tono

What tono does

tono Inc. (株式会社tono) is a Japanese regenerative architecture firm founded in June 2016 by Representative Director Tsukasa Ono and headquartered at Sumu Yakushima on Yakushima island, southern Japan. The firm designs buildings and interior spaces across hotels, residences, offices, schools, and public venues using a methodology it terms 'Regenerative Architecture' — a design philosophy that integrates soil fungi and microorganisms into spatial design so that buildings contribute positively to natural cycles rather than merely minimizing environmental harm. This approach is operationalized through what Ono calls 'Bacteria Architecture' (菌築家) and supported by a basin-scale design philosophy that considers entire watersheds from mountains to sea.

The firm operates as a project-based professional services practice with three primary revenue streams: full architectural and spatial design for hotels, residences, and offices; nature-coexistence consulting plus interior and furniture design; and a subscription-based spatial design advisory service priced from 150,000 yen per month. Customer acquisition is via direct engagement, portfolio-driven inbound, and referrals, with no intermediary distribution. Named clients span government (Ishikawa Prefectural Library), enterprise (bitFlyer Corporation, Shizen Energy), and education (SWING Academia, The Montessori School of Tokyo), indicating a deliberately diversified segment mix.

Since 2022, tono has accumulated 31 international design awards, including the 2026 Architizer A+ Awards Jury Winner in 'Best in Sustainability Firm,' the 2023 iF Design Award GOLD, the 2020 Good Design Award, and selection to the Forbes Next 100 list of companies 'that will save the world.' The firm is registered as a Kabushiki Kaisha with capital stock of 3,000,000 yen, is founder-owned with no disclosed external investors, and serves a global client base from its Yakushima base under a single-principal practice structure.

Name

tono

Legal name

株式会社tono

Website

https://to-no.me

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

tono is a Japanese regenerative architecture firm founded in 2016 by Tsukasa Ono, designing hotels, residences, offices, and public spaces that integrate soil microorganisms to enrich natural ecosystems and deepen human-nature relationships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Interior Design Services (541410), Residential Remodelers (236118)

SIC

Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK)

Keywords

• Regenerative architecture design
• Spatial design services
• Biophilic interior design
• Renovation consulting services
• Sustainable architectural design

Headquarters

HQ city

Yakushima

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. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural and spatial design for hotels, residences, offices, and commercial spaces. Projects include new construction and renovation, with fees typically based on project scope and scale.
2. Consulting Services: Nature-coexisting architecture and space consulting, plus spatial design advice services billed monthly from 150,000 yen.
3. Interior and Furniture Design: Interior coordination and furniture design services as part of comprehensive space design packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

tono is a regenerative architectural design office that designs ecosystem-focused buildings and interior spaces using fungi and soil microorganisms to create environments where humans and nature coexist positively. The firm offers comprehensive architectural design, spatial design (hotels, residences, offices), renovation consulting, interior and furniture design, and monthly spatial design advisory services starting from 150,000 yen.

Product overview

tono (株式会社tono) is a regenerative architectural design office offering a unified portfolio of services centered on 'Regenerative Architecture' — designing spaces that utilize microorganisms and natural elements to create positive relationships between humans and nature. The core offering combines architectural design, spatial design (for hotels, residences, offices), renovation consulting, interior and furniture design, and spatial design advisory services. All projects emphasize sustainability, use of natural/local materials (particularly Yakushima cedar and soil), and the integration of natural systems. The firm is based in Yakushima, Japan, and has received multiple international design awards including the iF Design Award GOLD (2023) and Architizer A+ Awards Jury Winner (2026).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regenerative Architecture Design Architectural design service that utilizes fungi and soil microorganisms to create environments where humans and nature coexist positively. Buildings are designed to contribute to natural regeneration rather than merely reducing environmental impact. For enterprise clients and individual homeowners.
• Spatial Design for Hotels, Residences, and Offices Comprehensive space design services for hotels, residential properties, and commercial offices, incorporating natural materials and regenerative principles. Targets hospitality developers, homeowners, and corporate clients.
• Renovation Consulting Consulting services for renovation projects that transform existing spaces while maintaining harmony with nature and sustainable principles. For homeowners, property developers, and institutions undertaking building renovations.
• Interior and Furniture Design Interior design and custom furniture design services that complement architectural spaces with natural materials and thoughtful details. Targets both residential and commercial clients seeking nature-integrated interiors.
• Spatial Design Advisory Services Recurring monthly consulting service providing spatial design advice starting from 150,000 yen per month, negotiable based on project scope. For clients seeking ongoing nature-coexisting architecture and space consultation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 31 international design awards received since 2022
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Moss Guide ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental consulting partnership for Sumu Yakushima project. Yuki Imamura from Moss Guide Club provided environmental expertise for the regenerative architecture project.
• ENERGY MACHIZUKURI-SHA INC.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitect and energy consulting for Sumu Yakushima. Masayoshi Takeuchi provided energy expertise for the regenerative project.
• WAKUWORKSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTomonari Waku from WAKUWORKS served as architect and landscape consultant for Sumu Yakushima project.
• Hisaki Kato Lighting & Design Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLighting design consulting for Sumu Yakushima project, providing expertise in creating atmosphere through illumination.
• POINT Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBen Nagaoka from POINT Inc. collaborated on furniture design for Sumu Yakushima project.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Snøhetta: Norwegian architecture and design practice widely recognized for sustainability-led projects across hospitality, cultural, and public sectors. Directly comparable to tono as a design firm whose brand is built on environmental integration and award-winning built work.
• Heatherwick Studio: London-based design studio creating nature-inspired, materially distinctive buildings and public spaces with strong international awards record. Comparable to tono in its narrative-driven, regenerative, and award-validated approach to architecture.
• Studio Mumbai (Bombay Design Centre): India-based architecture practice known for craft-driven, materially grounded, nature-integrated buildings. Comparable to tono in its emphasis on local natural materials, biological/place-based design, and award-recognized built work.
• Studio Gang: Chicago-based architecture practice recognized for biophilic, nature-inspired design and award-winning cultural and public buildings. Comparable to tono in its focus on deepening human-nature relationships through architecture and its strong awards profile.
• Shigeru Ban Architects: Award-winning Japanese architecture firm known for innovative use of natural and unconventional materials across cultural, residential, and disaster-relief projects. Comparable to tono as a Japanese, sustainability-oriented, materially innovative practice.
• MAD Architects: Beijing-led architecture firm producing award-winning nature-inspired and culturally rooted buildings globally. Comparable to tono in its Asia-base, narrative-led, regenerative-influenced design practice with strong awards recognition.
• Kengo Kuma & Associates: Tokyo-based architecture firm known for designs emphasizing natural materials (notably wood) and contextual connection to nature. Comparable to tono in its Japanese origin, material-driven regenerative sensibility, and portfolio across hospitality, education, and cultural buildings.
• Sou Fujimoto Architects: Tokyo-based experimental architecture firm designing nature-permeable spaces across residential, cultural, and hospitality typologies. Comparable to tono as a Japanese design-led practice with international recognition and a nature-centered design philosophy.
• Werner Sobek: Stuttgart-based engineering and architecture firm focused on sustainable, zero-emission, and regenerative building design. Comparable to tono as a regenerative-design specialist pursuing architecture that contributes positively to environmental systems.

Emerging players

• Vincent Callebaut Architectures: Paris-based architecture firm specializing in regenerative, biomimetic, and nature-positive building proposals. Comparable to tono as a niche regenerative-architecture specialist, though typically working at speculative/competition stage rather than built work.

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/tkka_n

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 tono