koi Travel is a travel company offering you unique cultural experiences in Japan.
We aim to make our guests satisfied with their stay in Japan and be inspired through cultural experiences.
We design programs based on hidden gems we have discovered ourselves to create a truly memorable experience for discerning travellers.
Our Mission
– To offer unique and authentic experiences in Japan with our original programs for foreign travelers.
– To satisfy our guests and help more people become interested in Japan and its culture.
– To contribute to the growth of rural area through our programs.
What is “koi”?
The word koi has several meanings in Japanese, which are as follows:
– 来(come): We want you to come to Japan!
– 恋 (love) : We want you to love Japan!
– 鯉(a carp): Like the Chinese legend that a carp becomes a dragon after swimming up a waterfall, we want our programs to be widely known!
Miki Matsuoka
Founder of Koi Travel Inc.
I decided to start this company when I was studying at a business school in Spain with friends from over 40 countries. Everyone said “Japan should be a great country that I want to visit someday!” At the same time, I was surprised by how little was known about Japan and its culture. I wanted to tell people how wonderful my country is but realized that it did not have enough travel information and interesting cultural tours in English compared to other countries. So I decided to start these tours myself!
Our tours focus on the traditional cultural aspect of Japan because I believe it is unique and is well worth experiencing. Most of our cultural programs not only let our guests see traditional masters’ craftsmanship in action but also communicate and interact with them. These masters are the living examples of the Japanese culture and their way of life represents the real spirit of Japan. We hope that our guests will become even more enthusiastic fans of Japan through our tours!
Yoko Takeuchi
I studied at college in London after graduated from high school in Japan. I have worked at American/European financial institutions for 25 years. At the same time, I have enjoyed taking lessons of porcelain painting and calligraphy as a hobby.
After I left financial world, I moved onto my second carrier as an artist of Japanese porcelain painting and calligraphy.
While working at financial institutions, I have graduated from Musashino Art University. I am also a qualified curator and calligraphy instructor.
I am now teaching porcelain painting at Tokyo American Club
Mami Fujikawa
Hello, I’m Mami. I am a big fan of contemporary art and it’s been 10 years since I started collecting art pieces. I have worked at contemporary art galleries, which helped me to learn about Japanese contemporary art and to build up relationships with gallerists and artists in Japan.
I hope more number of guests from all over the world will enjoy Japanese art through our program.