What TOKI does

TOKI, Inc. is a Tokyo-based luxury cultural travel curation company founded in 2014 by CEO Yuko Inamasu. The company curates bespoke cultural experiences in Japan by connecting guests with a network of over 120 master artisans, craftsmen, and culture leaders across Tokyo, Kyoto, and other Japanese cities. Its core product lines include city-specific cultural experiences (Tokyo, Kyoto, Other Cities), Personal Travel Concierge services, Event Design and MICE event production, Concept Itineraries (pre-designed tour packages), and an artisan craft e-commerce shop. The platform technology is a straightforward website-based booking and itinerary management system with Stripe payment processing; the substantive value is in human curation, not software.

TOKI operates a high-touch, sales-led, professional services model. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, but documented components include a curation fee of 30,000 JPY/day (50,000+ JPY/day for trips within 21 days or larger groups) plus a 15-20% handling charge on booked services. Membership registration is required to access booking. The go-to-market is direct sales via website inquiry, with destination coverage spanning Japan and a clientele of international high-net-worth travelers and Fortune 500 corporate clients (American Express, UBS, Lombard Odier, McKinsey, IDEO, Harvard Business School, MIT, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Dior, Nike, Asics, Conrad Hotels, Palace Hotel Tokyo, Google). The marketing approach relies on earned media in premium publications (National Geographic Traveller, Forbes Japan, BBC, Financial Times, New York Times, Vogue Japan, Robb Report) and content marketing through a Culture Library and Artisan Stories editorial series.

The company is privately held, independently owned, and reveals no external funding, parent company, or institutional investors. The core team numbers seven members (Yuko, Sue, Mayuka, Ayumi, Maki, Kazuma, Shizuka) supported by part-time staff, interns, and expert facilitator-guides. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. In 2021, the company launched the TOKI Virtual Experience to extend its cultural offerings remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The business is fundamentally a curated marketplace intermediating between Japanese artisans and luxury inbound demand, with brand and relationship capital as primary assets rather than software or data assets.

Name

TOKI

Legal name

TOKI, Inc.

Website

https://toki.tokyo

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TOKI is a Tokyo-based luxury travel curator that designs bespoke Japanese cultural experiences for Fortune 500 corporate clients and high-net-worth travelers, connecting them with a network of 120+ master artisans through a high-touch, fee-based curation model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Cultural Travel Curation

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Itinerary Planning with Booking & Fulfillment (Full-Service) (THAKAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Culture, Heritage & Arts Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAK), Cultural, Heritage & Arts Travel Agencies (THAKAFAK), Destination & Itinerary Management (DMC-Led Experiences, Excursions, VIP Access) (THAHANAE), Bespoke Multi-Day Itinerary Planning & Custom Tour Design (THAJALAB)

Keywords

• Luxury travel curation
• Cultural experiences
• Bespoke itineraries
• Corporate event design
• Artisan partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokio

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, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Travel Curation Fees: Curation fee of 30,000 JPY/day for trip design and personalized itinerary creation. Additional 50,000+ JPY/day surcharge for trips within 21 days or larger groups. Includes research, booking securing, and custom digital itinerary design.
2. Handling Charges: 15-20% handling charge depending on group size, plus standard consumption tax. Applied to all booked services and supplier arrangements.
3. Event Design Services: Custom event planning and production services for corporate events, incentive tours, and private gatherings at unique Japanese venues.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TOKI curates and delivers bespoke luxury cultural experiences in Japan through exclusive partnerships with over 120 master artisans and culture houses. The company designs personalized itineraries featuring authentic access to traditional crafts, performing arts, culinary experiences, and exclusive venues, complemented by full travel logistics management and corporate event design services.

Product overview

TOKI is a luxury cultural travel and experiences platform that connects international guests with exclusive Japanese cultural experiences. The core offering consists of curated cultural experiences (Tokyo, Kyoto, and Other Cities Cultural Experiences) featuring authentic access to Japan's finest artisans, traditional crafts, culinary arts, and performing arts. Supporting services include Personal Travel Concierge for bespoke trip planning, Event Design/MICE services for corporate events, a Shop for artisan crafts (katana, knives, tea houses), and Concept Itineraries (pre-designed tour packages). The company also maintains editorial content through Artisan Stories (artisan profiles) and a Culture Library (educational articles), plus destination-specific Japan Travel Guides. The platform operates on a curated, high-touch model with exclusive partnerships with vetted artisans and culture houses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tokyo Cultural Experiences Curated authentic Japanese cultural experiences in Tokyo including tea ceremonies, geisha entertainment, sumo stable access, Zen meditation, calligraphy, sushi-making, kaiseki cuisine, wagashi, sake brewery tours, pottery, katana forging, Edo Kiriko glass, weaving, kintsugi, and architecture tours. Designed for international luxury travelers and corporate groups seeking exclusive access.
• Kyoto Cultural Experiences Traditional cultural experiences in Kyoto including Maiko/Geiko performances, Ikebana at private temples, tea ceremonies, Zen meditation, Shojin Buddhist cuisine, Wagashi making, sake brewery tours, gold leaf kimono painting, kimono weaving, Raku pottery making, Washi paper lantern craft, antique shopping tours, and garden tours.
• Other Cities Cultural Experiences Cultural experiences across Japan outside Tokyo and Kyoto including Tamba soba-making at Michelin-star restaurants, Ryukyuan medicinal cuisine in Okinawa, Tamba ceramics, Kanazawa kintsugi, rural Kominka architecture tours, Sasayama countryside tours, and Naoshima contemporary art tours.
• Personal Travel Concierge Luxury bespoke travel curation service providing personalized trip planning, guide selection, transportation arrangements, hotel reservations, and custom-designed digital itineraries. Includes consultation, curation, and full travel operations management for individual clients and small groups.
• Event Design / MICE Events Corporate event production and planning services including venue bookings, catering, entertainment, cultural experiences, and travel arrangements for executive meetings, incentive tours, branding events, and large-scale MICE events at unique traditional Japanese venues.
• Concept Itineraries Pre-designed cultural tour packages including The Classic (12-day traditional arts tour), Arts and Design, Architect's Delight (7-day architecture tour), Temple Run, The Gourmet (culinary tour), Serene Luxury, The Grand City, Tokyo Kyoto Duet, Kansai Adventure, The Central, Snow Country, Coastal Crawl, Getaway Voyage, and Honeymoon Trip itineraries.
• Artisan Crafts Shop E-commerce platform selling Japanese artisan crafts including customized katana swords from master swordsmiths (Akihira Kawasaki, Yoshindo Yoshihara), Japanese bladesmith knives (Shigetoshi Sato), and custom-built tea houses with tea master and architect collaboration.
• TOKI Virtual Experience Remote/virtual cultural experiences providing access to Japanese culture when physical travel was not possible, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Okawa FurniturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-owned company with 470-year legacy based in Kyushu. Master craftsmen hand-crafted the seasonal tea house venue that allows practitioners of traditional Japanese tea ceremony to appreciate nature through four seasons. This is one of TOKI's unique venue offerings for exclusive events.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Ker & Downey: US luxury bespoke tour operator designing custom itineraries worldwide including Japan with private guides and exclusive access. Comparable ultra-high-net-worth clientele, customization depth, and experiential focus.
• InsideJapan Tours: UK-based operator specializing in bespoke Japan itineraries for international travelers, including cultural and experiential trips. Direct competitor in the curated-Japan-travel niche with similar target customer (Western luxury/affluent travelers) and inquiry-based consultation model.
• Truffle Pig Travel: Luxury experiential travel operator focused on immersive, locally-rooted journeys including Japan. Comparable boutique scale, premium positioning, and emphasis on artisan/expert access.
• InsideAsia Tours: Sister brand to InsideJapan Tours offering bespoke multi-country Asia itineraries (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Japan). Competes for the same experiential Asia traveler with a similar hand-crafted curation approach and luxury positioning.
• Audley Travel: UK specialist tailor-made tour operator with country experts designing bespoke Japan trips for affluent Western travelers. Comparable consultation-led sales model and luxury cultural positioning.
• Black Tomato: London-based luxury bespoke travel company known for experiential "Bespoke" and "Boost" itineraries with cultural depth. Directly comparable high-touch model, premium pricing, and global luxury clientele.
• Travel Beyond: US luxury bespoke travel agency offering custom Japan itineraries with on-the-ground destination expertise. Comparable high-net-worth clientele, curated experience model, and long trip durations.
• Red Savannah: UK bespoke luxury tour operator offering curated Japan itineraries alongside villa rentals and private guides. Comparable target market and high-touch trip design process.

Broad incumbents

• JTB (Japan Travel Bureau): Largest incumbent Japan travel operator offering packaged tours, MICE, and bespoke services across the country. Overlaps in corporate event/incentive business and inbound Japan tourism, but at a much larger and more standardized scale.
• Quintessentially: Global luxury lifestyle concierge and travel club serving UHNW individuals and corporate clients with cultural, dining, and travel access. Comparable premium customer overlap (enterprise + HNW) though services extend well beyond Japan cultural travel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tokitokyo
• Instagraminstagram.com/toki.tokyo
• Xx.com/TOKI_TokyoJapan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 TOKI