What Light Up Co. does

Light Up Co., Ltd. (株式会社ライトアップ) is a Tokyo-based, privately held Japanese corporation founded on May 1, 1985, that operates as a one-stop provider of professional photography production services. The company serves professional still photographers, videographers, film and commercial production companies, and studio operators in the Tokyo / Kanto region through eight interlocking service lines: equipment rental, new and used equipment sales, in-house equipment repair, outlet sales of retired rental inventory, bilingual location-assistant dispatch, digital-operator dispatch, grip and transportation services (branded "LGS"), and turnkey studio construction (cyclorama installation, electrical work, renovations). It also owns and operates two proprietary rental studios — Studio Paddock in Machida (an automotive / dome studio with an 11-ton vehicle entrance) and Ryustudio Shinonome in Koto-ku (a multi-purpose R-cyc soundproofed studio). The company holds authorized dealer relationships with major international equipment manufacturers including Profoto, broncolor, ARRI, and Cooke Optics, which it both sells and services.

The business model blends usage-based rental (the core revenue stream), one-time equipment sales (including a no-delivery outlet channel), professional services billed in 8-hour blocks for assistants and operators, project-based pricing for studio construction (¥1M–¥3M+), and recurring studio rental income. Pricing is largely quote-based for sales and construction, while rental and dispatch services use published daily and hourly rates (e.g., ¥22,000 base / 8-hour block for a Japanese-speaking assistant; ¥38,500+ for bilingual; ¥5,830/hour for digital operators). Distribution is conducted through a direct field-sales motion aimed at production companies, a dedicated rental portal at lightup-rental.co.jp for SMB / mid-market renters, and in-store pickup at the Nishi-Azabu headquarters for outlet items.

The company holds a Secondhand Business Act permit from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police (No. 301110505776) and a general worker-dispatch business license (派13-300838), supporting both its used-equipment outlet and assistant-dispatch operations. It is led by Representative Director Yokogawa Tetsuya, is founder/management-controlled with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, and has maintained continuous operation for over 40 years with a registered capital of ¥3,000,000 and a small employee base of 1–10 people — implying an asset-light headcount model supported by a substantial physical equipment inventory and two owned studio facilities.

Name

Light Up Co.

Legal name

株式会社ライトアップ

Website

https://light-up.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Light Up Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based, 1985-founded Japanese provider of professional photography equipment rental, sales, repair, grip services, bilingual location-assistant dispatch, studio construction, and two owned rental studios serving professional photographers and production companies in the Kanto region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photography Equipment Rental and Production Services

NAICS

Photographic Services (54192), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

SIC

Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental (MPADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Production Equipment & Technical Services (Camera/Lighting/Grip, Virtual Production) (MPAAAMAH), Video Camera & Production Gear Retail (Camcorders, Cinema Cameras, Rigs) (CRACAHAB), Lighting & Studio Equipment Retail (Flash, Continuous, Modifiers, Backdrops) (CRACAHAF)

Keywords

• Photography equipment rental
• Camera and lens sales
• Studio lighting equipment
• Production grip services
• Photography studio construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Equipment Rental: Rental of cameras, lenses, lighting equipment, grip, and other photography gear. Core revenue stream for the company, with dedicated rental website and in-person/hours-based billing.
2. Equipment Sales: Sale of new and used photography equipment including cameras, lenses, lighting, grip gear, and studio equipment. Professional sales staff provide consultation and proposals.
3. Equipment Repair: Repair and maintenance services for cameras, lenses, lighting, grip equipment, and transmission/monitoring gear. Services include inspection, quotation, repair, and return.
4. Outlet Sales: Sale of used rental equipment and consigned items at discounted prices. Inventory includes cameras, lighting, grip gear, and accessories. Pickup-only, no delivery.
5. Location Assistant Dispatch: Dispatch of location assistants (Japanese and English-speaking) and digital operators for photography/video shoots. Billed based on 8-hour daily blocks.
6. Grip Service (LGS): Equipment transportation and grip services including dedicated vehicles, drivers, and field support for shoots at multiple locations.
7. Studio Construction: Design and construction of photography studios including new builds, renovations, cyclorama installation, electrical work, and equipment installation.
8. Rental Studio Operations: Operation of two owned/managed rental studios: Studio Paddock (vehicle/dome studio) and Ryustudio Shinonome (multi-purpose R-cyc studio).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Light Up Co., Ltd. rents and sells professional photography and video production equipment — including cameras, lenses, lighting, and grip gear — while also providing equipment repair, location assistant dispatch, digital operator services, grip/transportation (LGS), studio construction, and operating two proprietary rental studios (Studio Paddock for vehicle photography and Ryustudio Shinonome for multi-purpose shoots). The company serves professional photographers, videographers, production companies, and studio operators primarily in the Tokyo metropolitan area, acting as a single-vendor production partner across the entire shoot lifecycle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LIGHT UP: Photography equipment rental service operated by LIGHT UP Co.,Ltd.
• LGS (Light Up Grip Service)
• Studio Paddock
• Ryustudio Shinonome

Products and services

• Photography and Video Equipment Rental Rental of professional cameras, lenses, lighting, grip, and transmission/monitoring equipment to professional photographers, videographers, and production companies for studio and location shoots. Inventory spans 80+ international brands and is accessible through a dedicated rental website and in-person consultation at the Tokyo headquarters.
• Photography Equipment Sales (New) Sale of new photography and video production equipment — including cameras, lenses, lighting, grip gear, and studio equipment — with consultation and proposal support from professional sales staff. Authorized dealer for Profoto, broncolor, ARRI, and Cooke Optics products.
• Outlet / Used Equipment Sales Sale of used rental-return equipment and consigned items at discounted prices, including cameras, lighting, grip gear, and accessories. Inventory is sold exclusively through in-store pickup at the Tokyo headquarters; no delivery is offered.
• Equipment Repair and Maintenance Repair and maintenance services for cameras, lenses, lighting, grip equipment, and transmission/monitoring gear, including inspection, quotation, repair, and return. Operated by a dedicated repair department reachable at [email protected].
• Studio Construction Service

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 日本映像スタジオ協会 (Japan Video Studio Association)minorOthersIndustry association for video studio operators in Japan. Light Up maintains business relationships with member studios through industry networking and cooperation.
• 株式会社スタジオコバ (Studio Coba)minorOthersPhotography studio operator. Light Up has established business relationships through service cooperation in the Tokyo studio ecosystem.
• Resort Studio (リゾort撮影スタジオ)minorOthersResort-style rental photography studio. Business relationship and mutual cooperation in the photography studio and rental market.
• ギャラリー･アート MAGminorOthersGallery and art publication. Business relationship through photography industry cooperation.
• 株式会社爽風企画新社 (Sofu Kikaku Shinsha)minorOthersPhotography and planning company. Established business relationship through industry cooperation.
• ProfotocoreTechnology or IntegrationLight Up is an authorized Profoto dealer, selling Profoto lighting equipment and handling repairs. The company also participates in Profoto price revision campaigns and promotional activities.
• broncolorcoreTechnology or IntegrationLight Up is an authorized broncolor dealer, offering broncolor lighting equipment sales and repairs. The company runs broncolor trade-in campaigns offering up to 35% off.
• ARRIcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized ARRI dealer offering ARRI cameras, lighting (Skypanel, HMI, L-series), and related equipment for sale and rental.
• Cooke OpticscoreTechnology or IntegrationLight Up is an authorized Cooke dealer handling the SP3 lens series (18mm-100mm) for mirrorless cameras. Conducts price revisions and promotional campaigns for Cooke products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Map Camera: Major Tokyo-based used and new camera retailer with strong digital channel. Comparable as a Japanese photography equipment sales and outlet operator, though Map Camera focuses more on retail than rental and grip services.
• Studio Aqua: Tokyo-based photography studio operator offering rental studios, equipment, and production support. Comparable as a direct competitor in the Tokyo studio rental and equipment supply market serving commercial photographers and production companies.
• Fuji Foto Film (Fujiya Camera): Long-established Tokyo camera shop offering sales, trade-ins, and equipment services. Comparable peer in the Tokyo professional photography retail and used-equipment market.
• Rentio: Japan's largest online camera and equipment rental platform, offering consumer and professional photography gear nationwide. Directly comparable as a Japanese photography equipment rental operator, though Rentio leads on digital booking and nationwide delivery while Light Up leads on physical service density in Tokyo.
• Nemo Camera (Nemoto Shoten): Tokyo-based photography equipment retailer and rental house with long history. Direct competitor in the Tokyo professional photography market, offering camera and lighting sales alongside rental services to a similar professional customer base.

Broad incumbents

• ARRI: Global cinema and lighting equipment manufacturer. Overlaps with Light Up's premium camera and lighting rental/sales business as a brand partner, but operates as a much larger incumbent serving the global film industry.
• Profoto: Global premium lighting manufacturer and Light Up's core brand partner. Comparable as a major industry incumbent whose products Light Up distributes, but operates globally with a fundamentally different business model (manufacturer vs. dealer/rental).

Emerging players

• ShareGrid: Peer-to-peer camera and equipment rental marketplace. Comparable as a digital rental platform, but emerging model focused on underutilized inventory rather than dedicated rental house inventory.

Regional players

• LensRentals: Leading US-based online camera and lens rental platform. Comparable business model for photography/video equipment rental, but operates in a different geography with a digital-first, nationwide delivery approach.
• Kitamura Camera: Japan's largest nationwide chain of camera retail stores. Comparable as a Japanese photography equipment retailer with broader national footprint than Light Up's Tokyo-only operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/infolightup
• Facebookfacebook.com/lightup1985

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Light Up Co.