What VIS-À-VIS does

VIS-À-VIS (株式会社ビザビ) is a 90-year-old privately held regional media and communication-design group headquartered in Okayama City, Japan, with 128 employees as of April 2024 and offices across Okayama, Kagawa, Hiroshima, Shimane, and Tokyo. The firm operates four integrated business domains — Communication Design, Local Media & Content, Human Resources, and Business Development — serving local governments, regional enterprises, and consumers in the Chugoku-Shikoku region. Its core assets include long-running regional publications (Town Information Okayama since 1977, Osera, Okayama Ramen/Pan guidebook series), owned OOH digital signage at Okayama Station (27 large-format 4K displays reaching 30,000+ daily pedestrians), the SETONITE glamping resort in Tamano, the Hare Machi Tokushuu 365 select shop, and recruitment services platforms (VISit Career, Start! Okayama, バイトIntern).

The underlying technology stack is built on conventional publishing, digital media, and digital advertising infrastructure rather than proprietary AI/ML systems. Distinctive technology components include the Vinsight Okayama-specific consumer research platform (operated via the affiliated Okayama Information Culture Research Institute), the momoco local-influencer marketing service, and the Platinumaps digital tourism map platform. The company earns revenue across multiple streams: advertising and project-based communication design fees, magazine and book sales, recruitment placement and staffing fees, retail merchandise, event execution and sponsorship, SETONITE accommodation (approximately ¥15,500 per person per night at quad occupancy), and OOH digital signage rentals. Strategic positioning leans on a 90-year brand, JLAA chairmanship, and dense relationships with Okayama-area municipalities and enterprises, with recent moves into tourism (Tamano United DMC, 2024) and SME succession advisory (Cregio Partners partnership, 2026) signaling continued vertical and service-line expansion beyond the legacy advertising business.

Name

VIS-À-VIS

Legal name

株式会社ビザビ

Website

https://vis-a-vis.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VIS-À-VIS is a 90-year-old Okayama-based regional media and communication-design group serving Chugoku-Shikoku governments, enterprises, and consumers across advertising, publishing, recruitment, retail, and tourism/hospitality. It operates flagship magazine, OOH digital signage, and glamping assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Media and Communication Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Incentive, VIP & Hospitality Programs (HSACADAN)

Keywords

• Regional advertising services
• Local media publishing
• Communication design consulting
• Recruitment branding
• Digital signage advertising

Headquarters

HQ city

Okayama

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Communication Design / Advertising Services: Provides comprehensive advertising, PR, branding, digital marketing, and communication strategy services to corporate and government clients. Revenue is earned through project fees, retainer contracts, and production fees for campaigns, videos, and promotional materials.
2. Publishing and Media Operations: Operates regional information magazines (Town Information Okayama, Osera), web media, and published books (Okayama Ramen series, Okayama Pan books). Revenue generated from magazine sales, advertising placements within publications, and book sales.
3. Human Resources / Recruitment Services: Provides new graduate and mid-career recruitment support services, including job placement (有料職業紹介), temporary staffing (労働者派遣), and recruitment branding solutions. Revenue earned through placement fees and service contracts.
4. Retail / E-commerce: Operates the select shop 'Hare Machi Tokushuu 365' and manages e-commerce channels for regional products. Sells branded merchandise including OKAYAMA ACCENT T-SHIRT (クセT) and Okayama-themed goods.
5. Event and Sports Marketing: Organizes large-scale events (おかやま珈琲時間, ウォーターバサゲー) and manages sports team/event marketing including Okayama Fagiano and BMX athlete sponsorships. Revenue from event execution fees, sponsorship deals, and ticket/partnership revenues.
6. Accommodation / Glamping Operations: Operates SETONITE private glamping resort in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture. Revenue from room bookings at approximately ¥15,500 per person per night (quad occupancy), food and activity packages.
7. Digital Signage / OOH Advertising: Manages digital out-of-home advertising at Okayama Station South Underground passage (27 x 86-inch 4K displays, LED panels). Revenue from advertising space rental to local and national advertisers, subject to Okayama City review.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VIS-À-VIS is a regional communication group that provides integrated services across four domains: Communication Design (advertising, PR, branding, digital marketing, video production for corporate and government clients), Local Media and Content (publishing of regional magazines such as Town Information Okayama and Osera, web media, guidebooks, and OOH digital signage at Okayama Station), Human Resources (recruitment branding, new graduate and mid-career placement, internship platforms, staffing), and Business Development (tourism/DMC operations including SETONITE glamping resort, event production, and regional revitalization).

Product overview

VIS-À-VIS (株式会社ビザビ) is a comprehensive regional media and marketing company based in Okayama, operating a multi-platform portfolio of products and services. The core offerings include regional print and web media (月刊タウン情報おかやま, Webタウン情報おかやま, オセラ), recruitment services (VISit Career, バイト интерн, Start！岡山, 鼓動採用), digital advertising (V-AD, momoco influencer marketing, 岡山駅南地下道ビジョン digital signage), and event/festival services (おかやま珈琲時間, ウォーターサバゲー). Additional services span research (Vinsight), hospitality (SETONITE glamping resort), tourism media (Next Trip - WEST JAPAN -), educational content (小学生のためのお仕事ノート), and merchandise (クセT T-shirts, おかやま新発見！GACHA capsule toys, regional publications like 岡山ラーメン本 and 岡山パン本). The company serves consumers, local governments, and businesses across Okayama Prefecture and the broader Chugoku-Shikoku region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SETONITE: Glamping resort facility operated by the company in Tamano, Okayama Prefecture, opened in November 2022.
• VISit Career
• ハレマチ特区365
• 鼓動採用
• momoco

Products and services

• Town Information Okayama (月刊タウン情報おかやま) Monthly local magazine targeting 20-40 year old men and women, featuring entertainment, gourmet, and outing information for Okayama Prefecture.
• Web Town Information Okayama (Webタウン情報おかやま) Web media platform curated by Okayama editors, distributing gourmet, events, new openings and local news across major social platforms.
• Osera (オセラ) Regional lifestyle magazine targeting active adults aged 40-50, delivering quality information on travel, gourmet, and shopping in Okayama.
• Okayama Ramen Book (岡山ラーメン本) Annual gourmet book series featuring ramen shops across Okayama Prefecture. Latest edition (2026) is A4 format, all-color, 88 pages, approximately 160 stores featured, priced at ¥1,430 (tax included).
• Okayama Pan Book (岡山パン本) Guidebook featuring bakery information across Okayama Prefecture. Latest edition (Volume 3) is A5 format, all-color, 80 pages, priced at ¥990 (tax included).
• Hare Machi Tokushu 365 (ハレマチ特区365) Select shop concept 'Place to encounter Okayama and Setouchi' operated by local information magazines, offering Bizen pottery, baked goods, seasonings, and regional specialty items at AEON MALL Okayama (2F) and JR Okayama Station souvenir shops.
• VISit Career Career change support service for those wanting to work in Okayama and Kagawa, matching skilled talent with local companies including UIJ-turn candidates from Tokyo.
• Baitto Intern (バイトインターン) Long-term paid internship platform for Okayama students to learn about company culture and values, featuring job matching support.
• Start! Okayama (Start！岡山) Employment media for high school students showcasing the appeal of local companies in Okayama Prefecture to attract promising young local talent.
• Kodou Saiyou (鼓動採用) Recruitment Branding Service Recruitment branding service that verbalizes corporate philosophy, values, and employee aspirations to facilitate empathy-based hiring communications for regional companies.
• momoco Area-specific influencer marketing service featuring Okayama-based influencers who deliver higher engagement rates for local areas than national-level influencers.
• V-AD Web advertising service utilizing interest data, online/offline behavior, and purchase data for precision targeting of optimal audiences.
• Vinsight Okayama-specific online research system operated by Okayama Information Culture Research Institute, capturing real local consumer voices through Okayama prefecture consumer panels.
• Okayama Station South Underground Vision Digital signage in Okayama Station south underground passage connecting major shopping areas, featuring 27 x 86-inch 4K displays and LED panels reaching 30,000+ daily pedestrians (weekday average 27,306; holiday average 35,467).
• SETONITE Local creation-type glamping resort facility in Tamano City, Okayama Prefecture, featuring 8 villa-type tents with ocean views, infinity pool, barrel sauna, and BBQ. Booking priced from ¥15,500 per person (4-person occupancy, open campaign price).
• Next Trip - WEST JAPAN - Inbound media focused on the Setouchi area and western Japan, proposing next destinations for international visitors, available in English, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese.
• Oshigoto Note (小学生のためのお仕事ノート) Career education textbook introducing local companies to elementary school students, distributed free to public schools in Okayama areas (10,000+ copies annually to all elementary schools in Okayama City and multiple other municipalities in the prefecture).
• OKAYAMA ACCENT T-SHIRT (クセT) T-shirt product featuring Okayama dialect expressions, collaborating with local illustrators and the Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation. Latest collection priced at ¥3,850 (tax included) per T-shirt in S/M/L sizes, 100% cotton. Accessories include acrylic keychains (¥980), stickers (¥290), and cotton flat pouches (¥1,200).
• Okayama Shinhakken! GACHA (おかやま新発見！GACHA) Regional capsule toy featuring Okayama-themed acrylic keyholders representing local beloved items and characters.
• Platinumaps Tourism DX digital map platform provided by Boldlight Inc., supporting digital coupons and stamp rallies with flexible customization for regional tourism promotion campaigns.

Quantifiable outcome

• おかやま珈琲時間 event attracted approximately 12,000 visitors over 2 days, generating significant media coverage and regional economic impact for Okayama Castle area businesses
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• クレジオ・パートナーズ株式会社 (Cregio Partners Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 March 2026Business partnership combining Cregio Partners' expertise in business succession, M&A, and capital policy with VIS-À-VIS's advertising, publishing, and HR knowledge to provide one-stop regional enterprise growth support, particularly for SMEs facing management challenges in the Okayama and Chugoku-Shikoku region.
• 公益社団法人 岡山県観光連盟 (Okayama Prefecture Tourism Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2023Comprehensive partnership including regional tourism promotion, civic pride initiatives for youth, DX-powered tourism attraction, strategic international and domestic marketing, and Okayama image enhancement. Includes joint projects such as OKAYAMA ACCENT T-SHIRT (クセT), regional events, and inbound tourism promotion.
• 中村輪夢 (Rim Nakamura) - Professional BMX Freestyle AthleteflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 September 2023Elite athlete sponsorship for BMX Freestyle Park athlete and World Champion. VIS-À-VIS supports Nakamura's competitive activities while leveraging his profile for regional brand promotion. The athlete was ranked 2nd in UCI world rankings (as of May 2025) and has won multiple World Cup, X Games, and national championship titles.
• 大池水杜 (Minato Oike) - Professional BMX Freestyle AthleteminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Affiliation and management contract with promising BMX Freestyle athlete based in Okayama. Athlete also serves as Okayama South Police Station bicycle helmet promotion PR ambassador.
• 株式会社ファジアーノ岡山スポーツクラブ (Fagiano Okayama Sports Club)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting J-League football club through event production, stadium promotions, video production, and Fagi Foods gourmet program. Contributed to club's J1 promotion in 2024 and average attendance growth.
• 全日本フリースタイルBMX連盟 (Japan Freestyle BMX Federation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Japan's governing body for freestyle BMX, supporting the sport's development in Japan through athlete promotion and event collaboration.
• 大原美術館 (Ohara Museum of Art)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partnership supporting Okayama's premier art museum through promotional collaboration and community engagement initiatives.
• 合同会社七十七 (Nanajushichi) / 備後で輝く女性ネットワークminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with regional women's business network in Bingo region, supporting female entrepreneurship and regional economic development initiatives.
• Town Information National Network ( town information magazine network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of regional town information publishers. VIS-À-VIS is a member and the president serves as a board director. Enables content exchange, collaborative promotion, and shared industry representation.
• JLAA - 一般社团法人日本地域广告公司协会 (Japan Regional Advertising Companies Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association membership. VIS-À-VIS's president serves as JLAA chairman. Enables industry advocacy, best practice sharing, and collaborative regional revitalization projects across 44 prefectures.
• 公益社団法人 岡山市観光特使 (Okayama City Tourism Ambassador)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVIS-À-VIS president Daisuke Yoshida serves as Okayama City tourism ambassador, supporting inbound and domestic tourism promotion.
• 協同組合 岡山情報文化研究所 (Okayama Information Culture Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative research organization operated alongside VIS-À-VIS. Operates Vinsight regional consumer research platform. Specializes in Okayama-specific consumer insights and social research supporting regional marketing.
• 、特定非营利活动法人 元气创生项目 あしたり冈山 (NPO Genki Sosei Project Ashitari Okayama)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPO focused on regional vitality and community development. VIS-À-VIS collaborates on CSR and community engagement activities including neighborhood beautification and urban flower planting projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ADK Marketing Solutions (株式会社ADKマーケティング・ソリューションズ): Mid-sized Japanese advertising agency offering creative, media, and digital services. Comparable to VIS-À-VIS in offering breadth and integrated campaign execution but serves primarily national clients.
• Recruit Holdings (株式会社リクルート): Japan's dominant HR services, advertising, and matching platform company. Overlaps directly with VIS-À-VIS's Human Resources domain (VISit Career, Start! Okayama, recruitment branding) and offers broader national scale in recruitment advertising.
• Hakuhodo Inc. (株式会社博報堂): Second-largest Japanese advertising agency with integrated communication design, branding, and digital services. Overlaps with VIS-À-VIS in advertising/PR/branding but focuses on national and global accounts rather than regional specialization.
• Dentsu Inc. (株式会社電通): Japan's largest advertising agency group with full-service communication design, media buying, and digital capabilities. Competes with VIS-À-VIS for major regional and national client budgets but operates at much larger scale with global reach.

Direct peers

• Tokyu Agency Inc. (株式会社東急エージェンシー): Integrated advertising agency with strong regional and community-marketing capabilities tied to the Tokyu Group. Comparable to VIS-À-VIS in combining media, events, and regional promotion services.
• JR East Marketing & Communications (株式会社JR東日本企画): Integrated advertising and media subsidiary of JR East combining transit media, station-based OOH, content, and regional promotion. Highly comparable to VIS-À-VIS in leveraging transit-station real estate (e.g., Okayama Station South Underground signage) for advertising and content services.
• Nakahiro Co., Ltd. (株式会社中広): Japan's leading regional information magazine publisher and advertising agency, operating Town Information magazines across multiple prefectures under a model very similar to VIS-À-VIS. Closest comparable in business mix, customer base, and scale within the regional advertising industry.

Emerging players

• Hoshino Resorts (星野リゾート): Japan's leading premium hospitality operator with growing glamping and experience-based resort portfolio. Comparable to VIS-À-VIS's SETONITE glamping resort and tourism DMC business in offering premium Setouchi/Japan travel experiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/visavis_jp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 VIS-À-VIS