NOTE Inc.
Re:generation
for the Future !
We re-edit the hidden value within Japan's living heritage,
transforming it into businesses that invest in a better future.
Track Record (Cumulative as of April 2026)
About NOTE Inc.
NOTE Inc. curates living culture and transforms it into businesses worth investing in for the future — breathing new life into historic buildings in small towns beyond the tourist circuit as inns, restaurants, and community spaces.
Founded in 2009 as a civic organization in Tanba Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, we began as a third-sector initiative dedicated to regional regeneration.
Anchored by the NIPPONIA brand, we have directly supported 108 communities across Japan (as of April 2026), with the NIPPONIA license network spanning over 30 regions.
Awards & Recognition
Minister of Internal Affairs
Town Planning Award
Support Entity
Our Philosophy
PURPOSE Raison d'être
Heritage in Motion, for Generations Ahead
We creatively translate the values embedded in Japan's rural culture, history, and everyday life,
opening a world where culture, economy, and society flow in living cycles — generating future capital for communities.
VISION The Future We Seek
A society where local living culture
flows as a source of both pride and vitality
Regeneration for the Future !
Going beyond conventional notions of revival, we pursue "Regeneration" — a living state in which communities continuously renew their inner strength.
We cultivate places and relationships that draw people back again and again, where profits are channeled back into culture, creativity, and new challenges — forming a self-sustaining flow we call Junkan (巡環).
MISSION Our Role & Strategy
Editing Local Wisdom into Future Capital
Starting from Japan's historic resources and vernacular living culture, we implement sustainable, distributed regional economies
through a process of "translation and curation" — architectural design, programming, and community development.
We nurture relationships that draw people back again and again, build systems that reinvest profits into culture and place,
and hand a richer future to the next generation.
VALUES — 5 Guiding Principles
Rooted in Living Culture
We find value not in markets or policies, but in the living culture, daily rhythms, and history of each place.
Creation as Curation
We do not freeze or demolish living culture — we re-weave its meaning to generate new value.
Walking Alongside, Creating Together
We do not lead from outside. We walk alongside each community's inner cultural vitality, building together.
Sustainability Through Structure
Rather than relying on sentiment or one-time events, we ensure continuity through systems and structure.
A Century's Perspective &
Responsible Capital
We make decisions with a hundred-year horizon, respecting the unmonetized value of living culture and taking responsibility for channeling capital back into communities' futures.
The Meaning Behind "Junkan" (巡環)
We use the character 巡 (jun, "to journey through") rather than 循 (the standard "cycle") to express not a closed loop, but a living flow — where value shifts form and deepens as it moves through people, places, and generations.
Junkan & Future CapitalWhat We Do
From regional design to operations and licensing — we provide seamless, end-to-end support across 6 integrated phases.
Regional Design
Designing communities through landscape
- NIPPONIA Landscape Assessment
- Landscape Master Planning
- Historic District Design Guidelines
- Regional Circulation Design
- Landscape-based Community Development for Municipalities
Consulting
Formulate strategy and guide decision-making
- Issue identification, strategy formulation, and recommendations
- Initial feasibility research
- Actionable community development business plans
- Seminars and workshop facilitation
- Reports, plans, and design proposals
Project Management
Execute and develop based on the plan
- Execution planning (project structure, WBS)
- Progress, quality, and budget management
- Fundraising support (via group companies)
- Architectural design (schematic, detailed, construction oversight)
- Leasing support
Finance
Raise and provide project funding
- FAS (Financial Advisory Services)
- Project Finance / SPC Formation
- Investor Reporting
- Investment Partnership & Fund Formation
NIPPONIA Commons Partners Inc.
Hotel Operations
Operate hospitality and accommodation facilities
- Hotel operations / Retail operations
- Travel agency / Soft content development
- Ownership model development
- Community development advancement
NIPPONIA Operations Inc.
Support & License
Ongoing partnership-style support
- NIPPONIA License
- Community development company support
- Hotel operations system development by local teams
- Case sharing and inter-regional network
NOTE Inc. and NIPPONIA — How They Work Together
NOTE Inc.
The company that designs, curates, and implements
NOTE surveys, designs, and implements community development projects using historic buildings and regional assets — from concept through operation, all under one roof. We curate the culture and stories of each place, designing sustainable economic cycles.
- Regional research / business planning
- Architectural design / renovation supervision
- Operational support / license provision
- Fundraising / organizational development support
to implement local projects
NIPPONIA
A place-making movement brand
NIPPONIA is a shared vision brand — not tied to any single company or locality. It embodies a common future toward which diverse communities across Japan can aspire, each with their own distinct identity.
- Shared brand values and worldview
- A vision diverse regions can reference
- Inheritance and revival of living culture
- Building a national network
Network Member Regions 30+
Communities that have joined the NIPPONIA network under its shared licensing framework.
Sasayama Castle Town Hotel NIPPONIA
A dispersed hotel woven from historic machiya townhouses scattered across the castle town of Tanba Sasayama.
NIPPONIA HOTEL Ise Kawasaki Merchant Town
A historic lodging experience set within an Edo-period merchant quarter that once thrived with river commerce.
NIPPONIA Kosuge Headwaters Village
A mountain village stay at the source of the Tama River, where the original rural landscape of Japan endures.
NIPPONIA Izumo Taisha Gate Town
An immersive stay in historic buildings preserved in the sacred gate town of Izumo Taisha Shrine.
NIPPONIA Nio Mirror Lake Town
Stay in a town that once flourished through salt production in the Edo era, reflected in its still waters.
NIPPONIA Tomonoura Harbor Town
A historic port town once celebrated as a vital maritime crossroads, where ships awaited favorable tides.
Over 30 regions in the national network
View All Network AreasPartners & Networks
Key Business Partners
Companies & Organizations View List
Municipalities & Government Agencies
Cities & Towns View List
Ministries & Agencies View List
Financial Partners
Regional Banks & Credit Unions View List
Policy Finance & Others View List
Media Features
Our History
Note (General Incorporated Association) Founded — NOTE Group's Inception /
Maruyama village Opens
Established in Tanba Sasayama, Hyogo Prefecture, as a third-sector organization 100% funded by the city. Launched community-building initiatives in the region.
Started as a community-development company involving NPOs and volunteers.
From Public-Led Town Planning to Private-Sector Implementation & Validation
Piloted a public-private sub-lease model at Hotel EN, Takeda Castle Town (Asago, Hyogo). Established our position as a pioneer in public-private collaboration and historic-building adaptive reuse.
· Zero-yen Designated Manager scheme · Sub-lease model
Japan's First Distributed Hotel "NIPPONIA" is Born
Under the National Strategic Special Zone framework, the first NIPPONIA opened in Tanba Sasayama — Japan's pioneering distributed hotel using restored historic buildings.
· Diversified business schemes · Finance models · Place-making brand development
NOTE Inc. Incorporated / Capital Alliance with JR West Group
Reorganized as a corporation to scale NIPPONIA nationwide. Accelerated national expansion through a capital partnership with JR West Group.
Contributed to the Revision of Japan's Hotel Business Act
As National Strategic Special Zone operators in Tanba Sasayama and Yabu (Hyogo), we validated the distributed hotel and whole-building rental models, contributing to the legal reforms that enabled nationwide adoption.
NIPPONIA Network Expands to 10 Regions Nationwide
The NIPPONIA network grew across Japan, achieving a community-building network spanning 10 regions.
NIPPONIA Network Surpasses 20 Regions
Through continued business growth, the community-building network expanded to over 20 regions across Japan.
Capital Alliance with MBS & Synergy Marketing / Membership Site Launched
New capital partnerships strengthened our media and digital capabilities. Launched the "Murabito (Villager from One Day)" membership program.
NIPPONIA License Network: 30+ Regions /
NOTE Direct Support: 108 Regions · 220 Buildings · 339 Rooms · 102 Stores
16 years since our founding, we have achieved a track record of 108 regions, 220 buildings, and 339 rooms through direct support (as of April 2026), forming a nationwide network.
Company Overview
| Company Name | NOTE Inc. (株式会社NOTE) |
|---|---|
| Representative | Takeshi Fujiwara, Representative Director |
| Established | May 2016 (Founded: February 2009) |
| Stated Capital | 100 million JPY (Approx. $618,000 USD) |
| Employees | 50 (including group companies and directors) |
| Head Office | 18-1 Nikai-machi, Tanba Sasayama, Hyogo 669-2331, Japan |
| Phone | 050-6877-6141 |
| Business | Community revitalization through adaptive reuse of historic buildings (NIPPONIA license business); architectural design and supervision |
| Licenses | Regional Revitalization Promotion Entity / National Strategic Special Zone Operator / Designated Housing Support Entity / Travel Agency Operator / Class 2 Architectural Office |
| Track Record | 108 regions · 220 buildings · 339 rooms · 102 stores (NOTE direct support, as of April 2026) NIPPONIA license network: 30+ regions |
| Related Sites |
NIPPONIA Murabito Membership NIPPONIA Official Reservations NIPPONIA Team Site |
Join Us in Shaping
Japan's Future Communities.
We are redefining what community development means in Japan, rooted in rural culture and living heritage. We value passion and purpose over credentials.
Get in Touch
Whether you're exploring a partnership, seeking consultation on a regional project,
or simply want to learn more — we'd love to hear from you.