Water Stand
Water Stand Co., Ltd. (ウォータースタンド株式会社) is a Japanese company founded in 1969 that rents plumbed-in water purifiers and dispensers to households, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and municipal governments across Japan via a monthly subscription model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1969
- HeadquartersSaitama-shi, Japan
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Water Stand does
Water Stand Co., Ltd. (ウォータースタンド株式会社) is a privately held Japanese company founded in 1969 and headquartered in Saitama City that rents plumbed-in (水道直結) water purifiers and dispensers to households, offices, hotels, hospitals, educational institutions, and municipal governments across Japan. Its core technology connects water servers directly to the municipal water supply, using multi-stage filtration to remove viruses, bacteria, and 13 JIS-specified substances, delivering chilled, hot, and room-temperature water without plastic bottles. The product line includes the flagship WATER STAND, Trinity and icon (high-end models), Nano Stand (portable), and Guardian (baby formula preparation), alongside a Machi-Mizu sub-brand for free public water stations and a resold Coway air purifier rental business.
The company operates a monthly fixed-rate subscription rental model that bundles equipment, installation, filter replacement, and maintenance. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers are directed to free trials and direct sales. Water Stand runs a nationwide distribution network of 15+ regional sales offices, 50+ showrooms, and direct-sales field teams, plus retail partnerships with Yodobashi Camera and Cainz. As of 2026, it holds 100+ municipal and prefecture-level partnerships (including Kanagawa, Yamagata, Chiba, Okayama) and has deployed over 100,000 units (2021 milestone), with named enterprise customers spanning Hankyu Railways, Tokai University Hospital, FamilyMart, Club Med, and multiple universities. It also operates the "Bottle Free Project," a mission to reduce 3 billion disposable plastic bottles by 2030.
The company is founder-led by President Hitoshi Honda (本多均) and is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds. Its revenue model is exclusively recurring subscription, supported by ESG/sustainability demand from municipal and corporate buyers. The firm does not have a public API, AI/ML capabilities, or international operations; growth is driven by domestic regulatory tailwinds (plastic reduction mandates, decarbonization policies) and partnerships with boards of education, government agencies, and transit authorities.
Water Stand firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Water Stand
- Legal name
- ウォータースタンド株式会社
- Website
- https://waterstand.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1969
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Water Stand Co., Ltd. (ウォータースタンド株式会社) is a Japanese company founded in 1969 that rents plumbed-in water purifiers and dispensers to households, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and municipal governments across Japan via a monthly subscription model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Water Stand industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Dispenser Rental Services
- NAICS
- Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822)
- SIC
- Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Expansion Tank, Circulator Pump & Zone Valve Service (HSAOACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Domestic Hot & Cold Water System Hygiene (Potable Water) (BPABAJAD)
Keywords
Where Water Stand is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saitama-shi
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices18 records
Markets served
Water Stand business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 水道直結ウォーターサーバー レンタル事業 (Direct Water Server Rental): Monthly fixed-rate rental of water servers to residential households and businesses. The service includes equipment provision, installation, filter replacement, and maintenance support. This is the primary revenue stream.
- 法人・オフィス向けサービス (Enterprise/Office Services): Rental and service provision for corporate offices, hotels, hospitals, and public facilities. May include custom deployment, multiple units, and dedicated support.
- 空気清浄機レンタル (Air Purifier Rental): Rental of Coway air purifiers as part of the company's broader environmental/comfort service offerings for offices.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 個人世帯向 (Residential Household) |
| Subscription | Monthly | 法人・オフィス向 (Business/Office) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Water Stand product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Water Stand rents plumbed-in (direct-to-municipal-water) water servers to households, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and public facilities in Japan on a monthly fixed-rate subscription that bundles equipment, installation, filter replacement, and maintenance. Servers connect to the tap water supply, use multi-stage filters meeting JIS standards, and dispense cold, hot, and room-temperature water without plastic bottles. The company also rents Coway air purifiers and supplies office hygiene/amenity products, and operates free public "Machi-Mizu" water stations through municipal partnerships.
Product overview
ウォータースタンド株式会社是一家以水道直結型ウォーターサーバー（直結式净水饮水机）租借事业为核心的公司。主要产品包括：旗舰产品「ウォータースタンド」（提供冷水、温水、常温水三种温度选择，支持マイボトル直饮给水）、上位机型「ウォータースタンド トリニティ」和「ウォータースタンド icon」、便携式「ナノスタンド」、调乳专用「ガーディアン」、以及2021年推出的「プレミアムシリーズS3」。此外还有面向公共设施的免费给水服务品牌「マチミズ」，以及COWAY空气净化器租借服务。商业模式为月额定额租借制，包含定期维护和技术支持。
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ウォータースタンド アイコン (icon): Direct-pipe water server with cold/hot/normal water and my-bottle filling capability
- ウォータースタンド トリニティ (Trinity)
- ガーディアン (Guardian)
- ナノスタンド (Nano Stand)
- メイト2 (Mate 2)
Products and services
- Water Stand (ウォータースタンド) plumbed-in water server rental Monthly rental of direct-to-municipal-water water servers that filter tap water through multi-stage high-performance filters (JIS-compliant, removing viruses, bacteria, and 13 specified substances) and dispense cold, hot, and room-temperature water. Bottle-less design eliminates plastic bottle logistics; customers include households, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and public facilities in Japan.
- Water Stand Trinity (ウォータースタンド トリニティ) Upper-tier plumbed-in water server model providing cold, hot, and room-temperature water with direct my-bottle refill capability; part of the Water Stand series.
- Water Stand icon (ウォータースタンド アイコン) Plumbed-in water server with cold, hot, and room-temperature dispensing and my-bottle direct-fill capability; used in offices, hotels, hospitals, and public facilities.
- Nano Stand (ナノスタンド) Compact / portable plumbed-in water server released in March 2020.
- Water Stand Guardian (ウォータースタンド ガーディアン) Family-oriented plumbed-in water server designed to supply water for baby formula preparation; awarded the 2021 Japan Childcare Support Grand Prize.
- Premium Series S3 (プレミアムシリーズS3) Premium-tier water server available for monthly rental starting April 2021.
- Machi-Mizu (マチミズ) free public water stations Free-to-use plumbed-in water server stations deployed in public facilities and commercial locations (e.g., post offices in Sakai City through JP Communications) so anyone can refill their bottle at no charge.
- Coway air purifier rental (空気清浄機レンタル) Monthly rental of Coway-brand air purifiers (including a CES 2022 Innovation Award-honored model) for office and commercial environments as part of Water Stand's broader environmental/comfort service portfolio.
- Office services and hygiene/amenity products (オフィス向けサービス・衛生用品) Office-focused services and hygiene/amenity product rentals supplied alongside water servers to corporate customers, complementing the company's workplace environmental offerings.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3 billion disposable plastic bottle reduction target by 2030
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Water Stand
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Water Stand technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Water Stand partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered notable, major, core and minor.
- Okayama Airport Terminal Co., Ltd. (岡山空港ターミナル株式会社)notableInstalled Water Stand icon units at Okayama Momotaro Airport's international departure lounge (near duty-free shop). Free water service for all travelers from May 14, 2026. Supports the airport's sustainability and passenger service goals.
- Okayama Prefecture (岡山県)majorWater Stand signed a comprehensive agreement with Okayama Prefecture to promote plastic waste reduction and heat stroke prevention. The prefecture will install Water Stand units in public facilities, promote my-bottle usage among citizens, and the company will provide technical expertise and support. This is a prefecture-level strategic partnership.
- Yamagata Prefecture (山形県)majorPrefecture-level agreement for carbon neutrality through plastic waste reduction, including Water Stand installations at public facilities.
- Chiba Prefecture (千葉県)majorPrefecture-level agreement for plastic waste reduction and decarbonization, with Water Stand installation and promotion activities.
- JP Communications (JPコミュニケーションズ)notablePartnership to install free 'Machi-Mizu' water stations at post office branches. 10 stations installed at Sakai City post offices in June 2025. Provides free water access to community members.
- Kanagawa Prefecture (神奈川県)majorFirst prefecture-level partnership in Japan. Agreement to promote plastic waste reduction and decarbonization through Water Stand installations in public facilities across Kanagawa. Kanagawa was the first prefecture to sign such an agreement with Water Stand.
- Asahi Yuuas (アサヒユウアス株式会社)notableStrategic partnership for forest my-bottle initiatives and environmental sustainability programs.
- Hankyu Corporation (阪急電鉄)coreFirst rail-station water dispenser partnership in Japan. Installed my-bottle-compatible dispensers at 8 Hankyu stations (announced January 2026, pilot began September 2022). A landmark public-private collaboration.
- mymizunotableStrategic partnership signed with mymizu, a platform that helps users find water refill stations. Integration allows mymizu app users to locate Water Stand units.
- 30by30 Alliance for Biodiversity (生物多様性のための30by30アライアンス)minorParticipation in the 30by30 Alliance for biodiversity conservation, supporting the protection of 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.
- Azabu University (麻布大学)notableAcademic guidance contract with Azabu University (signed December 2022) for 'de-disposable' (脱・使い捨て) penetration, including SDGs curriculum integration and research collaboration.
- Circular Economy Partnership (循環経済パートナーシップ / J4CE)minorParticipation in Japan's Circular Economy Partnership (J4CE), promoting the transition to a circular economy.
- Climate Change Initiative Message Endorsement (気候変動イニシアティブ 日本政府へのメッセージへの赞同)minorEndorsed the Climate Change Initiative's message to the Japanese government on climate action.
- METI Kanto — SDG SME Case Study (経済産業省関東経済産業局の『SDGsに取り組む中小企業等の先進事例』)minorFeatured as an advanced case study of an SME implementing SDGs by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Kanto Bureau.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs 'JAPAN SDGs Action Platform' (外務省『JAPAN SDGs Action Platform』)minorWater Stand's initiatives were introduced on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Japan SDGs Action Platform.
- Climate Change Initiative (気候変動イニシアティブ)minorParticipation in Japan's Climate Change Initiative, a network of companies and organizations working on climate action.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government's 'Team Mottainai' (東京都『チームもったいない』)minorParticipation in Tokyo's Team Mottainai initiative, which promotes waste reduction and sustainable consumption.
- Ministry of Environment's Water Project (環境省『ウォータープロジェクト』)minorParticipation in the Ministry of Environment's Water Project initiative.
- Saitama City (さいたま市)coreFirst municipal partnership. Agreement to install ~30 Water Stand units in city hall and ward offices and promote my-bottle movement. Target: 10% reduction in PET bottle waste (~12 tonnes/year).
- T.T Saitama (T.T彩たま株式会社)notableOfficial partner contract signed October 2018. Water Stand serves as top sponsor for the T.T Saitama professional table tennis team competing in Japan's T.League. Alignment on health, sustainability, and community values.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves19 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Water Stand competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Prifree (プリフリー): Prifree is a Japanese direct-to-pipe (plumbed-in) water server rental company. Operates the same bottle-less, municipal-water-connected business model as Water Stand, making it the closest direct competitor in the Japanese market.
- Frecious (フレシャス): Frecious is a Japanese water server rental company offering both bottled and direct-pipe models. Operates a similar monthly subscription rental model with field-sales and showroom distribution, overlapping with Water Stand's customer segments.
- Crystal Clair (クリクラ): Crystal Clair is a major Japanese water server rental brand focused on bottled natural-water dispensers delivered to homes and offices. Competes with Water Stand across residential and small-business subscription segments.
- Locca (ロッカ): Locca is a Japanese plumbed-in water server rental brand. Shares the direct-to-municipal-water architecture with Water Stand and targets residential and small-office customers with monthly rental subscriptions.
- Premium Water Holdings (プレミアムウォーター): Premium Water is one of the largest water server rental companies in Japan, distributing both natural-water and plumbed-in models. Targets households and offices with subscription rentals, directly competing with Water Stand for the same B2C/B2B hydration use cases.
Broad incumbents
- Coway (코웨이): Coway is a Korean home-appliance company that manufactures the air purifiers Water Stand resells in Japan and also operates its own water purifier/server rental businesses across Asia. Comparable for both the air-purifier rental stream and the broader water-rental category.
- Kirin Holdings (キリンホールディングス) — Kirin Water Server: Kirin is a major Japanese beverage conglomerate that operates a water server rental business alongside its beverage portfolio. Serves overlapping corporate and residential hydration customers, but as part of a much broader consumer-goods business.
- Suntory (サントリー) — Suntory Natural Water Server: Suntory is a major Japanese beverage conglomerate whose bottled natural-water server business competes with Water Stand in the office and home hydration rental market. Broader portfolio and brand scale differentiate it from Water Stand, but the server line targets the same use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Water Stand financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Water Stand leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Water Stand funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Water Stand M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Water Stand
What does Water Stand do?
Water Stand rents plumbed-in (direct-to-municipal-water) water servers to households, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and public facilities in Japan on a monthly fixed-rate subscription that bundles equipment, installation, filter replacement, and maintenance. Servers connect to the tap water supply, use multi-stage filters meeting JIS standards, and dispense cold, hot, and room-temperature water without plastic bottles. The company also rents Coway air purifiers and supplies office hygiene/amenity products, and operates free public "Machi-Mizu" water stations through municipal partnerships.
Is Water Stand a public or private company?
Water Stand is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Water Stand founded?
Water Stand was founded in 1969. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Water Stand based?
Water Stand is headquartered in Saitama-shi, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Water Stand make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. 水道直結ウォーターサーバー レンタル事業 (Direct Water Server Rental) is the primary driver. The others are 法人・オフィス向けサービス (Enterprise/Office Services) and 空気清浄機レンタル (Air Purifier Rental).
Who are Water Stand's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Prifree (プリフリー), Frecious (フレシャス), Crystal Clair (クリクラ), Locca (ロッカ) and Premium Water Holdings (プレミアムウォーター). Broad incumbents are Coway (코웨이), Kirin Holdings (キリンホールディングス) — Kirin Water Server and Suntory (サントリー) — Suntory Natural Water Server.
Does Water Stand have an API?
No public API is recorded for Water Stand.
What industry is Water Stand in?
Water Stand's product category is Water Dispenser Rental Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAOACAG, Expansion Tank, Circulator Pump & Zone Valve Service, with a secondary code of BPABAJAD, Domestic Hot & Cold Water System Hygiene (Potable Water). Its NAICS code is 23822 and its SIC code is 3561.