HIROSHIMA KOTSU

What HIROSHIMA KOTSU does

Hiroshima Kotsu (Hiroko Group / 広交グループ) is a privately-held, 7-company regional mobility conglomerate headquartered in Hiroshima, Japan, founded in 1950 as a route-bus operator. The group operates an integrated stack of transportation and vehicle services: (1) Hiroshima Kotsu runs suburban route buses in Asakita and Asaminami wards and a chartered-bus service; (2) Hiroko Kanko operates the 6-route highway express bus network (to Kobe, Okayama, Fukuoka, Imabari, Kochi, and Tokushima), chartered buses, and the Orange Bus Tours tour-operator brand; (3) Hiroko Taxi provides 24/7 taxi and hired-car services; (4) Hiroshima Nissan and Fukuyama Nissan sell Nissan new vehicles including e-POWER and e-4ORCE models; and (5) Shinsei Service Center provides inspection, maintenance, electrical work, painting, tire, and body-repair services for light vehicles through to large buses and trucks.

The group reported 17.4 billion JPY in sales for fiscal year ending March 2025 across 31 base locations and 904 group employees. Go-to-market is direct and offline-led: each business unit runs its own phone-based call center and physical service points, supplemented by web booking, a LINE Official Account, and a mobile app. Revenue is transaction-based (per-ride, per-tour, per-vehicle-sale) with no subscription, SaaS, or enterprise-contract layer. Distribution partnerships are central: Nissan is the core OEM/channel partner, and ANA is a marketing partner for dynamic travel packages. In 2024-2025 the group formalized a holding-company structure (Kabushiki Kaisha Hiroko Honsha) to consolidate the seven subsidiaries under Hiroko Honsha, with the explicit stated objective of removing inter-company barriers and maximizing group synergies. Leadership is held by the Mae family: Mae Yasuhiro serves as Hiroko Group Representative and Mae Benizome as President and Representative Director of Hiroko Honsha.

Name

HIROSHIMA KOTSU

Legal name

広交グループ (Hiroko Group)

Website

https://hiroko-group.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Hiroshima Kotsu (Hiroko Group / 広交グループ) is a privately-held, 7-company regional mobility conglomerate in Hiroshima, Japan, operating route and highway express buses, taxis, chartered and tour buses, Nissan dealerships, and vehicle maintenance services for residents, tourists, students, and auto buyers across the Chugoku region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Transportation Services

NAICS

Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113), Interurban and Rural Bus Transportation (48521), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Local & Suburban Transit & Interurban Hwy Passenger Trans (4100), Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Intermodal Public Transit Operators (Bus + Rail Integrated Agencies) (TLAFAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integrated Commuter Rail + Bus/Metro Network Operators (Multimodal Authorities) (THAIACAL), Multimodal Transit Hubs & Interchanges (THAIALAF)

Keywords

• Public bus transportation
• Charter bus services
• Taxi hire car
• Automobile dealership
• Vehicle maintenance services

Headquarters

HQ city

Hiroshima

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bus Services: Route buses connecting suburban areas (Asakita, Asaminami) with central Hiroshima, highway express buses to 6 routes (Kobe, Okayama, Fukuoka, Imabari, Kochi, Tokushima), and chartered bus services
2. Taxi and Transportation Services: Taxi and hired car services for daily transportation, airport transfers, and business use. Available 24/7 for taxi services.
3. Tourism and Travel Services: Organized tour packages (Orange Bus Tours), ski bus tours, and travel arrangement services including ANA domestic dynamic packages
4. Automobile Sales: Nissan dealership sales of new vehicles including the new Kicks e-POWER model, maintenance services, and parts sales
5. Vehicle Maintenance and Inspection: Vehicle inspection (shaken), maintenance, electrical repairs, painting, tire sales and repair, and body work for vehicles from light cars to large buses and trucks

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hiroshima Kotsu, operating as part of the Hiroko Group, provides integrated passenger transportation services across the Hiroshima and Chugoku region of Japan. Its offerings include route buses (Asakita, Asaminami districts), six highway express bus intercity routes, taxi and hired-car services (24/7), chartered buses with accessibility-equipped vehicles, organized tourism packages (Orange Bus Tours, ski tours), Nissan new vehicle sales at two dealerships, and certified vehicle inspection and maintenance (light cars to large buses and trucks). The group functions as a one-stop regional mobility provider serving daily commute, intercity travel, tourism, and automotive lifecycle needs.

Product overview

HIROSHIMA KOTSU (広交グループ / Hiroko Group) is a mobility conglomerate consisting of seven companies providing integrated transportation services. The group operates route buses and taxis under Hiroshima Kotsu, charter and tourism buses with six highway express routes under Koko Kanko, organized tour packages (Orange Bus Tours, ski tours), two Nissan car dealerships (Hiroshima and Fukuyama), and vehicle maintenance services through Shinsei Service Center. The group aims to evolve into a comprehensive 'mobility company' that provides seamless transportation solutions matching various travel scenarios.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• オレンジバスツアー (Orange Bus Tour): 募集型企画旅行として運行されるバスツアーサービス。夏蛍観賞，花火大会，三次の鵜飼などの季節イベントに加え、白川郷＆下呂温泉、高知仁淀川などの宿泊コースも提供。Self-operated package tour bus service featuring seasonal events such as firefly viewing, fireworks, and Ukai boat experiences, as well as overnight tours to destinations like Shirakawa-go and Gero Onsen.
• 高速乗合バス路線 (Express Highway Bus Routes)

Products and services

• Hiroshima Kotsu Route Bus Service (広島交通 路線バス)
• Highway Express Bus Service (高速乗合バス)

Named customers3 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nissan Motor (広島日产・福山日产)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNissan dealership operations in Hiroshima and Fukuyama cities, selling new Nissan vehicles including e-POWER and e-4ORCE models, providing maintenance services and parts
• ANA (全日本空輸)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership offering ANA domestic dynamic packages allowing customers to combine flights, accommodation and ground transportation

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Nissan Motor: OEM partner of Hiroshima Nissan and Fukuyama Nissan dealer subsidiaries. Strategically important counterparty whose product roadmap (e-POWER, e-4ORCE, autonomous driving) directly determines the dealer's growth trajectory.
• ANA Holdings: Existing commercial partner of Hiroko Group via ANA domestic dynamic-package tie-up. Relevant as the air-travel partner that complements Hiroko's tourism bus offerings and could become a deeper MaaS integration counterparty.

Direct peers

• Willer Express: Japan's largest private-sector highway express bus operator running intercity routes nationwide. Directly comparable to Hiroko Group's six-route highway express bus service (Fukuoka, Okayama, Kobe, Imabari, Kochi, Tokushima) in product, customer, and pricing model.
• Sotetsu Holdings: Yokohama-area private transit holding company operating buses, rail, taxis, and hotels. Comparable regional multi-modal transit group with similar private-company governance and group-structure evolution.
• Tokyu Corporation: Tokyo-area private transit and real estate conglomerate operating buses, rail, retail, and tourism services. Comparable business model: integrated bus operations under a larger mobility group serving a defined metropolitan/regional Japanese geography.
• Kintetsu Railway Holdings: Kansai-based transit holding company operating buses, rail, taxis, tourism, and hotels. Closely comparable to Hiroko Group's multi-modal structure (route bus + highway bus + charter/tourism + taxi) and recent transition to a holding-company model.
• Meitetsu Group: Nagoya Railroad Group is a private Japanese regional mobility conglomerate operating buses, taxis, real estate, and leisure services in the Chubu region. Most structurally comparable to Hiroko Group as a multi-modal private transit group with bus, taxi, and tourism subsidiaries under a single corporate umbrella.
• Keio Corporation: Tokyo-based private transit conglomerate operating rail, buses, taxis, and retail. Comparable to Hiroko Group in operating a multi-modal urban-suburban transit network with bus and taxi subsidiaries and integrated service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• JR West (West Japan Railway): Major Japanese rail operator running rail, bus, and ferry services across western Japan including Hiroshima. Direct competitor to Hiroko Group's route-bus and highway-bus services in the Chugoku region, with much broader national scale and resources.

Regional players

• Nishi-Nippon Railroad: Fukuoka-based private transit conglomerate operating buses, rail, real estate, and tourism in Kyushu. Operates in a different geography but mirrors Hiroko Group's multi-modal private transit structure and chartered/tourism bus offerings.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJ4E-32RXjw9ngdEoDIOQSg/videos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 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 HIROSHIMA KOTSU