Smiles

What Smiles does

Smiles Co., Ltd. (株式会社スマイルズ) is a Tokyo-based creative consultancy founded on February 9, 2000, that combines branding consulting, business production, and operator-led retail under one roof. The firm originated as the in-house creative team for Soup Stock Tokyo and giraffe neckwear, and has since expanded into a multi-brand platform-plus-services company serving brands, corporations, and government agencies across Japan. Core offerings span (1) Consulting & Producing for branding and creative projects, (2) Organizational Development & HR Programs through the standalone Smiles HR unit, (3) Business Development & Producing via PASS THE BATON, (4) Consumer sub-brands including giraffe ties and HATENA BURGER (operated at the Nintendo Museum), and (5) Regional Challenges Support.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services fees plus retail product sales from owned brands; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm sells primarily via direct inbound inquiry through its website, supplemented by content marketing (a large library of essays and case studies), a podcast, an email newsletter, Instagram, and Zoom-based company briefings.

Following a 2023 leadership transition (founder Masamichi Toyama to Wataru Nozaki as President & CEO) and an April 1, 2024 holding-company restructuring, Smiles now operates as a new entity with 10 million yen of capital and roughly 60 employees. Customer logos span Pigeon, Kyocera, Panasonic, Lotte, Asahi Shuzo, Mitsui Fudosan, the City of Yokohama, the Tokachi regional promotion executive committee, and Hokkaido Spaceport — illustrating breadth across consumer goods, electronics, food & beverage, real estate, traditional crafts, and government.

Name

Smiles

Legal name

Smiles Co., Ltd.

Website

https://smiles.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Smiles is a Tokyo-based creative consultancy and multi-brand operator founded in 2000, serving Japanese enterprises and government clients with branding consulting, organizational development, and owned retail brands including Soup Stock Tokyo, giraffe neckwear, and HATENA BURGER at the Nintendo Museum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Branding and Business Consulting Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430), Specialty Food Retailers (4452)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Brand Identity Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dessert-Forward Fast Casual (e.g., crepes, churros, waffles) (THAFABAN), Chocolate & Confectionery Shops (THAFAGAD)

Keywords

• Creative consulting services
• Branding and design
• Retail brand management
• Organizational development
• Business production

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting and Production Services: Smiles provides branding consulting, business production and development support, planning and management of training programs and workshops, retail store management, and planning/manufacturing/sales of food, textiles, and daily goods. Revenue is generated through project-based consulting fees, production fees, and retail product sales.
2. Retail Store Management: Smiles operates its own retail brands including Soup Stock Tokyo, 100本のスプーン, giraffe (neckwear), and others. Revenue is generated through direct retail sales at physical store locations and e-commerce channels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smiles is a creative company that provides branding, consulting, planning, and production services for brands, corporations, and government agencies, leveraging its in-house creative expertise and operator perspective. In parallel, it operates owned consumer brands including giraffe neckwear, Soup Stock Tokyo restaurants, 100 Spoons family restaurants, HATENA BURGER at the Nintendo Museum, and Bunkitsu paid bookstore. It also offers N=1-based HR and organizational development services through its Smiles HR subsidiary and region-revitalization work via PASS THE BATON.

Product overview

Smiles is a creative company that evolved from an in-house creative team for Soup Stock Tokyo and giraffe into a full-service creative consultancy. The company operates a platform-plus-services model comprising: (1) Consulting & Producing for branding and creative projects; (2) Organizational Development & HR Programs through Smiles HR offering seminars, workshops, and evaluation systems; (3) Business Development & Producing via PASS THE BATON; (4) Retail brands including giraffe ties; and (5) Food service including HATENA BURGER at Nintendo Museum. The company serves brands, corporations, and government agencies with a unique approach that transforms playful ideas into viable businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• giraffe: Necktie brand, 'Aiming to become the cutest tie brand in the world'
• PASS THE BATON
• HATENA BURGER
• Smiles HR
• Smiles.come

Products and services

• Consulting & Producing Full-service creative consulting and production for branding, planning, and execution, covering consumer brands, government/municipal clients, real estate developers, food brands, traditional crafts, fashion brands, and educational institutions across Japan. Transforms playful creative ideas into viable, executed businesses and experiences.
• Smiles HR (Organizational Development & HR Programs) N=1-based HR services for corporate HR departments and management teams, including organizational development, training programs, seminars and workshops, evaluation system design, recruitment events, and unique cultural development programs. Built on proprietary methodologies including N=1 premonition analysis workshops and 100+ item evaluation metrics.
• PASS THE BATON (Business Development & Producing) Business development and producing service focused on re-lighting warehouses and culture, including the PASS THE BATON platform and Yokoku regional challenges support unit. Addresses the principle that the era of doing something with just one company is over.
• giraffe (Necktie Brand) Owned tie brand 'aiming to become the world's cutest tie brand,' with original manufacturing and custom order services sold at boutiques and via e-commerce. Includes giraffe WORK TO SHOP Sendagaya as a flagship retail location.
• HATENA BURGER (Nintendo Museum Cafe) Food-service operation running the HATENA BURGER cafe concept within the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto, serving as a flagship example of Smiles' operator-creative capabilities inside a major cultural institution.

Quantifiable outcome

• Soup Stock Tokyo served 120 million+ bowls of soup historically
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JR East Retail Net (JR東日本リテールネット)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2021Capital partnership to expand the '刷毛じょうゆ 海苔弁山登り' noriben (seaweed rice ball) specialty restaurant business. JR East Retail Net invested to support the brand's growth at railway stations and surrounding areas.
• Kyoto University / Professor Koji Kawakami (京都大学・川上浩司特定教授)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2021Smiles' research institute 'Smiles Life Value Expansion Research Institute' collaborates with Professor Kawakami of Kyoto University on 'Undiscovered Benefit' (不便益 / fuben-eki) research, exploring value that emerges from inconvenient situations. This academic partnership drives the company's philosophical foundation.
• The University of Tokyo / Professor Toshihiro Hiraoka (東京大学・平岡敏洋特任教授)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2021Part of the joint research community on 'Undiscovered Benefit' alongside Kyoto University and Dentsu Inc., exploring the intersection of design, technology, and human-centered value creation.
• Dentsu Inc. (株式会社電通)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2021Co-founder of the 'Undiscovered Benefit' joint research community with Kyoto University, Tokyo University, and Smiles, focused on value research spanning design, technology, and behavioral science.
• DENSO Corporation (株式会社デンシー)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2015Smiles and DENSO collaborated on an art installation at the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2015, with DENSO providing technical support for Smiles' artwork '新潟産ハートを射抜くお米のスープ300円'.
• Nintendo (任天堂)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmiles developed and operates 'HATENA BURGER,' the cafe within the Nintendo Museum in Kyoto. This is a flagship production project showcasing Smiles' ability to concept and operate unique food experiences at cultural institutions.
• Pass the Baton Co., Ltd. (株式会社パステナリズム)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSmiles operates the 'PASS THE BATON' business — a platform for reimagining warehouses and cultural spaces. This is one of Smiles' six core business areas, focused on re-lighting warehouses and culture through business development and production.
• Smiles Life Value Expansion Research Institute (スマイルズ生活価値拡充研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn internal research institute exploring 'life value expansion' through interdisciplinary research, podcasts, workshops, and collaborations with academia. Functions as a thought leadership engine for the company.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smilescoltd
• YouTubepodcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/smkn-official
• Facebookfacebook.com/smiles.saiyo.new
• LinkedIninstagram.com/smilescoltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/smilescoltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Smiles