aoba, k.k.

What aoba, k.k. does

aoba, k.k. (株式会社あおば, operating as Aoba Group) is a privately held Japanese healthcare services company headquartered in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture. Founded in July 2001, the group operates three integrated service segments: osteopathic clinics (整骨治療院事業), salon/wellness services (サロン事業), and nursing care (介護事業). As of FY2022, the group reported consolidated revenue of 2.1 billion yen and 436 employees, with more than 60 directly operated locations spanning Kanagawa, Tokyo, Hokkaido (Sapporo), Okinawa, and Chubu (Aichi) regions.

The company's core product is pain relief and functional rehabilitation delivered through its proprietary Aoba-style trigger point methodology, originally developed by Representative Director and founder Obayashi Koji (尾林功二). This methodology is applied across multiple disciplines, including trigger point shiatsu, trigger point acupuncture, skeletal correction (a balance adjustment system of 219+ non-cracking manual techniques), physical therapy modalities, and trigger point beauty acupuncture. All clinical services are delivered by nationally licensed practitioners (柔道整復師, 鍼灸師, 按摩師). The salon segment adds women's-only specialty clinics, the GT stretch specialty retail chain (deep-muscle stretching), and beauty acupuncture salons. The nursing care segment provides functional-recovery daycare, rehabilitation hot-spring daycare, visiting acupuncture/massage, and child development support services (Yui).

The business model is direct-to-consumer retail-storefront service delivery. The group owns and operates all locations, primarily anchored in shopping malls, commercial complexes, and standalone buildings. Customer acquisition is location-driven and word-of-mouth; no franchise model is broadly indicated (one noren-wake experiment in 2018 aside). Revenue is generated through per-visit service fees, with insurance reimbursement applicable to osteopathic and nursing care services. The group structure includes 株式会社あおば as the primary operating entity, Aoba Medical Care Co., Ltd. (established October 2011) as a core operating subsidiary, and 株式会社あおばHD as an intermediate holding entity. No external funding rounds, institutional investors, or parent company are disclosed.

Name

aoba, k.k.

Legal name

株式会社あおば

Website

https://aoba-corp.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

aoba, k.k. (Aoba Group) is a privately held Japanese healthcare services group that operates 60+ directly owned osteopathic clinics, salon/wellness shops, and nursing care facilities across five Japanese regions, delivering proprietary trigger point-based treatment and rehabilitation to individual consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Osteopathic and Wellness Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Other Health Practitioners (6213), Offices of All Other Miscellaneous Health Practitioners (621399)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Home-Based Primary Care / Medical House Call Practices (HLAFAEAI)

Keywords

• Osteopathic treatment
• Trigger point therapy
• Acupuncture clinic
• Nursing care services
• Wellness salon services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kamakura

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Osteopathic Clinic Services: Revenue from providing osteopathic treatments including acupuncture, shiatsu massage, skeletal correction, and physical therapy. Operates over 60 clinic locations nationwide. National licensed practitioners (柔道整復師, 针灸師, 按摩師の国家資格) deliver services.
2. Salon and Wellness Services: Revenue from women's specialty clinics and GT stretch specialty shops. Services include postpartum pelvic correction, beauty acupuncture, and deep muscle stretching. GT stretch specialty shops are located in shopping centers.
3. Nursing Care and Elderly Care Services: Revenue from day care services (デイサービス), rehabilitation hot spring day care, visiting acupuncture/massage, and child development support services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

aoba, k.k. (株式会社あおば) operates the Aoba Group, a Japanese healthcare and wellness services provider running more than 60 directly operated osteopathic clinics, women's wellness salons (including the Shonan Mothers Beauty Acupuncture and GT stretch specialty brands), and nursing care facilities (day care, rehabilitation hot spring day care, home-visit acupuncture/massage, and children's development support) across Kanagawa, Tokyo, Sapporo, Okinawa, and Chubu. Services are delivered by nationally licensed practitioners using the group's proprietary Aoba-style Trigger Point methodology. Revenue is generated primarily through per-visit treatment fees and service charges across these three business segments.

Product overview

Aoba Group (あおばグループ) is a healthcare service provider operating three core business segments: osteopathic clinic services (整骨治療院事業), salon/wellness services (サロン事業), and nursing care services (介護事業). The company operates over 50 osteopathic clinics nationwide under various brands (あおば、AOB A, ひなた、あさひ etc.), offering proprietary trigger point therapy, skeletal correction, acupuncture, and physical therapy. The salon segment includes women's-only specialty clinics (湘南マザーズビューティ)和 GT stretch specialty stores. The nursing care segment provides daycare services, rehabilitation hot spring facilities, visiting acupuncture/massage, and children's development support services. The company was established in July 2001, operates 436 employees, and generated 2.1 billion yen in sales (2022).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GT (Stretch Specialty Store): Stretch specialty store focusing on shoulder and lower back pain, addressing deep muscle issues
• 湘南マザーズビューティ针灸整体院 (Shonan Mothers Beauty Acupuncture Salon)
• AQUA BEAUTE

Products and services

• Osteopathic Clinic Services (整骨院事業) Nationwide network of osteopathic clinics providing trigger point shiatsu, skeletal correction, trigger point acupuncture, and physical therapy. Treatments are delivered by nationally licensed practitioners (柔道整復師, 鍼灸師, 按摩師) and address pain at its source rather than merely suppressing symptoms. Services are targeted at individuals with pain, musculoskeletal disorders, sports injuries, and posture issues.
• Women's Specialty Clinics (女性専門院 / Shonan Mothers Beauty Acupuncture) Women-only clinics staffed entirely by female practitioners, offering postpartum pelvic correction, swelling improvement, beauty acupuncture, and holistic body care with midwives and nurses on staff. Designed for women from students to elderly with lifestyle-related concerns, body image concerns, and postpartum recovery needs.
• GT Stretch Specialty Stores (ストレッチ専門店GT) Stretch specialty chain located in shopping centers, targeting customers with chronic shoulder stiffness, lower back pain, and posture issues. Professional deep muscle stretching services reach deep-layer muscles that cannot be addressed through self-stretching or massage, delivered by body specialists with national qualifications.
• Nursing Care Day Services (介護事業 / あおばデイサービス) Day care services focused on functional recovery and improvement for elderly clients, including general day care in the Kamakura area providing functional training and rehabilitation support, and a specialized rehabilitation hot spring day care facility. Operated by nationally licensed physical therapists and acupuncturists using an Eastern medicine perspective to treat the body as a whole.
• Visiting Acupuncture and Massage Services (ひかり鍼灸マッサージ院) Home-visit acupuncture and massage service providing in-home healthcare for clients who cannot visit clinics. Enables continuity of care for mobility-limited elderly patients and complements the clinic-based nursing care offerings.
• Children's Development Support and After-school Daycare Yui (児童発達支援・放課後デイサービスゆい)

Quantifiable outcome

• 21億円の売上 (2022年度) — Revenue of 2.1 billion yen
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• パシスタスピリッツ（レバンガ北海道専属チアダンスチーム）minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAoba Group supports and cheers for Pacific Spirits, the official cheer dance team of Levanga Hokkaido (B.League professional basketball team), as part of community engagement activities.
• 鎌倉インターナショナルFCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAoba Group supports Kamakura International FC, a local football club, as part of its community engagement and regional contribution activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• フレアス (Fleas / Phase): Japanese visiting massage/healthcare service provider operating home-visit massage and acupuncture services. Directly comparable to Aoba's visiting acupuncture/massage (ひかり鍼灸マッサージ院) business, with a similar focus on licensed practitioner home care.
• GENKi (株式会社GENKi): Japanese chain of osteopathic/physical therapy clinics operating multiple locations. Directly competes with Aoba in the multi-clinic osteopathic segment with similar service offerings in trigger point therapy, skeletal correction, and physical rehabilitation.

Broad incumbents

• SOMPO Care (SOMPOケア): One of Japan's largest elderly care service providers, offering daycare, residential, and home care services. Comparable to Aoba's nursing care segment through overlap in daycare and elderly rehabilitation, though at much larger scale and as part of broader SOMPO Holdings.
• Nichii Gakkan (日医工): Major Japanese healthcare services company providing medical staffing, nursing care, and healthcare facility management. Broad incumbent with overlapping nursing care and elderly services comparable to Aoba's nursing care segment.
• Tsukui (ツクイ): Leading Japanese nursing care chain operating daycare, in-home care, and residential services. Comparable to Aoba's nursing care business, particularly the daycare and rehabilitation services, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Benesse Style Care (ベネッセスタイルケア): Major Japanese elderly care service provider within the Benesse Group, operating residential and daycare facilities. Comparable to Aoba's nursing care segment with established brand and broader service portfolio.
• Message Co., Ltd. (メッセージ): Japanese provider of elderly daycare services and child development support (児童発達支援). Directly comparable to Aoba's daycare and ひかり child development services (Yui), with overlapping functional recovery daycare offerings.
• Welbe (ウェルビー): Japanese provider of elderly care services specializing in dementia and rehabilitation support, with daycare and after-school programs. Comparable to Aoba's nursing care daycare and child development support businesses.

Emerging players

• RIZAP Group: Japanese wellness and personal training conglomerate offering body composition and beauty services. Comparable to Aoba's salon/wellness and beauty acupuncture segments, with a higher brand profile but different core focus (fitness vs. osteopathic).
• Curves Holdings (カーブスホールディングス): Japanese operator of women's-only fitness franchises targeting the 50+ demographic. Comparable to Aoba's women's wellness/salon segment and Shonan Mothers beauty acupuncture offering, with overlapping target customers in women's health.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 aoba, k.k.