Mission & Why — Taketombo

Our mission

Mission

— Promote the best of Japan's crafts and historic towns to visitors seeking authentic Japan craft experience.

— Energise aging rural towns. Bring new traffic to towns through quality experiential tourism and cultural exchange, one town at a time.

— Channel new ideas and international dialog into new products and craft development between global designers and Japanese craftsmen.

— Decentralize traffic, resources and investment from Tokyo and Kyoto to smaller regional craft towns.

— Build "craft destination" identities for rural towns.

— Protect and continue craft legacies.

Why your participation matters

Words from a
Social Innovation Entrepreneur

ソーシャル・イノベーション・アントレプレナーからのメッセージ

Why is your participation important?

Soon after the pandemic ended, Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto were immediately jam-packed with in-bound travelers.

Overtourism aside, peering through the glamorous tourist destinations, the country in reality is facing serious declining population and stagnant economy. This has had a profound impact on the labor force, the economy, and the sustainability of the medical insurance and pension systems. While resources and investments continue to concentrate in urban centers, rural communities are in urgent need of new avenues for revitalization — and even survival.

Deep-dive into the heart of Japan and drive social impact through travel.

Three problems. One response.

Japan's population declines steadily since 2008. By 2060, the population over age 65 is projected to reach 40%. Rural areas decline far faster than cities — and the traditional crafts that define these communities are disappearing with them.

40% of Japan's population over 65 by 2060

An aging, shrinking population

Japan's rural towns are losing their younger generations to cities. What remains is an aging community — fewer hands to continue the crafts, the businesses, and the cultural practices that defined these places for centuries. When the last craftsman retires with no successor, the knowledge is gone.

8M+ abandoned homes across Japan

Abandoned towns & akiya houses

Over 8 million homes across rural Japan sit empty — the so-called "akiya" crisis. Without investment or visitors, local infrastructure collapses: shops close, schools shut, roads deteriorate. A living community becomes a ghost town within a generation.

36.9M visitors to Japan in 2024 — mostly to 3 cities

Overtourism in 3 cities, invisibility everywhere else

"Kyoto is not a theme park."

— Kyoto local council, who banned street entries in the geisha district, March 2024. Meanwhile, rural Japan receives almost none of these visitors — or their spending.

Our approach

What Taketombo does

We connect quality international travelers with rural craft communities in Japan — creating experiences that are meaningful for the traveler and economically impactful for the town. One program, one town, one craft tradition at a time.

Promote

Bring Japan's best crafts and historic towns to visitors who actively seek authentic experience — not tourist performance.

Energize

Drive new traffic, revenue, and visibility to aging rural towns through quality experiential tourism and cultural exchange.

Connect

Create genuine international dialog between global designers and creators, and Japanese craftsmen — enabling new craft development.

Protect

Build "craft destination" identities for rural towns. Sustain craft legacies and ensure knowledge is passed on to the next generation.

Beyond Tokyo
and Osaka

Mission