Retrip

What Retrip does

Retrip (くふうトリップ) is a Tokyo-based, consumer-facing travel and outing media platform operated by Kufu Company Inc. (株式会社くふう), founded in 2011 with 51-100 employees. The service aggregates and publishes curated travel content — destinations, restaurants, hotels, cafes, theme parks, festivals, and seasonal outings — primarily across Japan, with secondary coverage of international travel via a dedicated @retrip_global Instagram channel. Content is produced by a community of named curators (shine99, shinshin3, cobito_15, goya, master, and others) whose individual articles have generated viewership ranging from tens of thousands to over 5.5 million views each, building a long-tail library of 781+ paginated pages organized by location, theme, and tags (e.g., 511+ Kamakura articles, 242 Disney articles, 397 festival articles).

The platform is built on a web-based content management architecture with no disclosed mobile application, no public API or SDK, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Distribution relies on organic SEO across Japanese-language travel queries, supplemented by social channels (@retrip_news on Instagram and X/Twitter). The content is free to all users; no subscription tiers or paywalls were disclosed. The product surface extends to branded sponsored content, including a recurring partnership with Hoshino Resorts (multiple 星野リゾートPR articles covering OMO hotels, Risonare Yatsugatake, and Tomamu Ice Village).

Retrip's revenue model is exclusively affiliate commerce: the platform earns through affiliate links embedded in articles for recommended restaurants, hotels, and products. No alternative revenue streams (subscriptions, advertising networks, enterprise licensing, booking commissions) were disclosed, though the existence of a now-terminating reservation-points program (予約ポイント付与の終了) implies some historical transactional capability. As a unit within the broader Kufu Group portfolio — alongside Tokubai (coupons), Zaim (budgeting), Kids Gohan, and Shopping — Retrip functions as a consumer lifestyle media property within a privately-held Japanese group with no disclosed external investment, leadership team details, or financial disclosures.

Name

Retrip

Legal name

Kufu Company Inc. (株式会社くふう)

Website

https://retrip.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Retrip (くふうトリップ) is a Tokyo-based travel and outing media platform operated by Kufu Company Inc., publishing curator-generated articles on Japanese and international destinations, restaurants, and hotels, monetized through affiliate commerce and serving general consumer travelers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Travel Media

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Tours, Activities & Attractions Metasearch (THALAEAI)

Keywords

• Travel media platform
• User-generated content
• Travel content curation
• Affiliate travel articles
• Online travel guides

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Affiliate commerce: The platform earns revenue through affiliate links placed in articles for recommended travel spots, restaurants, hotels, and products. The website explicitly mentions using affiliate programs for featured locations and products.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Retrip is a web-based travel and outing media platform that aggregates and publishes curated articles about travel destinations, restaurants, hotels, tourist attractions, events, festivals, and local experiences across Japan and internationally. The content is produced by a community of curators (キュレーター) and organized by region, theme, and tags, allowing users to browse, bookmark, and share travel guides. The platform is operated by Kufu Company Inc. (株式会社くふう) as part of a broader portfolio of Japanese consumer lifestyle services.

Product overview

Retrip (くふうトリップ) is a single unified travel media platform that publishes curated aggregate articles about travel, dining, hotels, and leisure activities. The service organizes content by geographic regions (Japan and international destinations), themes (gourmet, sightseeing, hotels, hot springs, events), and user-curated collections. It is operated by Kufu Company Inc., part of a portfolio of consumer lifestyle services including くふう トクバイ (coupon app), くふう Zaim (budgeting app), and くふう キッズごはん (children's food ideas).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Retrip (くふうトリップ) Travel Media Platform A free online travel and outing media platform that publishes curated, editorially organized articles about destinations, restaurants, hotels, cafes, theme parks, festivals, hot springs, and day-trip ideas. Content is created by a community of curators and organized by geographic locations, themes, and tags for easy discovery by Japanese consumers.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jalan: Jalan, operated by Recruit, is one of Japan's largest travel platforms combining destination content with hotel and ryokan booking. It is directly comparable to Retrip in serving Japanese travelers seeking destination information and travel planning resources.
• Trivago: Trivago is a global hotel metasearch platform comparing accommodation prices across OTAs. Comparable to Retrip in helping travelers discover and compare travel options, though focused specifically on hotel price comparison rather than editorial content.
• Rurubu: Rurubu is a long-established Japanese travel guide brand operated by JTB Publishing, providing curated editorial content on destinations, hotels, and experiences across Japan. It is directly comparable to Retrip as a leading Japan-focused travel content and discovery platform serving similar traveler audiences.
• Skyscanner: Skyscanner is a global travel metasearch engine for flights, hotels, and car rentals. It is comparable to Retrip in serving as a travel discovery and comparison platform for travelers, though focused on transport price comparison.
• 4travel: 4travel is a Japanese travel community and review platform where users publish travelogues and reviews of destinations. It is directly comparable to Retrip's curator-driven user-generated content model and Japanese travel audience.
• Pokekaru: Pokekaru is a Japanese regional experiences and outing platform offering curated guides and discount tickets to local attractions and activities. It is comparable to Retrip's content model for Japanese day-trip and regional discovery.
• Ikyu: Ikyu is a Japanese online travel agency focused on luxury and upscale hotels, ryokans, and restaurant reservations, supported by editorial content. It is comparable to Retrip in combining Japanese travel/dining content with commerce-oriented functionality.

Broad incumbents

• Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor is a global travel content and review platform covering destinations, restaurants, and attractions with user-generated reviews and affiliate links. Comparable to Retrip as a travel discovery platform, but operating at vastly larger global scale with a broader portfolio.
• Booking.com: Booking.com is a global online travel agency with extensive destination content and accommodation booking. It is comparable to Retrip in serving as a travel discovery and booking resource, but operates at much larger scale with a broader offering including direct transactions.
• Klook: Klook is a leading Asia-Pacific travel activities and experiences booking platform offering tours, attractions, and local experiences. Comparable to Retrip in the activities and attractions discovery space, but operating primarily as a direct booking platform with a broader commercial offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/retrip_news
• Instagraminstagram.com/retrip_news
• Facebookfacebook.com/retrip

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Retrip