Staple

What Staple does

Staple Inc. (株式会社Staple) is a Japanese privately-held place-making and hospitality company founded on November 5, 2018, operating what it describes as 'soft infrastructure' that connects urban, regional, and natural communities across Japan. The company, led by CEO Yuta Oka (formerly of Starwood Capital Group), runs an integrated portfolio spanning boutique hotels and ryokan (HOTEL K5, SOIL Setoda, SOIL Nihonbashi, SOIL Nagatoyumoto, Portside Inn Hakodate, A&A Okayama), a network of cafes, bakeries, bars, and restaurants (Parklet, CAFE DANCE, AKAI BAR, Switch Coffee, timsum, Homm, Meiji Park Market, Erb ice cream stand), and a cooperative coworking community branded 'Soil work' with locations in Nihonbashi, Akiya, Setoda, Nagatoyumoto, Ichinomiya, Izu, and Kyoto. Staple operates across at least six primary neighborhoods — Setoda (Onomichi), Nihonbashi (Tokyo), Hakodate, Nagatoyumoto, Akiya, and Okayama — plus special projects.

The company's go-to-market is community-led: it develops physical anchors (hotels, restaurants, coworking spaces) that convert tourists and remote workers into 'new locals,' recirculating economic activity within regional economies. Revenue is generated through direct hotel bookings, food and beverage transactions, and Soil work coworking memberships/subscriptions. Staple also monetizes its place-making expertise via wholly-owned subsidiary Shiomachi Kikaku Inc. (neighborhood development consulting for Setoda), a joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank called GOOD SOIL INC. (regional investment fund, 2025), and a JV called FERMENT (with Media Surf Communications and Haku) operating the K5 micro-complex in Tokyo. Customer segments include inbound tourists, urban remote workers seeking lifestyle diversification, local residents in target neighborhoods, and corporate group bookings.

The company employed 96 people as of December 31, 2025, is headquartered in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, and raised approximately $6.8M in June 2026 from investors including Chishima Land Co, Ikemori Venture Support, and Neko LLC. There are no public financials, no AI/ML or software product disclosed, and no patents or app products; revenue is generated entirely through physical hospitality, food service, workspace memberships, and place-making services.

Name

Staple

Legal name

株式会社Staple

Website

https://staplejp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Staple is a Japanese 'soft developer' that operates boutique hotels, restaurants, and cooperative coworking spaces across multiple Japanese neighborhoods to drive regional revitalization. It serves tourists, remote workers, and local communities by converting visitors into 'new locals' through place-making developments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Services

NAICS

Restaurants and Other Eating Places (72251), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Catering (Schools, Hospitals, Government) (THAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Boutique hotel operations
• Cooperative coworking spaces
• Regional revitalization services
• Hospitality and lodging
• Neighborhood development

Headquarters

HQ city

Onomichi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Hotel Operations: Staple operates boutique hotels and accommodations including HOTEL K5, SOIL Setoda, SOIL Nihonbashi, SOIL Nagatoyumoto, Portside Inn Hakodate, Azumi Setoda, and A&A Okayama. Revenue is generated through room rentals, with prices varying by property and season.
2. Restaurant and Cafe Operations: Staple operates multiple food and beverage outlets including Parklet (bakery/cafe), DANCE, CAFE DANCE, AKAI BAR, Switch Coffee, timsum, and various restaurant concepts. Revenue comes from dine-in service, takeout, and catering.
3. Cooperative Workspace (Soil work): Soil work provides co-operative workspace at multiple locations (Nihonbashi, Akiya, Setoda, Nagatoyumoto, Ichinomiya, Izu, Kyoto). Revenue model based on membership/usage fees for co-working facilities.
4. Neighborhood Development Services: Through subsidiary Shiomachi Kikaku Inc. and joint ventures, Staple provides place-making, community development, and urban revitalization consulting services, including facility planning, development, and management for local communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Staple operates a portfolio of boutique hotels, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and cooperative coworking spaces across multiple Japanese neighborhoods (Setoda, Nihonbashi, Hakodate, Nagatoyumoto, Akiya, Okayama, Kyoto). The company develops and runs these hospitality and community spaces as 'soft infrastructure' connecting urban professionals, local residents, and nature, while also providing neighborhood development and place-making consulting services through subsidiaries and joint ventures.

Product overview

Staple Inc. is a Japanese 'soft developer' — a hospitality and regional revitalization company — that operates a portfolio of distinct hotels, restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and cooperative coworking spaces across multiple neighborhoods in Japan. The portfolio includes: (1) accommodation properties — HOTEL K5 (Nihonbashi), A&A (Okayama), Portside Inn Hakodate, and SOIL Nagatoyumoto; (2) food and beverage venues — Parklet (café/bakery), Cafe DANCE, AKAI BAR, Homm, Herb Ice Stand Erb, Meiji Park Market with Parklet Kiosk and Baby J's, timsum, and Yellow House Kuruwa; (3) cooperative coworking spaces branded as SOIL work across multiple locations (Nihonbashi, Akiya, Izu, Ichinomiya, Kyoto Com-ion); and (4) cultural complexes C&C (Okayama) and SOIL Setoda. Staple also operates a cultural/art initiative (Arts Lane Hanatombo) and manages neighborhood development projects through subsidiaries. The offerings are individually branded and geographically distributed rather than a unified SaaS product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOIL: Cooperative community spaces operated by Staple that connect urban professionals with local and nature-based hubs. Includes SOIL Setoda, SOIL Nihonbashi, SOIL Nagatoyumoto, and Soil work locations.
• しおまち企画 (Shiomachi Kikaku)
• FERMENT
• GOOD SOIL INC.

Products and services

• HOTEL K5 Micro complex in Nihonbashi-Kabutocho, Tokyo, spanning hotel floors and ground-level food and beverage venues including Switch Coffee, caveman, Wine bar, Ao, and a Brooklyn Brewery beer hall. Planned and operated by FERMENT (Staple joint venture).
• SOIL Setoda Hospitality complex in Setoda, Onomichi, operated by Staple and its subsidiary Shiomachi Kikaku. Includes accommodation, food and beverage venues, a citrus juice stand, and supports broader regional revitalization efforts including Shiomachi Shotengai district development.
• SOIL Nagatoyumoto Riverside hot spring facility in Nagato, Yamaguchi, transformed from a long-established ryokan. Built around three themes: nature, food, and hot springs. Features river-view rooms, a cafe and restaurant, outdoor activity center, shop, and sauna.
• Portside Inn Hakodate One-group-per-day lodging near Hakodate Port, occupying an 1885 ferryman's shop building. Located in the historic Old Town blending Japanese and Western architecture, within walking distance of major Hakodate attractions.
• A&A (Artist and Architect) One-building rental accommodation in Okayama designed by contemporary artists and architects, launched by Ishikawa Cultural Foundation. Visitors can enter and experience the artwork, engaging with Okayama's local culture from a new perspective.
• C&C (Create & Connect) Cultural complex along the Asahikawa River in Okayama, repurposing a roughly 100-year-old building with four guest rooms and a creator residence. Creators engage in spontaneous creative activities and exhibitions inspired by encounters with local residents and travelers.
• SOIL Nihonbashi Multi-facility complex in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, centered around Horidome Children's Park within a 300m radius. Includes Parklet cafe and bakery, timsum standing-bar restaurant, Overview Coffee stand, and Soil Work cooperative office. Plans exist for a hotel building construction.
• SOIL work Cooperative coworking community operated by Staple that connects individuals who seek to improve society by maximizing cultural and environmental capital alongside economic capital. Extends beyond central urban locations to link community members with local and nature-based hubs across Japan.
• Soil work Akiya Cooperative community on a hill overlooking the Kuruwa coast in Akiya, Kanagawa. Features a gymnasium, edible garden, and shared kitchen. Users commute from central Tokyo locations such as Nihonbashi.
• Soil work Izu Cooperative coworking space within SANU 2nd Home Izu 1st in Shizuoka. Available exclusively to SANU Izu 1st overnight guests and Full Members. Designed for those who want a comfortable, productive work environment amid nature.
• Soil work Ichinomiya Cooperative office within SANU 2nd Home Ichinomiya 1st in Chiba Prefecture, positioned as a nature-centric hub. Allows visitors to enjoy the sea and work in a relaxed environment where time flows at a leisurely pace.
• Soil work KYOTO Com-ion Cooperative coworking space within Com-ion, a mixed-use complex in Higashiyama, Kyoto, renovated from a 110-year-old machiya. Features all-day dining, a cafe and shop, and a ceramics studio. Aims to foster natural gatherings across generations.
• Parklet Cafe and bakery brand operated by Staple, known for sourdough bread made from natural ingredients. Located within SOIL Nihonbashi (Parklet facing Horidome Children's Park) and at Meiji Park Market.
• CAFE DANCE Cafe within the K5 complex in Nihonbashi, serving homemade waffles for breakfast and brunch, and natural wines and tapas for all-day evening dining.
• AKAI BAR Red cocktail bar within the K5 complex in Nihonbashi, themed around fictional character 'Akai-san.' Serves standard cocktails with a focus on Japanese whiskey and gin.
• timsum Standing-bar style restaurant within the SOIL Nihonbashi complex, offering shumai made with Setoda lemons and serving wine and craft beer. Located on the second floor diagonally across from Commissary.
• Homm Small cafe-restaurant in Hakodate's Motomachi district, set within a historic building. Offers house-made dishes using Hokkaido ingredients, Scandinavian-style waffles, coffee, and natural wine.
• Meiji Park Market Market at Tokyo Metropolitan Meiji Park featuring Parklet, Parklet Kiosk (sourdough bakery cafe), and Baby J's (buttermilk fried chicken specialty shop), surrounding a public dining space. Designed as a community-oriented place where visitors can dine, rest, and relax.
• Herbal Ice Stand Erb Ice cream stand in Meguro, Tokyo, adjacent to Ladies' Clinic Naminami. Features seasonal ice cream flavors made with herbs, spices, and citrus, along with specialty coffee and herbal tea.
• Yellow House Kuruwa Cafe near Kuruwa Beach in Akiya, offering coffee, sandwiches, and Erb's ice cream. Owned and operated by local friends as a community gathering and relaxation space.
• Arts Lane Hanatombo Art space combining a gallery and flower studio in Akiya, Kanagawa. Hosts exhibitions and sales of contemporary artworks and fresh flowers, and proposes contemporary art for businesses and homes, with ocean views.
• Neighborhood Development Services Through subsidiary Shiomachi Kikaku Inc. and joint ventures, Staple provides place-making, community development, and urban revitalization consulting services, including facility planning, development, and management for local communities.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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.

• FERMENT (Media Surf Communications inc., Haku inc., Staple inc.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019Joint venture established November 2019 to develop and operate K5 micro-complex in Nihonbashi. FERMENT is a collaboration between three companies conceiving urban and local through food, people, and hospitality. Currently operates HOTEL K5 with vision of 'REVITALIZE THE CITY' — creating unique culture and community from this location.
• SANU Inc. (株式会社Sanu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for Soil work locations within SANU 2nd Home developments. Includes Soil work Ichinomiya (Chiba) and Soil work Izu (Shizuoka). SANU operates '2nd Home' lifestyle properties; Staple provides cooperative workspace operations within these locations, enabling nature-centric work experiences.
• Shiomachi Kikaku Inc. (株式会社しおまち企画)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary company leading neighborhood development for Setoda's Shiomachi Shotengai district. Established to pursue '住みたいまち、しおまち' (lovable Shio-machi) through workshops, empty house renovation, and mixed-use unit development combining commercial and residential spaces. Staple subsidiary founded August 2022.
• Terasu (Terrain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative studio based in Tokyo and California focused on kitchenware production and self-publishing. Co-founded Terrain initiative with Staple to gather producers, chefs, designers, and artists sharing values to draw out local climate through food perspective. May operate coffee roasters, restaurants, or independent shops within SOIL developments.
• Ishikawa Cultural Foundation (石川文化振興財団)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation that launched A&A project in Okayama City in 2019. A&A is accommodation designed by Artist (contemporary art creators) and Architect pairs. Buildings are like public art installations in the area. Staple involved in development of these unique artist-architect collaborations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• NOT A HOTEL: NOT A HOTEL designs and operates membership-based, architect-designed vacation properties in distinctive Japanese locations. It targets a similar affluent, design-conscious customer segment seeking authentic regional experiences, but focuses on vacation-home rather than continuous community/workspace integration.

Direct peers

• SANU Inc. SANU operates a '2nd Home' subscription-based lifestyle property network across Japan. Staple is a strategic coworking operator inside SANU properties, and the two share the underlying thesis of urban-rural lifestyle bridging. Highly comparable in target customer and lifestyle philosophy.
• Onomichi U2: Onomichi U2 is a converted-warehouse complex in Onomichi, Hiroshima (the same city as Staple's Setoda neighborhood) combining a hotel, cycling terminal, restaurants, and retail into a single community hub. It pioneered the 'converted space as neighborhood anchor' model that Staple has expanded on with SOIL Setoda.
• UDS Ltd. UDS is a Japanese design-led hospitality and place-making company that plans, designs, and operates hotels, shared offices, commercial facilities, and shared houses. Like Staple, UDS integrates design, hospitality, and community concepts into multi-format neighborhood developments, making it the closest direct peer in terms of business model and philosophy.

Broad incumbents

• Tokyu Resorts & Stays: Tokyu Resorts operates resort hotels and regional accommodations across Japan as part of the broader Tokyu Group. As a broad incumbent with regional properties, it competes for similar leisure travel demand and represents a potential acquirer or strategic partner for regional hospitality portfolios like Staple's.
• WeWork Japan: WeWork operates large-scale flexible coworking spaces across Japan. While Staple's Soil work brand is small and location-driven rather than city-center scale, both compete for remote workers and coworking members, particularly in the Tokyo market where Soil work Nihonbashi operates.
• Hoshino Resorts: Hoshino Resorts is Japan's largest boutique hotel operator with brands like HOSHINOYA and RISONARE across regional Japan. While it operates at much greater scale and does not pursue Staple's integrated coworking/neighborhood development model, it directly competes in the regional boutique hotel category Staple's properties address.

Others

• Relux: Relux is a Japanese boutique and luxury hotel booking platform curating distinctive independent properties. While not a direct competitor, Staple's properties are distributed through similar channels, and Relux represents both a potential distribution partner and a competitor benchmark for boutique hotel positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/staple__inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

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 Staple