WAJOY

Name

WAJOY

Legal name

一般社団法人はWAJOY日本工芸の国際普及協会

Website

https://wajoy.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Short description

WAJOY is a Tokyo-based non-profit cultural platform that connects Japanese artisans with international audiences through exhibitions (Collect Art Fair, Japan House London), curated networking events, craft distribution, and the Save the Kogei disaster recovery initiative, serving craftspeople, collectors, designers, and cultural institutions across Japan and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Japanese Craft Cultural Promotion Services

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Crafts & Maker Fairs (MPAGAFAJ)

Keywords

• Japanese craft promotion
• Cultural exchange services
• Artisan internationalization
• Craft exhibition curation
• Nonprofit cultural platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo (Meguro)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibition and event participation fees: Revenue generated from organizing and participating in international craft exhibitions such as Collect Art Fair 2026, Japan House London events, and other cultural showcases. WAJOY curates Japanese craftspeople and facilitates their international exposure.
2. Craft product distribution: WAJOY handles distribution of works by Wajima lacquerware artists and other Japanese craftspeople internationally, acting as a bridge between makers and international buyers/collectors.
3. Supporter membership fees: WAJOY collects supporter membership fees through the 'Save the Kogei' initiative, with individual tiers at ¥5,000, ¥10,000, and ¥30,000, and corporate tiers at ¥50,000, ¥100,000, and ¥1,000,000 to support craftspeople affected by the Noto earthquake.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WAJOY operates as a non-profit cultural platform that connects traditional Japanese craftspeople with international audiences through curated exhibitions (e.g., Collect Art Fair 2026, Japan House London Wajima lacquerware exhibition), cultural salon dinners, market research on European design and luxury markets, networking events, commissioned sales/projects, and post-Noto earthquake recovery initiatives. The organization curates Japanese artisans into high-prestige international contexts and facilitates cross-border dialogue between makers, collectors, designers, and cultural institutions.

Product overview

WAJOY is a cultural platform for international promotion of Japanese crafts, operating as a single integrated offering rather than a modular product suite. The platform combines multiple interconnected services: WAJOY Journal (media content featuring interviews with craftspeople and cultural experts), Research (market intelligence on European design/art/luxury markets), Network/Craftsmanship Community (connecting creators with global buyers, collectors, and institutions), Cultural Salon (high-level networking events), Exhibition & Event Services (international exhibitions including Collect Art Fair and Japan House London), and Projects (sales, commissions, and space consulting). These services work together as a holistic cultural promotion ecosystem rather than discrete product modules.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WAJOY Journal / WAJOY Voices Media Platform
• Research Services
• Craftsmanship Community Network
• Cultural Salon Events
• Exhibition and Event Services
• Projects (Sales, Commissions, Space Proposals)
• Save the Kogei Supporter Membership Program

Quantifiable outcome

• ¥4 million generated for Wajima craftspeople through charity auction
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Japan House LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 January 2026WAJOY collaborates with Japan House London on Wajima lacquerware exhibitions (January-March 2026), artist residencies, lacquer demonstrations, and kintsugi workshops. They handle distribution of featured artists' works and co-host cultural programs. This is WAJOY's flagship international institutional partnership.
• V&A Museum (Victoria and Albert Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerV&A Museum's Japan department curator Yamada Masami participates in WAJOY events, lectures, and media interviews. WAJOY provided photographs and information for Japan Society London's lecture on Wajima lacquerware crisis, supported by V&A's lacquerware curator. Represents the highest-tier institutional validation for WAJOY's cultural positioning.
• Japan Society LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJapan Society London hosted a lecture on the crisis facing Wajima lacquerware following the Noto earthquake, featuring V&A's lacquerware curator. WAJOY provided photographic materials and content for the lecture series.
• Collect Art Fair / UK Crafts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAJOY participated as the first Japanese exhibitor in approximately 7 years at Collect 2026, the UK's premier international craft art fair organized by the UK Crafts Council at London's Somerset House. Hosted panel discussion on contemporary lacquer and connected with international collectors and galleries.
• LVMH GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLVMH Secretary General Marc-Antoine Jamet serves as an advisor to WAJOY and provided video messages of encouragement following the Noto earthquake. WAJOY presented relief messages at the Japan-France Economic Exchange Committee meeting held at LVMH headquarters in Paris.
• Mitsui (Mitsui Family / 12th Generation Mitsui Head)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 12th generation head of the Mitsui family (17th generation Mitsui Hachirobei) serves as an advisor to WAJOY, providing traditional Japanese business and cultural wisdom.
• Ishikawa PrefecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIshikawa Prefecture collaborated on the July 2026 seminar for craftspeople targeting European markets. The prefecture also co-sponsored the Noto earthquake relief charity event and recognizes WAJOY as an official partner for craft promotion, having appointed founder Mayumi Tachikawa as Ishikawa Tourism Special Envoy.
• Kanazawa CitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKanazawa City co-hosts the July 2026 seminar for craftspeople and artisans aiming to enter European art and design markets, providing venue and administrative support.
• National Crafts Museum (国立工芸館)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAJOY met with National Crafts Museum director Karasawa to discuss the past, present, and future of lacquerware and traditional crafts, exploring potential collaboration.
• Utatsuyama Craft Workshop (卯辰山工芸工房)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAJOY consulted with Utatsuyama Craft Workshop's director Kawamoto on supporting young craft artists and the future of Ishikawa's traditional crafts.
• Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo OtemachiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted the September 2024 Noto earthquake relief charity auction event 'Art×Craftsman×Cuisine' featuring Wajima lacquerware and Suzu pottery, generating approximately ¥4 million for affected craftspeople.
• Busshien (佛子園)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAJOY collaborated with Busshien, a Wajima-based welfare organization actively involved in disaster recovery, to provide support for craftspeople's families and create community engagement opportunities during the reconstruction period.
• Japan Specialist Retailers Association (日本专卖店協会)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWAJOY presented the 'Save the Kogei' initiative at the Japan Specialist Retailers Association general meeting, expanding the supporter base among Japanese specialty retailers.
• Five Hundred (ファイブハンドレッド) women's entrepreneurs networkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWAJOY presented Save the Kogei at the Five Hundred network of women entrepreneurs organized by Shin Nihon Audit Corporation, attracting corporate supporters.
• British Embassy / UK Consulate in JapanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UK Ambassador to Japan and consulate staff visited Wajima in August 2024. UK Ekiden running event raised donations for Wajima craftspeople. WAJOY facilitated this diplomatic engagement and Long-term connections between the UK and Wajima craft community.
• Japanese Cultural Institute in Paris (パり日本文化会所)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince May 2024, the Japanese Cultural Institute in Paris screens video messages from Wajima craftspeople and the Ishikawa Governor about the Noto earthquake impact, raising awareness among French audiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Crafts Council (UK): The UK national charity for craft and the organizer of the Collect Art Fair at Somerset House — the very platform at which WAJOY exhibited as the first Japanese participant in ~7 years. Operates in adjacent craft-curation space but with a domestic UK focus rather than Japanese specialization.
• The Japan Foundation: Japan's principal government-affiliated organization for international cultural exchange, with global offices and large-scale programming across arts, language, and intellectual dialogue. WAJOY operates as a more specialized, craft-focused cultural intermediary, analogous to a niche private complement to the Foundation's broader remit.

Regional players

• Japan Society New York: The preeminent US-based organization promoting Japanese culture, including craft exhibitions and educational programming. Comparable mission but focused on the North American market rather than the UK/Europe/Japan corridor where WAJOY operates.
• Ishikawa Prefectural Foundation for International Exchange: Prefecture-level Japanese organization supporting international cultural and economic exchange for Ishikawa-based industries and crafts. Comparable to WAJOY at the prefectural-government level, with overlapping focus on promoting Noto/Ishikawa crafts to overseas markets.

Direct peers

• Japan Craft21: A US-based organization founded by Steve Beimel that promotes Japanese craft and craftspeople to Western audiences, with deep expertise in artisan storytelling and exhibitions. Closest direct functional peer to WAJOY in the niche of curating Japanese craftspeople for international audiences.
• Japan House London: A cultural promotion organization operating in London to introduce Japanese culture, including craft, design, and culinary, to UK audiences. Highly comparable to WAJOY in mission (cultural diplomacy for Japanese craftsmanship), audience (European collectors and institutions), and venue positioning (the very venue WAJOY uses for exhibitions).
• Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris: The Japanese Cultural Institute in Paris, operated by the Japan Foundation, screens WAJOY-supplied content about Wajima craftspeople to French audiences. Directly comparable mission of promoting Japanese culture in a European capital market and overlapping institutional network.
• Japan Society London: A UK-based organization dedicated to deepening understanding of Japan through cultural programming, including craft exhibitions and lectures. WAJOY is an active partner/supplier of content to this organization, reflecting a directly comparable mission around Japanese cultural promotion to British audiences.
• ISICO (Ishikawa Organization for Industry Promotion): The regional industry-promotion organization that has formally adopted WAJOY into its Growth Strategy Fund and co-supports craft internationalization from Ishikawa Prefecture. Operates as a regional peer in Ishikawa craft-export promotion and provides funding/administrative infrastructure.

Emerging players

• Takumi Japan: A platform dedicated to promoting and selling traditional Japanese craft products internationally, often leveraging storytelling and artisan narratives. Comparable business model of bridging Japanese artisans to global consumers via curated online/offline channels.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61556580336637

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 WAJOY