hiroshi tanaka 
A business account in Tokyo rarely arrives when founders expect it. Most assume that once the company is registered, the bank follows automatically. In practice, the account often has to exist before the company does, since capital must sit somewhere before incorporation is final. This guide walks through where that catches people out, which banks … Read more
Shotengai investment is one of Tokyo’s most undervalued retail opportunities, sitting in plain view on nearly every neighborhood street in the city. What a shotengai actually is Tokyo contains hundreds of these streets. A shotengai is a style of Japanese commercial district, typically a local market street closed to car traffic, where small specialty shops … Read more
Tokyo angel investor culture is quieter than Silicon Valley, but the capital is real, the relationships are deep, and the window for foreign founders is wider than it has ever been. Why Tokyo angel investors are different Japanese venture capital and angel investors tend to be more conservative and relationship-driven compared to their Western counterparts. … Read more
Comic Market is where Japan’s independent creative economy becomes visible at its largest scale, drawing hundreds of thousands of people to a single waterfront venue in Tokyo over just 2 days. What Comic Market actually is Comic Market is a not-for-profit fan convention focused on the sale of doujin, meaning self-published, works. It is completely … Read more
Tokyo co-founder search is one of the first real tests a foreign entrepreneur faces in Japan, where trust and personal connection shape every serious business relationship. Why trust comes before the pitch Japan’s business culture places a high value on established relationships. Japanese venture capital firms tend to be more conservative and relationship-driven compared to … Read more
Kagurazaka ryokan operators hold a quiet discipline that most hospitality sectors admire but rarely replicate: the ability to absorb extreme seasonal pressure and still deliver service that feels effortless to the guest. August in Kagurazaka: 2 forces arrive together August marks the end of the rainy season in Japan and brings hot, humid conditions. Temperatures … Read more
The hanabi festival on the Sumida River has become more than a summer tradition. In 2026, it is a commercial battleground where brands compete for the attention of nearly 1 million spectators in one of Asia’s most concentrated consumer audiences. Why the hanabi festival draws such large crowds The Sumidagawa hanabi festival is Japan’s oldest … Read more
Underground malls in Tokyo carry the quiet logic of a city that has always built around necessity, and in peak summer, that necessity becomes impossible to ignore. Why Tokyo summers demand a different kind of city Tokyo’s summer heat is not ordinary city warmth. The urban heat island effect results in higher average temperatures and … Read more
Japan trademark law is more accessible to foreign founders than most people assume, and understanding the system correctly is the first step toward real protection in one of Asia’s largest markets. Why Japan trademark protection matters for foreign brands Japan operates a first-to-file system, meaning the first applicant usually prevails, regardless of prior unregistered use. … Read more
Tokyo and Seoul are bearing the brunt of a fierce global tech rout. Doubts about the real-world returns from artificial intelligence spending are rattling investors, while fresh hostilities in the Middle East are sending oil prices climbing and nerves fraying across Asian trading floors. A sharp selloff hits Asia’s tech-heavy markets Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei index … Read more
