Business Guide-sha

What Business Guide-sha does

Business Guide-sha (株式会社ビジネスガイド社) is a privately held Japanese publishing and trade show operator founded in 1971 and headquartered in Taito-ku, Tokyo. The company specializes in the gift distribution industry, operating three integrated business lines: (1) monthly B2B trade magazine publishing (月刊ぎふとPREMIUM, since 1971), sold via annual subscription at ¥11,000/year and per-issue at ¥1,100; (2) organization of Japan's largest B2B consumer goods trade shows, including the Tokyo International Gift Show (semi-annual, 101st edition in Spring 2026 drew 226,166 visitors and 2,978 exhibitors), plus Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka regional shows, the Premium Incentive Show (PI Show), and the Gourmet Show; and (3) niche book and directory publishing (titles priced ¥1,650–¥33,000) covering gift marketing, trade show strategies, and industry reference materials. Supporting infrastructure includes the Gift Net digital portal (exhibitor/product directory) and the Buyer's Guide Book distributed at shows. The company is family-owned by the Haga family, with Haga Nobutaka serving as Representative Director and President, and Haga Hisue as Chairman. Its primary customers are gift manufacturers, wholesalers, and specialty retailers (exhibitors), plus corporate sales promotion agencies and gift buyers (PI Show attendees). International expansion began with the launch of Gift Show in Seoul in December 2024, with the second edition held in November 2025.

The company employs an event-driven B2B go-to-market model in which trade shows serve as the primary demand-generation and customer acquisition engine, while the magazine provides year-round industry engagement and a recurring subscription revenue stream. Distribution of publications runs through direct sales (phone/FAX/web), select bookstore partners (Maruzen, Junkudo, Coachan), and digital platforms (Fujisan.co.jp, Actibook). Strategic partnerships include Tokyo Big Site (primary venue for Tokyo shows), Sunshine City (PI Show venue), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (Tokyo Craftsmanship project), and Makuake (crowdfunding-to-trade-show bridge).

Name

Business Guide-sha

Legal name

株式会社ビジネスガイド社

Website

https://giftbook.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Business Guide-sha is a Japanese publishing and trade show operator founded in 1971, specializing in the gift distribution industry. It publishes the monthly magazine 月刊ぎふとPREMIUM, organizes Japan's largest B2B gift shows (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Seoul), and sells industry reference books to gift manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show & Publishing Services (Gift Industry B2B Media)

akta.pro primary industry

General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Humor, Gift & Specialty Format Books (Journals, Coloring, etc.) (MPAJAAAN), Trade Show Giveaways & Event Premiums (BPAFAMAG)

Keywords

• Gift industry publishing
• B2B trade show organization
• Consumer goods trade shows
• Trade magazine publishing
• Gift distribution media

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Magazine Publishing (月刊ぎふとPREMIUM): Monthly B2B trade magazine covering the gift distribution industry, sold via annual subscription (¥11,000/year) and single-copy retail (¥1,100/issue). Revenue also derives from advertising placements by industry companies.
2. Trade Show Exhibition Fees: Revenue from exhibitor fees charged to companies participating in the Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Fukuoka International Gift Shows, Premium Incentive Shows, Gourmet Shows, and other events organized by the company.
3. Book Sales: Sale of specialized books and reference publications on the gift distribution industry, trade shows, and marketing, sold via phone, FAX, and web order forms. Pricing ranges from ¥1,650 to ¥33,000 per title.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Business Guide-sha is a specialized B2B media and events company that publishes the long-running monthly trade journal 月刊ぎふとPREMIUM (Gift Premium), organizes the International Gift Show trade-show series (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, Seoul), and produces affiliated exhibitions such as the Premium Incentive Show and Gourmet Show. The company also publishes industry reference books, directories, and trade-buyers' guides, and operates the Gift Net digital platform for ongoing buyer-seller matchmaking in the Japanese gift-distribution industry.

Product overview

株式会社ビジネスガイド社 is a publishing company specializing in the gift distribution industry. The company operates a multi-faceted business comprising: (1) Publication of "月刊ぎふとPREMIUM" - a monthly trade magazine covering gift market trends, industry news, and business strategies since 1971; (2) Organization of major trade shows including 東京/OSAKA/京都インターナショナル・ギフト・ショー, プレミアム・インセンティブショー (PI Show), and グルメショー; (3) Publication of books including strategy guides on trade show utilization, gift marketing dictionaries, and industry histories; (4) Digital services including Gift Net portal site and バイヤーズガイドブック. The core platform is the monthly magazine combined with exhibition events, with publications and digital tools serving as complementary offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ギフト・ショー®: 日本最大級のパーソナルギフトと生活雑貨の国際見本市（®マーク登録）。東京、大阪、京都、ソウルで開崔。
• 月刊ぎふとPREMIUM
• ギフト・ニュース

Products and services

• 月刊ぎふとPREMIUM (Monthly Gifuto PREMIUM) Monthly B2B trade journal covering new gift and consumer-goods products, suppliers, and trade-show information for the Japanese gift-distribution industry, with annual subscription delivered by direct mail to specialty gift-shop buyers, department-store merchants, and industry decision-makers.
• Tokyo International Gift Show (東京インターナショナル・ギフト・ショー) Japan's largest B2B trade show for gift and consumer goods, held semi-annually in Tokyo for manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, retailers, and corporate buyers who exhibit and source via paid booth participation (roughly ¥300,000 per booth, tax incl.).
• Osaka International Gift Show (大阪インターナショナル・ギフト・ショー) Regional B2B gift and consumer-goods trade show held at Intex Osaka serving Kansai-region specialty retailers, department-store buyers, and gift-shop owners, with paid booth participation by gift manufacturers and wholesalers.
• Kyoto International Gift Show (京都インターナショナル・ギフト・ショー) Regional B2B gift and consumer-goods trade show held at Miyako Messe in Kyoto, serving Kyoto-area specialty retailers and gift buyers with exhibitor booths paid for by manufacturers and wholesalers.
• Premium Incentive Show (プレミアムインセンティブショー) Specialized B2B exhibition for premium, novelty, and corporate-gift products aimed at corporate sales-promotion and incentive-program buyers, held in Tokyo and positioned for the company's incentive and corporate-gift customer segment.
• Gourmet Show (グルメショー) Specialized B2B food-gift exhibition co-located with the Tokyo International Gift Show, focused on gourmet and edible-gift SKUs for retail and corporate buyers.
• Gift Show in Seoul (ギフト・ショー・イン・ソウル) International B2B gift and consumer-goods trade show launched in Seoul, Korea, extending Business Guide-sha's Gift Show brand to the Korean market with paid exhibitor booths for Japanese and overseas manufacturers targeting Korean retail buyers.
• Gift Net (ギフト・ネット) Digital B2B matchmaking platform that complements the International Gift Show series by providing an online exhibitor directory and buyer-seller sourcing resource for the Japanese gift and consumer-goods industry between trade-show editions.
• Gift News (ギフトニュース) Tabloid-format industry newspaper distributed free of charge at International Gift Shows and at the Business Guide-sha Ginza office, carrying exhibitor product news and trade-show updates.
• Successful Company Gift Show Utilization Strategy (成功企業のギフト・ショー活用法則) Industry reference book (trade publication) published in September 2025 documenting successful corporate utilization strategies of the International Gift Show, distributed by the publisher's direct-sales office and major Japanese bookstores including Amazon.co.jp and honto.
• Japan's Largest Consumer-Goods Trade Show: The Miracles of Creation and Evolution (日本最大級の消費財見本市 ギフト・ショー 創造と進化の軌跡) Trade-book publication launched in October 2020 chronicling the 50-year history and evolution of the International Gift Show, distributed through Amazon.co.jp, honto, and the Business Guide-sha office.
• Gift Sogo Meikan — Comprehensive Gift Directory (ギフト総合名鑑) Industry reference directory of gift and consumer-goods suppliers published by Business Guide-sha in September 2019, sold via the company web shop, Amazon.co.jp, honto, and digitally via the Actibook e-book platform.
• Zakkaryoku — The Power of Variety Goods (雑貨力 -ざっかりょく-) Industry book on marketing and selling variety (zakka) goods published by Business Guide-sha in April 2017, distributed via Amazon.co.jp, honto, and as a digital e-book on Actibook.
• Gift Marketing Terminology Glossary, Expanded & Revised Edition (ギフトマーケティング用語集 増補改訂版) Expanded and revised edition of Business Guide-sha's gift marketing terminology reference, first issued in May 2004 and sold via Amazon.co.jp, honto, and the Actibook digital-reading platform.
• The Person Who Created the Gift Show (「ギフト・ショー®」を創った人) Trade book published in April 2013 profiling the people behind the founding of the International Gift Show, distributed via Amazon.co.jp, honto, and the Actibook digital-reading platform.
• Gift Conquest Strategy (ギフトの攻略法) Industry book on gift-business strategy published in August 2018, distributed via Amazon.co.jp, honto, and the Actibook digital e-book platform.
• International Gift Show Trade-Show Guide Book (Buyer's Guide Book) Pre-show printed guide book issued for each International Gift Show, mailed in bulk to corporate sales-promotion departments and pre-registered trade buyers to support exhibitor discovery and booth visits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 226,166 visitors at the 101st Tokyo International Gift Show Spring 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tokyo Big Site (東京ビッグサイト)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTokyo Big Site is the primary venue for the Tokyo International Gift Show. Business Guide-sha organizes its flagship trade show events at Tokyo Big Site, with the venue playing a central role in hosting Japan's largest B2B gift trade show.
• Sunshine City (サンシャインシティ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSunshine City's Cultural Hall and Convention Center in Ikebukuro hosts the Premium Incentive Show (PI Show) and other related events organized by Business Guide-sha.
• Gift Net (ギフト Net®)coreTechnology or IntegrationGift Net is the company's proprietary digital platform and portal site that provides online product and exhibitor information, supporting pre-show and post-show business matching for trade show participants.
• Makuake (クラウドファンディングのMakuake)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for connecting crowdfunding campaigns with the trade show ecosystem, enabling exhibitors to validate and promote new products through the Makuake platform before exhibiting at gift shows.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Government / Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Tokyo Metropolitan Small and Medium Enterprise Promotion Agency (公益財団法人東京都中小企業振興公社) on the 'Tokyo Craftsmanship' (東京手仕事) project, which promotes traditional Tokyo-based craftsmanship through gift shows and dedicated exhibitions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Messe Düsseldorf: German global trade show organizer with strong consumer goods and lifestyle verticals. Operates a comparable events + venue partnership model and serves as another international benchmark for the B2B gift/lifestyle trade show format.
• Nikkei Inc. Japan's largest business media group combining journalism (Nihon Keizai Shimbun), publishing, and event organization (Nikkei Messe). Most direct Japanese peer for the publishing + B2B event combination, though at much larger diversified scale.
• Koelnmesse: One of the world's largest trade fair organizers (Cologne-based), with deep consumer goods and lifestyle verticals. Serves as a broader scale benchmark for the B2B trade show model Business Guide-sha operates within.
• Messe Frankfurt: German-headquartered global trade fair organizer with extensive consumer goods and lifestyle show portfolio (e.g., Ambiente). Operates in similar event verticals but at much larger international scale; positions Business Guide-sha's Tokyo Gift Show as a regional/Asian analog.

Direct peers

• Reed Exhibitions (RX): One of the world's largest B2B trade show organizers, operating hundreds of events across multiple verticals. Highly comparable architecture to Business Guide-sha — revenues from exhibitor fees plus complementary media, and a similar 50+ year brand trajectory in the events industry.
• Informa Markets: The B2B events and exhibitions division of Informa plc, organizing major trade shows globally and operating brands like Informa Markets Japan. Closely mirrors Business Guide-sha's combined events + publishing model, with substantially larger global scale.
• dmg events: International B2B trade show organizer operating shows in consumer goods, hospitality, and lifestyle verticals. Comparable model of monetizing exhibitor fees with regional show networks across multiple geographies.
• Clarion Events: UK-based B2B trade show organizer operating across multiple verticals and geographies. Direct comparable in revenue model (exhibitor fees) and event portfolio structure to Business Guide-sha's multi-show gift/lifestyle network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Business Guide-sha