NOTE Inc.
Regeneration
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. is a company that "curates living culture and transforms it into businesses worth investing in for the future."
In small villages and towns far from conventional tourist circuits, we breathe new life into historic buildings — converting them into inns, restaurants, and community gathering places. Our work keeps the living culture and traditions of each place alive for generations to come.
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 supported over 100 communities across Japan and built a wide-ranging network spanning more than 30 regions.
Awards & Recognition
Minister of Internal Affairs
Support Entity
Our Philosophy
PURPOSE Raison d'être
Passing the Living Culture Forward.
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 Regional Assets
based on Living Culture
into Future Capital.
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
We support community-based development across three integrated phases — from vision to lasting operation.
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, marketing, and operational support
Ongoing Support & Partnership
Sustained partnership for lasting impact
- Community development company support
- Hotel operations system development by local teams
- Hotel operations via group companies
- Monthly license support
- 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
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
Founded as Note General Incorporated Association /
Satomaru-yama Opens
Established as a third-sector organization with 100% investment from Tanba Sasayama City. Launched community revitalization initiatives.
Started as an NPO / volunteer-based community development company.
Shifting from Public-Sector Thinking to Private-Sector Implementation
Piloted a public-private sub-lease model at Hotel EN, Takeda Castle Town. Deepened expertise as a pioneer in heritage building adaptation.
● Zero-cost management scheme ● Sub-lease model
Japan's First Dispersed Hotel "NIPPONIA" is Born
The first NIPPONIA opened in Tanba Sasayama — Japan's pioneering dispersed hotel using traditional machiya townhouses.
● Diversified business models ● Finance model ● Place-making brand development
Incorporated as NOTE Inc. / Capital Alliance with JR West Group
Reorganized as a corporation to scale NIPPONIA nationwide. Accelerated national expansion through capital partnership with JR West Group.
Contributed to the Revision of Japan's Hotel Business Act
As a National Strategic Special Zone operator, our dispersed hotel and whole-building rental model contributed to national legal reform enabling nationwide adoption.
NIPPONIA Network Expands to 10 Regions Nationwide
The NIPPONIA network grew across Japan, achieving a community revitalization network spanning 10 regions.
NIPPONIA Network Surpasses 20 Regions
Through sustained business growth, the network expanded to 20 regions across Japan.
Capital Alliance with MBS & Synergy Marketing / Launch of Membership Site
New capital partnerships strengthen media and digital capabilities. Launched the "One Day Villager" (Murabito) membership platform.
NIPPONIA Network: 30+ Regions /
Track Record: 100+ Regions, 200+ Buildings, 300+ Rooms
16 years since founding. Over 100 regions, 200 buildings, and 300 rooms revitalized. A national network fully realized.
Company Overview
| Company Name | NOTE Inc. (株式会社NOTE) |
|---|---|
| Representative | Takeshi Fujiwara, Representative Director |
| Established | May 2016 (Founded: February 2009) |
| Capital | ¥100 million |
| 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 |
| 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.
A5 years
"Witnessing the moment a community reclaims its pride — that's what makes this work meaningful."
B3 years
"Deciphering the history held in a single beam — and designing its bridge to the future."
C2 years
"I love seeing the small but real ways local life is changing for the better."
D7 years
"Traveling across Japan, co-creating new value with communities — there's nothing else like it."
E4 years
"Designing a community's story and sharing it with the world — that's my purpose."
F6 years
"Building the systems that connect regions with industry from scratch — that's what excites me."
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.