OUR TEAM
The TOKI team is a gathering of both native Japanese and people from all around the world who share the same values: the need to preserve Japan’s authentic and traditional culture in an ever-changing world. Our common goal is to assist our artisans’ continual pursuit of their ancestral traditions as well as provide TOKI guests with only the highest quality experiences.
Thanks to our native Japanese members, we were able to make exclusive partnerships with the most authentic artisans and craftsmen of Japan, in order to propose experiences normally not accessible to the public.
We enjoy working in a multicultural team as we are eager to understand the mindsets and expectations of people from other cultures. Doing so gives us a greater ability to create for every guest a personalized, tailored experience in Japan.
We believe it is important to retain a firm understanding of the various layers and nuances of Japanese culture, and discover ways to present these complexities in a meaningful way to foreign visitors, facilitating a gateway so that our guests can enjoy the best that Japan has to offer.
Meet the team who bridge the cultural gap between you and the artisans.
The main members of TOKI are supported by a handful of part-timers, interns and a great number of expert facilitator-guides.
YUKO
Founder. Lived in Tokyo and NY. Worked in US and Europe based strategy and design consulting firms.
Enjoys traveling around the world and visiting museums, and practicing tea ceremony.
ROMY
Head of Experience Curation. Lived in Tokyo, LA and Singapore. Worked in media and music IT platform.
Enjoys films, music, visiting art festivals and practicing tea ceremony.
SUE
China relationships. Lived in China and Japan.
Sue has been pivotal in developing customized cultural experiences for our Chinese speaking guests and is also a big foodie.
Ashley
English speaking client relationships. Lived in Hawaii, New Hampshire and Tokyo.
Stays active with tennis and dancing, and in her free time likes to paint and draw.
MayukA
Strategy and organization. Lived in Yokohama and the US. Worked in strategy consulting, launch of IT platform and donation funding.
Performs as a professional butoh dancer.
Kevin
Marketing contents and publications. Lived in LA and Tokyo.
Performs as a professional shamisen player with a natori title.
Aki
Strategy and organizational PMO. Lived in LA and Tokyo.
Professional choreographer, photographer, videographer and dancer.
TAMAKO
PR and partner relationships. Worked in PR and coordination for global luxury brands.
TaKahide
Head of Technology. Lived in Osaka and Tokyo. Worked in both domestic and global mega tech companies.
Performs as a rapper and has published books on rhyming.
Nasuka
Digital product manager and strategy/AI engineer.
Lives in Japan.
Mayumi
Client relationships and hospitality. Worked in global tech company as PR.
Lives in Japan.
Ayumi
Administration and operations. Lived in UK and Tokyo.
Professional dancer.
Kazuma
Strategy and finance. Lived in Tokyo, Hong Kong and LA.
Worked in investment banking, private equity and startups.
Bilaal
English speaking Travel Team lead. Lived in Ghana, Tampa and Tokyo.
Enjoys outdoor activities, watching documentaries, cooking, and travel.
Emiko
Accounting and operations. Lived in Italy and Japan.
Enjoys tea ceremony, kimono, and other Japanese traditional culture.
Shizuka
Accounting and finances.
Lives in Japan.
Kou
New business development intern. Student at Tokyo University. Lived in Beijing and Japan.
Former president of discussion group between Tokyo Uni and Beijing Uni.
Renka
Experience Team English speaking client and agent relationships. Lived in Canada and Japan.
Enjoys learning about traditional Japanese culture.
Maki
Experience Team guide and hospitality arrangements. Lived in NY and Tokyo.
Makiko
Experience Team Japanese client and agent relationships.
Lives in Tokyo.
FOUNDER INTERVIEW
“With a childhood spent in Japan, I consider myself well acquainted with Japanese culture. However, I still find myself learning new things everyday. As I grow with TOKI, I realize more and more that Japanese culture is unique. The people who are engaged in the culture world do not treat it as a mere hobby; they have been engaged for generations, and even centuries, of their family lineage. They are not just passionate and skilled, but have a responsibility to keep their values and techniques alive to pass down to the next generation. They are so dedicated, with an unwavering motivation to purely work on their craft. They devote their whole selves to their singular, focused culture. This is quite different from how the rest of the people in this world live.
As I nurture this service, I have encountered traditional houses and craftsman that cannot sustain themselves and go out of business. Every time, I feel sad learning that generations of compiled history, stories, and techniques will be gone with the closure of the house. Realistically, I think it may not be possible to sustain all traditions. But I simply think that it would be a less interesting world without unique cultures lying within each city. Without culture, everyplace in the world would be the same, there would be no inspiration.
Through TOKI, I want to preserve and bring new life to these cultures, so they can continue to inspire us for generations to come.”
We pride ourselves in providing our guests exclusive access to the highest level artisans and craftsmen that Japanese culture has to offer.
Our passion to introduce our guests to the best of Japan burns bright, and it has been the driving force behind TOKI since its establishment.
At the heart of TOKI lies our company values and philosophy, which drive us in every way.
They are what help keep us passionate about our work, and they constantly remind us about the traditions, cultural partners, and guests who are touched by our activities.
TOKI aims to re-imagine travel, luxury, and innovative sustainability by recreating the customer experience through curation and partnerships.
Through this, TOKI envisions a world where unique and valuable culture is appreciated and preserved, which they believe will inspire others and lead to a more interesting world.