Placement. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACABAJ, Campus / Early Careers RPO, with a secondary code of EDAAAKAO, Career Coaching, Mentoring & Placement Support Services. Its NAICS code is 561311 and its SIC code is 7361.