With tourists slowly returning to disaster-hit Japan, Private Concierge promises the well-heeled a unique holiday through its wide range of services
AS Japan battles to deal with the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami which devastated the country earlier this year Luxury by TTN talks to Ayako Inaba who, along with business partner Ayumi Takada, runs Private Concierge, a company catering to the needs of high-end travellers and supplying services from one-of-a-kind experiences to personal assistants.
Are travellers starting to return to Japan or have business travellers who use your service been coming through all along?
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Byodoin Temple, Oahu built in 1966, as a replica of the 950-year-old Byodoin Temple in Uji, Kyoto, Japan |
Yes, business travellers were always here, even right after the earthquake. Of course the numbers decreased dramatically but we have existing clients who have houses or business or other relationships with the country and they continue to visit. I cannot comment on numbers of frequent independent travellers because those who cancelled their trips after the quake haven’t rescheduled, so we haven’t received new inquiries yet.
Having said that, in the middle of April, I visited Miyajima – which is a World Heritage site and one of the most popular sightseeing spots in Hiroshima – and saw some groups of families. They were not evident in the numbers we would normally expect but I was happy to see inspired travellers such as these. I have also seen several frequent independent travellers in Tokyo recently.
We are also receiving inquiries from some American companies now, with CEOs and top executives planning to visit Tokyo for business.
Do you target a particular sector such as business travellers, or are your clients from across the markets?
We do not target any particular sector but our clients are unique: they want to eat good food, see or buy contemporary art, indulge in drifting (motorsport) and shop.
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Visitors can still experience drifting with Team Orange |
They want to have a personal assistant who can answer to their smallest need and they want to enjoy every moment of their holiday, not just cross it off of their list of places to visit.
We have a quite good number of business travellers who come with their families and friends and enjoy the efficient services that a private concierge can offer as a personal assistant and as a concierge.
What kind of services and experiences do you offer?
The significant feature of our service is that you have a dedicated private concierge. You give your concierge as many requests as you have and discuss these with her. If you are not certain about what you would like to do or see, she will ask questions and make recommendations.
We have some unique products to sell such as our drifting and culinary experiences, but every service starts from a request.
Even if the idea seems a bit dreamy, we will find solutions.
One client from America told us he wanted to see the works of a particular artist. However we found that most of that particular artist’s works were on show abroad and there were almost none he could see at galleries and museums. So, we arranged for him to visit to the artist’s studio and view the latest pieces and even pieces the artist was still working on!
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We value any wish our clients may express.
One corporate group was visiting Tokyo for business meetings and they spent their off-hours visiting some places for research. Their schedule was very tight but they wanted to do as much as possible with the time they had, visiting places of interest and also trying out the local food for lunch. Some wanted sushi, some sandwiches and others unagi (eel), so we arranged fresh takeout lunches for them from three different top-class restaurants and delivered them to their car, we were able to fulfill everyone’s wishes.
Have any of your experiences been affected by the earthquake and tsunami?
Our partner Team Orange, which offers a drift-driving experience like that seen in the film ‘The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift’, is based in Fukushima and its base circuit was damaged by the quake. However, Team Orange has already restarted its regular service and its blog shows that overseas clients have been visiting even after the quake. Also, champion driver Nobushige Kumakubo, who is part of the team, updates his blog regularly, so we can easily take a decision on whether to go there if our clients so desire.
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Private Concierge can arrange unique dining experiences such as the specialist oyster dish at Ryoriya Kodama |
What are your plans for the coming months as the country recovers. Do you expect to add any new experiences to your list?
We haven’t created any new products recently but I believe the western part of Japan could emerge as an alternative place to visit for those who are keen to eat good Japanese food but do not want to visit Tokyo. Kyushu, my home island, is famous for good food and its onsens (Japanese hot pools) while its natural beauty is unique.
Fukuoka is the biggest city in Kyushu and the fifth biggest in Japan and there are many flights from Seoul and Hong Kong to Fukuoka airport, so you can visit Japan via these destinations.
Also, we are working on a project called ‘Japan to You’. This project brings Japan to your country and enables you to enjoy Japanese food, culture, artists and products in your neighbourhood or even at home. As the launch project, we are talking with some hotels and we will bring Japanese Michelin-star chefs, celebrity chefs, a good selection of sake and performing arts. Why, we could even bring Team Orange to your country!