Transforming Japan’s Hospitality Landscape: The Vision Behind Positive Dream Persons

Japan welcomed 37 million tourists last year and more than 10 million have already visited Japan in the first quarter of this year alone. What do you think makes Japan such a popular destination today?

Let me begin with a brief introduction of our company. We operate in six areas of business: hotels, restaurants, weddings, banquets, flowers, and consulting. In addition, we operate many restaurants for outside hotels. Our hospitality business, which we can operate professionally, is often chosen for its unique restaurant features.

Regarding the increase in inbound business, social media has had a significant impact. Information about Japanese culture, history, food, and safety is now shared in real time, greatly increasing global awareness. Japan has always had unique attractions, such as deep-rooted traditions, cleanliness, safety, and historical charm, but until recently, much of this was not well communicated internationally. Social media has made it more accessible.

In addition, the influence of social media has revitalized tourism outside of major cities within Japan. Japan's hidden culture and nature are now being communicated from local cities, and all of Japan has become a tourism resource that has led to the revitalization of a great deal of inbound tourism.

The entire industry, including our own business, is shifting its focus from simply increasing the number of visitors to increasing the amount spent per visitor. Travelers are no longer looking for more than just shopping.

In short, Japan's growing popularity is the result of real-time visibility brought about by social media, as well as a national effort by the public and private sectors to enhance the tourist experience and provide more authentic encounters with culture, cuisine, and lifestyle.

One of the major challenges to achieving Japan's goals for tourism, especially in the hospitality industry, is the shortage of labor. With Japan's aging and shrinking population, securing human resources remains a critical issue. While some companies are turning to automation, this is much more difficult for luxury brands, where human interaction and emotional value are essential. What strategies is your company implementing to address this labor shortage while maintaining the high standards required in hospitality?

Since COVID-19 began, the hospitality industry has become a less attractive career path, especially for the younger generation. However, hospitality is an essential profession. Because it is a profession that brings joy and comfort to people's leisure time, we have continued to actively promote the value and appeal of working in this field. We are committed to making hospitality a more attractive and rewarding career choice.

Recently, when opening a new restaurant in a regional city, we do not simply consider trends and demand, but rather conduct in-depth research on the culture and history of the area, and conduct in-depth marketing to open a new restaurant.

By doing so, we are able to contribute to the development of the city and develop attractive stores that will lead to urban development from hospitality.

In the past, we have turned the rooftop of an Osaka Castle neighborhood facility into a barbecue area in order to make it a tourist attraction in Osaka.

This kind of forward-thinking innovation is essential. If we truly want to attract and retain talent, we need to develop visionary leaders who can inspire staff and reshape the future of the industry, while celebrating the appeal of working in hospitality.

One of the pillars of your company is "Inspiration as a Service. In "The Emotions Business Formula," you explore the global potential of hospitality and the broad application of emotional technology in a variety of industries. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "emotion as a service" and how this concept differentiates your company's approach to business and the guest experience?

Positive Dream Persons specializes in re-creating existing assets and highlighting their inherent appeal in order to attract new attention and enhance their appeal. For example, we once consulted with a restaurant with a spectacular view. By redesigning the menu presentation and overall guest experience, we were able to reposition the restaurant and significantly increase its visibility and popularity.

The other is THE LANDMARK SQUARE OSAKA near Osaka Castle, which I mentioned earlier. The local government consulted us about making THE LANDMARK SQUARE OSAKA a more attractive location. We introduced the concept of rooftop dining, creating a sense of openness and novelty that resonated with visitors. Similarly, in Fukuoka, we provided consulting services for a historical building that was once owned by a local wealthy family and is now government property. By integrating dining and garden spaces, we transformed it into a beloved local destination.

Our belief is that inspiration can be intentionally designed.

Our roots are in the wedding industry, where one of life's most moving milestones takes place. Weddings are filled with love, gratitude, and a deep bond between couples, families, and friends. That emotional DNA carries over into everything we do, from hospitality, dining, events, and floral design. Our goal is not only to satisfy our guests. It is an emotional satisfaction where our guests are not only satisfied, but leave truly moved.

To ensure consistency in our dealings with all our customers, we have developed a standardized formula.

This approach centers around three core elements: memory, curves, and chain of events. We extract memories by not only listening to guests' preferences, but also by listening deeply to past disappointments and even difficult memories. We harness that dynamism by guiding guests through an emotional arc from negative to positive.

This is amplified by carefully chosen elements such as music, applause, and symbolic gestures. This sets off a chain reaction that enhances the overall experience.

For example, a wedding scenario for a bride with a strained relationship with her father might incorporate that emotional backstory, starting with a confrontation and leading to a meaningful reconciliation during the ceremony. The moment not only moves the bride and her father, but also creates a shared emotional experience for everyone present.

This philosophy extends to all aspects of our business, including hotels, restaurants, and weddings. Because to win true loyalty and bring people back, we need to create moments that move people's hearts. That is why we have systematized emotional design into a repeatable methodology that can be applied across all of our services.

Last year, there were fewer than 470,000 weddings in Japan, falling below 500,000 for the third consecutive year. This is a decrease of more than 100,000 cases compared to 10 years ago. How is your company responding to this major social change? Are you focusing on expanding your market share in existing markets, or are you developing new areas of diversification?

I am very glad that you have raised these important issues, because although the figure of 500,000 couples has been mentioned, in reality only about half of all couples in Japan hold their wedding ceremonies. Many couples do not have weddings for financial reasons.

Our goal is to encourage more couples to celebrate their weddings by communicating how meaningful and beautiful they are. The first step is to remind them of the emotional value of having a ceremony.

At the same time, we are leveraging our expertise in the wedding business and expanding horizontally into other areas such as lodging, restaurants, and experiential facilities. Through partnerships in this industry, we have been able to expand our emotional engagement model into new areas of hospitality.

Our goal is two-fold: first, to get more couples married by creating a truly engaging and memorable experience, and second to expand our business by applying the same emotional service principles to other industries. Through collaboration and emotional service, we hope to increase our presence in the hospitality industry and help revitalize Japan's wedding culture.

You mentioned that one of your company's flagship properties is Scapes, a boutique hotel with only a few rooms that stands by the sea in Hayama. It has been listed in the Michelin Guide and is one of the top-class inns in Japan. What do you think makes this brand unique? And what kind of experience can guests expect when staying there?

Scapes is a coined word that combines the words "landscape" and "escape" and represents our concept of providing a beautiful retreat away from the everyday. The hotel was built 18 years ago. At the time, inbound travel to Japan was still relatively limited, and we set out to create a hotel experience that would resonate with international travelers.

At the time, most hotels were chosen based on functional criteria such as price, size, location, and convenience. We wanted to go beyond functionality and focus on providing emotional value.

For example, in SCAPES THE SUITE, when you open the window, you hear the sound of the ocean. This is a surprisingly simple, yet deeply soothing sensory experience that leads to restful sleep. We also consciously chose to only serve breakfast, giving our guests the freedom to explore local dining options for la nch and dinner, encouraging a deeper engagement with the community.

Your stay itself is designed to be unhurried and luxurious. Check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out time is 1:00 PM.

Our original concept was to create a peaceful retreat for professionals, fund managers, executives, entrepreneurs, and others who are busy in Tokyo and want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Hayama is only an hour away from Tokyo, surrounded by nature and the sea, and is ideal for day retreats and weekend recharges.

Our primary clientele is not families, but individuals and couples, men and women, who are looking for some time to themselves. When we receive inquiries from families, we inform them that we do not provide beds for children.

We dare not compete with larger tourist destinations such as Atami or Hakone, which are well-known hot spring destinations and cater to a wider range of travelers. Instead, SCAPES THE SUITE is intentionally small and sophisticated. With only four rooms, it is able to offer personalized service and an intimate atmosphere centered on tranquility, ocean views, and an emotional connection with the environment.

For someone planning a 10-day trip to Japan (4 days in Tokyo and 6 days in the rest of the country), what destinations or experiences would you personally recommend to maximize their trip?

Good question. Today, generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini are increasingly being used to create travel itineraries and act as digital concierges. However, as a hospitality company, we believe it is essential to provide value that AI alone cannot deliver.

In the case of Tokyo, once you have explored the standard golden route, we recommend that you venture out to historical areas with a local flavor. Ningyocho, for example, still retains its old-fashioned downtown atmosphere. It is similar to Asakusa, but with fewer people, so you can feel closer to Japanese history and culture.

Beyond Tokyo, Kanazawa is a wonderful destination. Areas on the Sea of Japan coast, such as Toyama and Ishikawa, are especially famous for their excellent cuisine and abundance of fresh local produce. Izumo is also famous for its crab and local cuisine, especially for seafood lovers.

Japan's food culture comes alive in these regions. After exploring big cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka, you should definitely extend your visit to the countryside. For example, Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture is one of the holiest shrines in Japan, dedicated to Amaterasu. I myself visit the shrine once every 2～ 3 years and bring back a good luck charm.

Visiting shrines, temples, and historical buildings is a meaningful way to connect deeply with Japan's spiritual and cultural heritage.

If you were to return in 2031 to celebrate your 35th anniversary, what accomplishments and milestones would you look back on with pride?

Our vision at Positive Dream Persons is to "create a Japan filled with inspiration." Our vision is to "create a Japan overflowing with inspiration. We initially had our sights set on global expansion, but now we believe that Japan itself is our true foundation.

In Japan, many hospitality businesses are run by real estate developers. What truly adds value is engaging content and meaningful guest experiences. That's where we come in. Many hoteliers rely on us to design emotional and memorable experiences, including destination dining, curated events, and hospitality that goes beyond mere lodging.

As a trusted partner, we help them enhance the appeal and value of their hotels. Many hotel and restaurant owners do not have the in-house expertise to design this level of service. We don't just create the experience, we design the emotional arc of the guest's entire journey.

We also view our relationship with our guests holistically. While a wedding at a restaurant or hotel may be the first point of contact, we strive to create an ongoing journey that keeps the same guests coming back to our restaurants and hotels time and time again. It is important to build lasting relationships, not one-time transactions.

We fell hard during COVID, and it is my hope that by 2031, our 35th anniversary, we will have grown to annual sales well above pre-pandemic levels.

Our growth strategy is rooted in partnerships. We are currently consulting on rebranding for more than a dozen hotels, which often face the challenge of bringing their restaurants and services up to new brand standards, which is where our expertise really comes into play. We are frequently asked by hoteliers how we can improve the guest experience and create a stronger emotional connection.

Ultimately, we aim to be the "Intel Inside" of the hospitality industry, and with Positive Dream Persons' behind-the-scenes support, we hope our partner properties will shine brighter and connect more deeply with all their guests.

For more information, please visit our website: https://www.positive.co.jp