Crafting Unforgettable Experiences in Hospitality

After the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan's tourism sector is making a strong recovery. In 2024, Japan welcomed 36.8 million inbound foreign travelers, and that number is expected to increase to 40 million in 2025. The Japanese government has set an ambitious goal of reaching 60 million visitors by the end of the decade. From your perspective as a hospitality business, what do you think makes Japan such an attractive destination for foreign travelers?

Japan is blessed with stunning natural scenery that changes with the seasons, offering landscapes and experiences unlike anywhere else in the world. For example, in winter, Mt. Fuji is beautifully covered in snow. In addition, Japan has a long and rich history and tradition centered around the Imperial family. Because the country has never been invaded by foreign powers, Japan has preserved its unique culture and history. As a result, the Japanese people, having been taught from an early age, have cultivated a national character that is calm, generous, flexible, and open to others—deeply rooted in society.

Of course, one cannot overlook washoku—Japanese cuisine. Throughout the country, there are many dishes that foreign tourists could never even imagine, often using ingredients unique to Japan. This rich food culture provides travelers with truly once-in-a-lifetime culinary experiences.

Japan is also widely recognized as one of the safest destinations in the world, allowing travelers to visit with peace of mind. Nowadays, Japan’s unique experiences are shared through social media (SNS), allowing even those who have never visited to learn about and become interested in Japanese culture and attractions. This is generating new enthusiasm among potential travelers. In addition to its traditional aspects, cities like Tokyo are massive and stimulating urban centers. They offer a different kind of experience compared to cities like New York or London. In Tokyo, visitors will notice how deeply rooted tradition and cutting-edge modernity coexist in a harmonious and appealing way. This dynamic fusion of future and tradition is something truly unique that Japan offers to the world.

The reason why Japanese tourism is loved globally goes beyond famous landmarks or culinary culture. I believe the essence lies deeper—in the "beauty of harmony and space" woven by people and time. It is the "richness in silence," the "respect conveyed through a bow," the spirit of hospitality that anticipates others’ needs even in their absence, the culture of "momentary beauty" that finds beauty even in the fleeting bloom and fall of cherry blossoms, and the architectural appreciation of "the design of light and shadow, and the use of ma (space)." These invisible charms of Japan—its cultural intelligence and aesthetic sensibility—are what truly attract the world. They are unique values that can only be experienced in Japan, delivered as hospitality felt through all five senses.

Although the number of tourists is at an all-time high, Japanese society as a whole is facing major challenges. One is population decline, characterized by rapid aging and a shrinking domestic market. Another notable trend is the decreasing number of marriages—last year, the number of marriages in Japan fell below 500,000 for the first time in history. Given the nature of your business, how have these social changes affected your company? And what measures have you taken to overcome these challenges?

Considering the decline in weddings, marriages, and consequently the number of children, the situation is indeed challenging. However, if we focus specifically on weddings themselves, there is still strong demand for traditional-style ceremonies. Japanese couples continue to prefer holding weddings at traditional hotels and formal venues.

In many overseas markets, it is common to hold casual-style weddings in parks or private gardens, but Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on properly hosting guests. It is customary for guests to bring a monetary gift of between 30,000 and 50,000 yen, and in return, couples feel a responsibility to provide appropriate hospitality. This tradition reinforces demand for formal services and established venues.

This is the format we have consistently built and maintained, and to realize this, we focus on operating high-quality facilities and branded hotels. Additionally, to flexibly respond to changing times, we are the only company in Japan to internally produce all wedding content, including attire, beauty, photography, and video. By actively and continuously investing in both hardware (facilities) and software (products), as well as in people (hospitality), we are strengthening our competitive advantage as a company.

As a result, we have developed a unique wedding business portfolio under what we call an "all-encompassing wedding strategy," capable of meeting every need—from traditional Japanese weddings to photo weddings, and from small-scale to large-scale ceremonies. We take pride in the fact that the foundation of all this is a rational system we have built over many years through challenge, accumulation, and development, one that achieves both customer satisfaction and business profitability. In other words, even if the overall market contracts, strong players will gradually consolidate, while weaker ones will naturally be weeded out.

Looking more broadly at Japanese society, over the past 15 years it has experienced long-term deflation, during which many people were content with stable prices. When former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power, he introduced Abenomics, initially focusing on promoting exports and Japan’s high-quality manufacturing sector. A strong yen supported these efforts, enabling Japan’s cities to expand. However, this growth often came at the expense of rural areas, which began to decline.

Around that time, the idea of shifting focus from exports to inbound tourism emerged. Today, we are seeing the results of those policies. With the yen at a historically low level, Japan has become an even more cost-effective destination for foreign travelers. This shift is opening up new opportunities, especially for companies like ours that are deeply involved in hospitality and tourism.

The wedding business has traditionally been at the core of your operations, but according to our research, your company is now aiming to become a major player in the broader hospitality sector. One of the strategies you have pursued is business expansion through M&A, and more recently, we’ve seen moves such as becoming the operator of the Kaimana Beach Hotel in Honolulu. As you work toward your goal of becoming a top hospitality company, how are you shifting the focus of your business? Also, what role do you see M&A playing in your future strategy?

We are currently located next to the Hotel InterContinental Tokyo Bay, which we have been operating since 2012. When we first took over, the situation was extremely difficult—most of the guests were Japanese, and the facility itself was in poor condition. The previous owner wanted to offer bridal services at the hotel but lacked the expertise to properly manage events. Initially, they asked for my support, but eventually, they asked us to acquire the hotel, including all of its debts.

I understood that the success of the bridal business relies heavily on communication with couples. Typically, it takes about a year from the initial idea of getting married to the actual wedding day, during which many meetings and customized services are required. For these couples, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so the quality of service must be extremely high.

At that time, I realized something important. If we applied the same level of service, hospitality, and entertainment that we offer in our bridal business to other aspects of the hotel—such as restaurants and banquets—we could transform the business. On weekdays, we successfully hosted banquets, business parties, and various gatherings in our banquet halls and restaurants, and on weekends, we held weddings. This approach allowed us to revitalize the entire hotel and generate profits. Our mission is to “produce scenes where people gather.” By utilizing all available “time” and “space” to create value in settings where people come together—such as weddings, banquets, and celebrations—I became confident that by merging banquets and hotels, we could expand into a much larger business.

Today, I describe our company as one that operates both in weddings and the hospitality industry. The Hotel InterContinental Tokyo Bay was our first major acquisition, but since then, we have expanded with properties such as The Strings Hotel Tokyo InterContinental in Shinagawa, Kimpton Shinjuku Tokyo, and The Strings Hotel Nagoya, which we built from scratch ten years ago. Furthermore, in April of this year, we opened a new hotel: the ANA Holiday Inn Tokyo Bay.

On an international level, before COVID-19, many Japanese couples preferred to hold their weddings in destinations like Hawaii and Bali. We have been investing in the U.S. (Hawaii) for 25 years, but the pandemic and the weak yen have led to a decrease in overseas weddings. Despite these challenges, I had long dreamed of owning a hotel in Hawaii. Due to limited space and heavy regulations near Waikiki Beach, building a new hotel was impossible. However, last year, by a stroke of good fortune, that dream came true when we were able to acquire the Kaimana Beach Hotel in Honolulu.

Currently, we operate hotels in Hawaii and Seattle. In May 2025, we acquired a company that owns a 252-room hotel in Dallas, Texas. Furthermore, we plan to actively proceed with hotel development in the United States and other areas.

Although inbound demand is increasing within Japan, it remains a small island nation with a limited market size. Because we have a solid foundation in the bridal business, we are able to actively pursue challenges in the hotel business and expand overseas. It also enables us to pursue new challenges in the wedding business both domestically and internationally. With this diversified business portfolio, we aim to respond to the changing times flexibly and boldly.

Looking ahead, are you seeking additional partnerships—particularly in overseas markets—to support and accelerate the international growth of your business?

Our company owns a wedding venue in Bali, situated atop a cliff 200 meters above sea level overlooking the Indian Ocean. In the past, it was primarily Japanese couples who held weddings there, but the situation has changed. Today, not only local Indonesian couples but also a growing number of Australian couples are choosing the venue—thanks to Bali being just a three-hour flight from Australia.

Moreover, diversity is increasing, with couples from Singapore, Malaysia, and even India now holding weddings at the venue. This is an interesting shift. Similarly, in Hawaii, we are also seeing a rise in local couples choosing our services, reflecting an expanding customer base.

As international weddings are expected to continue expanding—due in part to the borderless nature of information—we are confident that our rational wedding systems, ability to create value from time and space (our marketing capabilities), and strength in hospitality will see growing international demand. Should the opportunity arise, we are eager to actively expand our partnerships.

You’ve been expanding into real estate around Waikiki Beach through Best Resorts LLC. You’ve also shown interest in commercial real estate, recently purchasing property adjacent to the Kimpton Palladian Hotel for 6 million USD. Beyond the hospitality business, in what direction does Tsukada Global Holdings Group plan to expand its operations in the future?

Unfortunately, I am unable to share much information on this matter at this time. However, we do plan to launch an entertainment business that will be built upon an already established foundation. In this field, we are open to establishing joint ventures with global partners. A formal announcement is scheduled in the near future, so please stay tuned.

Imagine we come back on your final day as president to conduct this interview once more. By that time, what goals or dreams would you like to have achieved?

When I was young, I had three dreams. After graduating from university, I began working in the wedding industry in 1968. Since then, I have remained in the same field and accumulated 57 years of experience. Today, I may be the longest-serving active professional in the wedding industry.

As for the three dreams—first, to own a café on the streets of Omotesando; second, to own a hotel in Shinjuku; and third, to own a hotel in Hawaii. I’m grateful to say that I have now achieved all three.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of our company’s founding. Looking ahead, my goal is to operate hotels that make meaningful contributions to society and support the company’s sustainable growth. This is not just about pursuing financial gain, but also about developing strong talent capable of leading the company for the next 100 years.

As we enter a more international era—especially with the increase in overseas visitors—we are actively considering appointing executives with deep global insight, without being limited to Japanese leadership, in order to further accelerate our hotel strategy and drive sustained growth. For our wedding business, which primarily serves Japanese clients, it remains important to have Japanese management.

My hope is to continue overseeing the company’s overall direction as president, while entrusting each division to capable leaders who can elevate their fields to new heights, thereby laying a strong foundation for a company that will endure for a century.

For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.tsukada-global.holdings/en/