【Interview Project】 What is the MOTENAS JAPAN service that attracts genuine VIPs?

Sure. It was a Tokyo gathering of a global business leaders’ network—a high-level event where top executives and investors came together. To even become a member, you had to meet strict conditions such as company size and revenue, so it really attracted only the “real players.”

That’s right. At the center were the CEO of a major global travel site and the head of the Tokyo branch of a large real estate fund. They were the ones who said, “We want to do this in Tokyo,” and through their networks, they brought in all kinds of influential figures—royal family members, renowned chefs, and CEOs of leading Japanese companies. Both the lectures and the activities were truly the real deal.

And of course, that dinner attended by a member of the royal family—the atmosphere was incredibly tense. Even so, we arranged for geisha, set up a traditional ryotei dining space, and created experiences that let participants really feel the essence of Japan.

We organized three main experiences: sushi, sumo, and samurai. We invited professional chefs and experts, asking them not just to demonstrate, but to explain why each step is done. Since the participants were highly knowledgeable, they wanted to dive deep—asking questions like “What’s the ideal temperature of the rice?” or “What’s the exact process of forming the nigiri?”

I’d heard that the previous event in Osaka didn’t go very smoothly. So after this one, people came up to us and said, “Everything went perfectly. There wasn’t a single moment of stress.” That was such a rewarding compliment.

We also received many words of gratitude, with comments like, “This is the Japan we wanted to experience.” Hearing that really made us feel it was all worth it.

No, it wasn’t. We had to build everything from scratch, asking ourselves “What should we do?” It wasn’t about offering a pre-made experience plan—it was about imagining what these guests would truly enjoy and then putting it all together. Honestly, it was incredibly tough (laughs), but that’s also what made it the most rewarding part.

Since they were guests who wouldn’t be satisfied with a “packaged product,” we had to create something fully customized. I think that’s where MOTENAS JAPAN was really able to show our strengths.

And as we went along, the more we realized what we could do, the more responsibilities piled up (laughs). But by picking up all those pieces and organizing them, we also got to reaffirm our own capabilities.

At first, it was just a vague request: “We’d like you to handle the land operations.” In other words, things like managing the on-site flow and staffing. But once we started talking with the people involved, we realized that no one was actually pulling together the overall design of the event. The materials were scattered, and the hotel and restaurant bookings were basically just “made for now.”

Exactly. The staff from the leading company were involved, but everyone was saying things like, “Wait, I never heard about that,” or “I don’t know the details” (laughs). Before I knew it, people were telling me, “Asami, could you just take it from here?” And suddenly, we were handling both the big-picture design and the detailed arrangements.

The truth was, no one really knew what or how to ask for things. So first, we put together a complete event flow and checked with them, “Does this plan work for you?”

We pieced it together by working backwards—reading through emails and past documents to figure out what they had been trying to do—and then we created a full schedule. We broke it down into detailed logistics: personnel, timing, venues, budget… everything. Then we explained, “If we continue like this, it will collapse, so here’s how we should proceed.”

That’s exactly what happened.haha. The original “land operations” request kept expanding—event logo banners, arranging souvenirs, allocating hotel rooms, even managing dietary restrictions and allergies. We ended up handling it all.

But because of that, everything ran smoothly. At some point, it felt like “If you ask Asami, she’ll figure it out.”

That’s right. Normally, each company should take responsibility for their own part, but in this case, there was no real “host.” That’s why we judged, “If things stay like this, no one will be able to manage it,” and so we stepped in—from the design stage all the way to on-site operations.

Definitely—the experiences with sushi, sumo, and samurai. They weren’t just ordinary tourist attractions; they directly addressed the participants’ desire to “understand the essence of the culture.”

These participants weren’t just “wealthy tourists.” They were executives—educated, well-traveled, and knowledgeable about different cultures. That’s why surface-level performances wouldn’t resonate with them. What really interested them was the background and the techniques—the why behind each tradition.

Exactly. For example, in the sushi session, it wasn’t just about demonstrating how to make sushi. The chef explained, “This rice temperature has a purpose,” or “Here’s why the fish is cut this way.” We intentionally created moments where participants could connect with the “philosophy of the craftsmen.”

We also made sure to brief the instructors beforehand, saying, “Your audience speaks perfect English and is highly knowledgeable.” For many of the instructors, it was their first time facing such an audience, but when we asked them to go deeper into the meaning behind their work, they prepared with great seriousness.

Yes, I believe so. Guests told us directly, “My curiosity was satisfied,” and “I never expected Japanese culture to be presented this way.” For us at MOTENAS JAPAN, that was exactly the kind of value we want to deliver—and it truly took shape in those moments.

And then there was the “Shimbashi Under-the-Railway Dinner” at night. It wasn’t just a drinking party; it was designed with the concept of experiencing “the real local food culture of Japan.” With karaoke and a DJ, it wasn’t only about formality—we were able to share the “raw, authentic Japan.”

That’s right. Not too stiff, but still with real cultural depth. That balance—the “just right” harmony—is what I believe is MOTENAS JAPAN’ greatest strength.

The biggest issues were time shifts and unexpected movements. For example, the group arrived an hour early at the go-kart experience venue, and suddenly it was like, “Well… we have nothing scheduled now” (laughs). In those moments, we had to instantly fill the time—“Let’s go for a walk, stop by a convenience store or a café”—making up activities on the spot.

At the Shimbashi dinner in the evening, drinks weren’t being served fast enough, so we ended up working harder than the staff themselves (laughs). With events like this, it’s only natural that things don’t go as planned, so flexibility and the ability to make quick decisions were absolutely essential.

That’s right. There was a lot of communication in English. With participants of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds, there were constant requests about allergies, religious dietary restrictions, schedule changes—really detailed needs coming at us all the time.

Both of us have lived abroad, so speaking English felt quite natural. And Asami’s husband is foreign, so she uses English daily at home.

Exactly (laughs). But being able to make decisions and respond immediately, without having to run everything through a translator, made a huge difference. It allowed us to connect smoothly with international staff and keep everything moving without interruptions.

Yes, very much so. Everyone was independent, successful adults, without any hierarchy, so suddenly someone would say, “I’ll drop out here,” or “I’ll join later.” It made it hard to keep track of the numbers and keep everyone together. But at the same time, we had to share information properly—otherwise we couldn’t even set the return bus schedule. Managing that was really important.

Exactly. Because we had simulated the flow and staffing in advance, we could respond quickly when unexpected things happened. And we kept constant communication so we always knew where everyone was.

In the end, I think that flexible adaptability was what gave participants the impression that “everything went smoothly.”

This time, I strongly felt once again that “our strength lies in our ability to act as facilitators and bring everything together.” It wasn’t just about making reservations or handling logistics—it was about understanding the intentions of both participants and instructors, and shaping things into the best form right there on the spot. We were tested on our ability to keep a bird’s-eye view while staying active on the ground, and because we managed that, we gained the trust of both the client and the guests.

We had to stay flexible—finding the right solutions for each situation instead of relying on a fixed package. But that’s exactly what made it so rewarding, and we truly felt we were able to deliver “a service that was genuinely needed.”