Kukan Inc. Joins Nakafurano Tourism Association to Co-create Regional Future— Launching collaboration toward realizing the town’s official plan, “Rural Space Connected by Bonds,” starting with the listing of Kukan’s own properties in Hokkaido’s Furano area.
Leveraging our Inbound/Workation facilities, Web solutions, and Real Estate businesses, we actively drive regional revitalization and Digital Transformation (DX) to solve the town’s core challenges.
“We are committed to deeply understanding the unique charm of Nakafurano, Hokkaido, and contributing to its sustained development.” Kukan Inc. (Head Office: Furano City; CEO: Kentaro Yamamoto; hereinafter, “the Company”), a firm operating in Hokkaido, is pleased to announce its recent membership in the Nakafurano Tourism Association (Location: Nakafurano Town; hereinafter, “the Association”).
Our commitment to Nakafurano Town extends beyond mere membership. Simultaneously with our joining, the listing of our new private villa, “Shikauchi Furano,” as an official tourist spot on the Association’s platform, signifies the first concrete step in forging a true “bond” with the region.
The core vision of Nakafurano Town’s 6th Comprehensive Development Plan (March 2021) is “Rural Space Connected by Bonds.”
Kukan Inc. will drive the sustainable development of Nakafurano Town by focusing on three strategic pillars: Inbound/Long-Stay Facilities, Web Support Services, and diversified Real Estate Operations (brokerage, acquisition & revitalization).
The 6th Nakafurano Town Development Comprehensive Plan (FY2021–FY2030):”Rural Space Connected by Bonds (Nakafurano)”
https://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00002114.html
Regional Partnership Success: “Shikauchi Furano” Featured on Association Website!
This membership in the Nakafurano Tourism Association has immediately materialized into a concrete achievement of regional partnership. Our new private villa, “Shikauchi Furano,” operated in Nakafurano Town, is now officially featured on the Association’s official website “Spot Introduction” page.
Shikauchi Furano｜Premium Stays Harmonizing with Nakafurano’s Nature
Shikauchi Furano is a standalone, detached villa nestled in the rich nature of Nakafurano. The Hokkaido-style natural modern design accommodates up to eight guests. Equipped with a fully provisioned kitchen and a washer/dryer, the villa’s design is optimized not only for short-term tourism but also for long-term stays (condo-style) and Workation—a key initiative promoted in the town plan for utilizing existing facilities and developing telework functions.
Furthermore, the Shikauchi Furano management company and staff are not only experts in Furano area tourism but also offer English and Chinese support. This perfectly aligns with Nakafurano Town’s policies, including “Addressing inbound foreign travelers” and “Developing multilingual signage and online resources.” We have established a robust system to ensure peace of mind for the rapidly increasing number of international visitors.
Official Listing Spot on the Nakafurano Tourism Association Website
https://nakafukanko.com/spot/spot-5502
The V-shaped Recovery in Tourist Numbers and Surging Inbound Demand
Our focus on Nakafurano Town is due to its unmatched tourism potential. According to Nakafurano Town’s official tourism statistics, the number of tourist arrivals, which temporarily dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic (383,000 in Reiwa 2 / 2020), has achieved a robust V-shaped recovery, reaching 1.175 million in Reiwa 5 (2023) and surpassing pre-pandemic levels (1.151 million in Reiwa 1 / 2019).
In particular, the number of inbound overnight stays—a key indicator for our core lodging business—increased by approximately tenfold to 12.9 thousand in Reiwa 5 (2023), up from the previous year (1.2 thousand in Reiwa 4 / 2022). This clearly demonstrates the region’s strong position as a major hub for inbound demand. The allure of Nakafurano, known as the “Birthplace of Lavender Tourism” and rich in natural resources, is truly being rediscovered by the world.
“Shikauchi Furano” aims to become a crucial accommodation hub, supporting this explosive demand and the town plan’s goal of “strengthening tourism functions.“ Leveraging our on-site lodging operation experience, the Company will work to firmly anchor this tourism tailwind into the local economy. As a member of the Nakafurano Tourism Association, we commit to contributing by providing accommodation opportunities and supporting visitor attraction through Web Marketing.
Source: Nakafurano Town, Hokkaido, Tourism Statistics
https://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00000636.html
【Reference】
Minpaku Business Track Record in Nakafurano (Shikauchi Furano)
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/4109/
Comprehensive Service for Lodging Investors: “JANKEN”
https://janken-hokkaido.com/en/
Establishment of Furano Office and Profound Commitment to Regional Challenges
Through our operations in the Furano area, we have deepened our engagement with local businesses and residents. In doing so, we gained firsthand insight into the region’s unique challenges, which are also highlighted as key development issues in the “6th Nakafurano Town Development Comprehensive Plan.” These include the rapid depopulation and aging, the resulting labor shortage, crucial gaps in the industrial economy (such as low satisfaction with commercial and employment promotion), and the lag in Digital Transformation (DX).
“Having built our business on the land and properties of this region, we hold a duty to give back to Nakafurano in ways we can.” Driven by this commitment, the Company resolved to open its office in Furano, taking a decisive step toward operating as a more deeply community-rooted entity.
Our membership in the Nakafurano Tourism Association is a direct manifestation of this resolve. We will collaborate with local businesses to boost tourism—Nakafurano’s main industry—by providing accommodation opportunities and supporting digitalization (DX).
Source Table Citation: The 6th Nakafurano Town Development Comprehensive Plan (FY2021–FY2030): “Rural Space Connected by Bonds (Nakafurano)”
https://www.town.nakafurano.lg.jp/hotnews/detail/00002114.html
【Reference】
Announcement: Opening of the Furano Office
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease/1803/
The Future of Nakafurano Unlocked by New Initiatives: Promoting Vacant Property Revitalization and Regional DX
Kukan Inc. is deploying its Web Support Business and diversified Real Estate Operations (acquisition, revitalization, and brokerage) to proactively advance the resolution of challenges in Nakafurano Town. These initiatives strongly resonate with the direction set forth in the Town’s Comprehensive Plan.
1. Real Estate Acquisition Business: Solving the Vacant Property Crisis and Revitalizing Facilities for Tourism
Vacant property measures are a critical regional challenge, as indicated by the town’s residency and migration promotion policies, including the “Vacant House Demolition Project” and the “Vacant House Bank Promotion Project.” Our specialized real estate acquisition service, “Goen,” actively purchases vacant houses, vacant land, used detached homes, and inherited land in the Furano area, including Nakafurano Town. Instead of mere demolition, we implement full renovations.”
The revitalized properties are repurposed as high-demand Minpaku (private lodging) facilities or Workation-ready accommodations promoted by the town, thereby transforming a regional challenge into a “new vitality” through tourism.
“Goen”: Real Estate Acquisition Specialist in the Nakafurano Area
https://goen-hokkaido.jp/
【Reference】
Hokkaido’s Vacant Property Challenge
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/3889/
2. Web Support Business: Powerfully Supporting Regional Businesses through DX
The “6th Nakafurano Town Development Comprehensive Plan” recognizes the urgent need to address the “utilization of ICT” and “informatization/technological innovation” as essential social infrastructure for the future. Leveraging our Web marketing expertise cultivated through lodging customer acquisition, we offer Nakafurano businesses one-stop services, including website creation, SEO, and SNS operation outsourcing.
The ability of local tourism operators and shops to embrace digitalization and enhance their Web customer acquisition capabilities is directly linked to the overall promotion of DX and the economic growth of Nakafurano Town.
Web Support Business: Web Strategy and SEO Services for Nakafurano Businesses
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/websolutions/
【Reference】
Rising Demand for DX (Digital Transformation) in Hokkaido
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/3984/
3. Kukan Real Estate Business: Responding to Local Needs and Promoting Information Transparency
With the recovery of inbound demand and the spread of Workation, real estate needs for residency, second homes, and lodging businesses are rapidly increasing in the Furano area, including Nakafurano Town. However, regional property information circulation is limited compared to urban areas, creating a bottleneck where “demand exists, but property information does not reach the market.”
“Kukan Real Estate” is a community-based service specializing in the Furano, Biei, and Nakafurano areas. It handles sales, lease brokerage, property management, and vacant property measures in a one-stop capacity, serving as the essential contact point for diverse and complex needs.
Kukan Real Estate: Your Trusted Partner in the Furano and Biei Areas.
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/realestate/
【Reference】
The Vision Behind the Launch of “Kukan Real Estate”
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/3110/
“Kukan Real Estate’s” Utilization of Social Media (SNS)
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/3402/
Walking Together with the Community to Realize the “Rural Space Connected by Bonds”
As a member of the Nakafurano Tourism Association, we reaffirm our commitment to contributing to the revitalization of Nakafurano Town. Catching the tailwind of the inbound recovery, we will utilize the synergy generated by our lodging, Web support, and real estate businesses (brokerage/acquisition) to create the bright future Nakafurano Town aims for—the “Rural Space Connected by Bonds”—together with the local community.
Join Us in Creating the Future of Nakafurano!
Kukan Inc. is actively seeking partners who resonate with our vision and share the passion to “jointly revitalize Nakafurano Town.”
What we undertake goes beyond simple lodging operation or Web development. We aim to contribute to Nakafurano Town’s ‘community building (machizukuri)’ by supporting the V-shaped recovery of tourism, capturing inbound vitality, revitalizing vacant homes, and promoting regional DX.
We sincerely await applications from individuals who wish to face regional challenges head-on, creating new vitality for the community with their skills and ideas, all toward realizing the town’s future vision of the “Rural Space Connected by Bonds.” We seek those who possess expertise in Inbound Tourism, Web Marketing, and Real Estate Development, and, above all, hold a deep passion for Hokkaido and Nakafurano Town.
【Reference】
Careers / Recruitment Information
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/recruit-en/
Enhanced Recruitment for the Real Estate Business
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/3714/
Company Profile
Company Name:
Kukan Inc.
Established:
November 29, 2022
Capital:
¥1,000,000
Representative:
Kentaro Yamamoto
Locations:
Furano Office (Head Office)
4-7 Sakaemachi, Furano, Hokkaido 076-0023, Japan
Sapporo Office
1-1 Toyohira 4-jo 3-chome, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 062-0904, Japan
License Number
Real Estate Transaction Dealer Hokkaido Governor Kamikawa (1) No. 1316
Business Activities
1. Minpaku Investment Business – Planning and operation of JANKEN, support for minpaku investment projects in the Hokkaido area.
2.Creative Business – Business development, branding, planning support for marketing solutions.
3.Real Estate Services – Buying, selling, leasing, brokerage, purchase and revitalization, development, property management, detached housing/land subdivision, house/condominium construction and sales, interior construction, renovation work.
4.Web Services – Website planning, production, and operation, IT support services, online secretarial services, internet information provision.
Related Links
Kukan：https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/en/
JANKEN：https://janken-hokkaido.com/en/
Real Estate Buying Specialist “Goen”：https://goen-hokkaido.jp/
Web Support Services：https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/websolutions/
Kukan Real Estate：https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/realestate/
Related News
Kukan Inc. Joins Furano Tourism Association! Building Furano’s Future Together through Web & Real Estate.
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease/2263/
Kukan Inc. joins the Furano Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Web marketing and private lodging real estate to help develop Furano’s tourism industry.
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/2480/
A new private lodging facility opening in Nakafurano! A one-of-a-kind accommodation experience to add color to your lavender and ski trip. | Shikauchi Furano
https://kukanhokkaido.co.jp/pressrelease-en/2637/
Inquiries Regarding This Matter
Company Name： Kukan Inc. Public Relations Manager
E-mail address： pr@kukanhokkaido.co.jp
