Finding Naoshima

What Finding Naoshima does

Finding Naoshima is a small private tourism company founded in October 2024 and based on Naoshima Island in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. It offers English-language private guided tours (marketed as the "Ohana Tour") of Naoshima and surrounding art islands in the Seto Inland Sea, led by guides who are locals born and raised on the island. The company also operates Healing Cottage OHANA, a private full-house rental accommodation near Tsutsujiso and Gotanji Beach, comprising two separate villas (Kai and Lani) accommodating up to 8–10 people each, distributed through Airbnb and the company's own website.

The business monetizes through two revenue streams: professional services (private guided tours with logistics management, timed museum ticket coordination, and curated art narratives covering institutions such as the Chichu Art Museum and the Art House Project) and accommodation rental. Tours are booked directly through finding-naoshima.co.jp and target international art tourists, multi-generational families, architecture and design enthusiasts, solo travelers, and international delegations. There is no proprietary technology underlying the offering; the value proposition rests on local insider knowledge and minute-by-minute itinerary orchestration that the company claims delivers 20% more art seen in 50% less stress compared to independent navigation.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, anchored by an 11+ category content marketing blog (covering art, culture, food, history, and model courses) and an Instagram presence (@finding_naoshima), supplemented by word-of-mouth referrals. Peak demand occurs in October and during the triennial Setouchi Triennale, when accommodation and tour slots reportedly fill months in advance. The company reports having hosted over 30 private groups in its first year of operation (October 2024 to October 2025) and shows no evidence of external funding, institutional investment, or M&A activity.

Name

Finding Naoshima

Legal name

Finding Naoshima

Website

https://finding-naoshima.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Finding Naoshima is a small, privately held Japanese tourism company founded in 2024, offering private guided art tours of Naoshima Island (Ohana Tour) led by local guides, alongside Healing Cottage OHANA vacation rental accommodation for international visitors to the Setouchi art islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Private Guided Tours: The company offers private guiding services for Naoshima and surrounding art islands. Tours include seamless logistics, local insight, and customization. They host over 30 private groups in their first year of operation.
2. Accommodation (Healing Cottage OHANA): The company operates Healing Cottage OHANA, a private full-house rental accommodation near Tsutsujiso and Gotanji Beach. The cottage consists of two separate villas ('Kai' and 'Lani') accommodating up to 8-10 people each, available through Airbnb.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Finding Naoshima is a small Japan-based tour and hospitality company that sells private, customized guided tours of Naoshima and surrounding art islands under the name Ohana Tour, led by locals born and raised on the island. It also operates Healing Cottage OHANA, a private villa rental near Tsutsujiso and Gotanji Beach, and publishes an informational website with articles on Naoshima's art, culture, food, and travel logistics.

Product overview

Finding Naoshima operates as a small tourism company offering two core services: (1) Finding Naoshima Tour (Ohana Tour) - a private guided tour service led by Naoshima locals, providing personalized art-focused journeys with logistics management and local insights; and (2) Healing Cottage OHANA - a private villa accommodation near Gotanji Beach featuring traditional Japanese design with local wood craftsmanship. The company also maintains an informational website that publishes articles about Naoshima's art, culture, food, history, and travel guides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ohana Tour (Finding Naoshima Private Guided Tour) A private guided tour service led by locals born and raised on Naoshima, providing customized art-focused journeys across Naoshima and surrounding Seto Inland Sea art islands. Includes minute-by-minute itinerary management, timed museum ticket handling, ferry coordination, and local cultural and architectural insights for individual travelers, families, and international delegations.
• Healing Cottage OHANA (Kai and Lani villas) A private full-house rental accommodation near Tsutsujiso and Gotanji Beach in southern Naoshima, comprising two separate villas (Kai and Lani) each accommodating up to 8–10 guests, with full kitchen facilities, traditional Japanese tatami spaces, and local-wood craftsmanship design. Marketed to families, friend groups, couples, and small delegations seeking privacy, self-catering, and proximity to art sites and beaches.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% more art seen in 50% less stress compared to independent navigation

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: GetYourGuide is a global experiences marketplace listing Naoshima tours and activities. Doesn't run guides itself but is the dominant distribution channel through which Finding Naoshima could be bypassed if larger operators capture bookings.
• Benesse House: Benesse House is the flagship lodging on Naoshima, operated by the Fukutake Foundation. Overlaps with Finding Naoshima's accommodation offering (Healing Cottage OHANA) and operates as the dominant on-island hospitality incumbent for art tourists.
• Klook: Klook is a major Asia-headquartered OTA distributing tours and attractions across Japan, including the Setouchi region. Functions as a potential channel partner or competitive threat for Naoshima-guided experience bookings.

Emerging players

• Tokyo Localized: Tokyo Localized runs small private tours led by local guides with deep cultural/architectural narratives. Operates in a different city but competes for the same inbound traveler segment seeking expert-led immersive experiences in Japan.

Direct peers

• Wabunka: Wabunka curates small-group, private cultural experiences across Japan (tea ceremony, sushi-making, art tours). It matches Finding Naoshima's playbook: high-touch, locally-led, premium guided experiences booked direct-to-consumer by international travelers.
• Arigato Japan Food Tour: Arigato Japan offers small-group guided food and cultural tours led by local guides in Tokyo and Kyoto. Shares the model of local-led premium tours targeted at inbound visitors, with comparable pricing and value proposition.
• MagicalTrip: MagicalTrip runs locally-led food and cultural walking tours across Japan. Comparable to Finding Naoshima in business model (small private guided tours by local guides, direct booking) and in targeting inbound visitors seeking curated cultural immersion.
• InsideJapan Tours: InsideJapan is a UK-based specialist tour operator offering curated Japan itineraries that commonly feature Naoshima and art-island days. Competes for the same discrete traveler planning a focused, expert-led Japan cultural itinerary.
• Walk Japan: Walk Japan designs small-group walking and cultural itineraries across Japan, often including Naoshima and the Seto Inland Sea. Directly comparable as a competing source for the inbound art-and-culture traveler booking a Naoshima visit.

Regional players

• Tsutsujiso Lodge: Tsutsujiso Lodge is a long-established Naoshima inn near Gotanji Beach, in the same micro-area as Healing Cottage OHANA. Directly competes for the same leisure traveler seeking walkable beachside lodging on southern Naoshima.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/finding_naoshima

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 Finding Naoshima