Inbound Consulting Firm Lifebridge Acquires UMAMI Travel (formerly Tohoku Chura Travel), Creating a Vertically Integrated Model for Tour Creation, Training, PR, and Sales

Lifebridge Inc. (Headquarters: Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture; CEO: Ryotaro Sakurai) has acquired Tohoku Chura Travel, a company with a proven track record in community-based travel services. This acquisition complements the 'direct sales and customer attraction' functions that were previously missing from Lifebridge. Along with the acquisition, the company has been renamed 'UMAMI Travel Inc.' and will relaunch as a global brand delivering the 'Depth of Japan' to the world. Since its founding, Lifebridge has promoted three pillars in collaboration with municipalities and companies nationwide: uncovering regional resources, training inbound talent, and promotion. While they have produced innovative, high-value content such as the 'Holy Site Iwafuneyama Explosion Experience Tour' launched in 2021, the final challenge for sustainable regional economy was establishing 'direct monetization (selling).' With UMAMI Travel joining the group, a vertically integrated support system is now complete, allowing the company to 'create' content that surprises the world, 'promote' it through a unique network, and 'sell' it to the world. The 'UMAMI' advocated by UMAMI Travel refers to the 'Depth of Japan,' including climate, tradition, craftsmanship, and the Japanese spirit. By merging Lifebridge's focus on 'training talent who can understand different cultures and appropriately hand over Japanese values' with UMAMI Travel's 'planning and sales capabilities,' it becomes possible to deliver the highest quality Japanese experiences to the world. CEO Ryotaro Sakurai stated, 'Building a bridge is not enough. We must also provide a mechanism for people to cross that bridge and pay for the experience,' expressing the company's evolution into a practical group that directly drives the regional economy. Moving forward, the company will certify and dispatch regional talent who have completed training as 'Storytellers' and provide result-committed solutions for municipalities and DMOs.