COBI Launches "COBI for ART" to Connect Affluent Travelers with Japanese Art and Crafts

COBI Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yoshie Kitagawa; COO: Ksenia Zolotareva), which arranges executive guides and plans/operates high-value content for affluent visitors to Japan, is officially launching its specialized art and craft program, "COBI for ART."

COBI guides affluent travelers from around the world. In recent years, there has been a growing demand among affluent visitors to Japan not just for conventional tourism, but also for deeper understanding of Japanese culture and interaction with creators.

"COBI for ART" was launched to meet these needs. This art and craft program is offered to domestic and international travel agencies and luxury hotels that cater to affluent guests from North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

What is COBI for ART?

COBI for ART has built a network of over 100 workshops and studios nationwide and has more than 300 executive guides across the country.

This is a craft and art program that offers affluent visitors to Japan opportunities to meet craftspeople and artists from various regions of Japan.

Interpreter guides who understand the guests' values and aesthetic sensibilities accompany them, guiding them to carefully selected workshops, studios, and galleries. Focusing on high-priced crafts of 200,000 yen or more, the program deepens understanding of the works through dialogue with the artists and observation/experience of the creation process, providing comprehensive support from purchase to international shipping.

【Service Features】 1 Service design specifically for affluent guests 2 Network of over 100 workshops and artists nationwide, with the capacity to arrange visits 3 Experience design tailored to guests' preferences and collecting inclinations 4 Guidance by high-quality executive interpreter guides who carefully convey cultural backgrounds and stories 5 Support for both workshops and customers in payment, export, and international shipping of purchased works

Inquiry Flow

(Common) For Travel Agents and Luxury Hotels

Please contact COBI regarding workshop visits / purchase of crafts and art.

→ Please contact us at info@cobi.co.jp.

* Please inform us of your preferences and what you are looking for.

* If your clients wish to visit a workshop or studio, please let us know the number of people and the desired date and time.

COBI will select appropriate workshops and artists and contact you.

* For smooth communication, we will assign a COBI guide to provide interpretation support and guidance on the day.

* We will inform you of the charges based on your requests and time.

* Sightseeing arrangements can also be requested.

(On the day) Guests will meet the guide at a pre-arranged location and visit the workshop or studio.

(For Workshops, etc.) Other Inquiries

If you have any other questions or require confirmation from COBI,

please contact us via the inquiry form below.

Inquire with COBI

Past Achievements (Examples)

1 【Visit to a Japanese Painting Artist in Kyoto】 (Art Collector Couple Residing in Australia) Request: We are building a house and want to furnish it with Japanese crafts.

Experience: We guided them to the studio of a Kyoto-based Japanese painting artist. They appreciated the works while receiving explanations from the artist about techniques using pigments and gold leaf, and purchased a custom-made piece. COBI supported communication with the artist and international shipping.

2 【Visit to a Swordsmith Workshop in Osaka】 (Family Residing in the UAE)

Request: With a strong interest in Japanese sword culture, they wished to visit a traditional, generational swordsmith workshop not open to general tourism.

Experience: We guided them to a workshop of a rare, active hereditary swordsmith in Japan. In addition to observing the sword-forging process, it was an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the aesthetics and spirituality embedded in Japanese swords, further enhancing their interest in Japanese culture. They also purchased several Japanese knives.

3 【Visit to Multiple Workshops in Kyoto / Purchase of Multiple Crafts】 (Family Residing in Europe)

Request: Interested in Japanese culture, they wished to purchase high-quality Japanese crafts.

Experience: They visited multiple workshops in Kyoto, including a Nishijin weaving workshop with over 300 years of history, a fifteenth-generation potter, and a calligraphy master. They purchased over 1 million yen worth of works from each workshop.

COBI's Vision

Through "COBI for ART," COBI Co., Ltd. aims to be a bridge connecting the craft and art culture inherited throughout Japan with affluent individuals worldwide. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with domestic and international travel companies and luxury hotels, disseminating the value of Japanese culture globally while contributing to the inheritance and development of regional cultures.

Company Overview

With the mission "Beyond Tourism," COBI Co., Ltd. provides executive interpreter-guide services for luxury inbound affluent travelers visiting Japan.

The company offers one-stop services from guide selection and arrangement to communication support and billing management, as well as planning and arranging special experiences and cultural exchange programs sought by affluent guests.

As of the end of June 2026, over 300 interpreter-guides are registered, including Kyoto City-certified guides and national certified guides, as well as those with experience in VIP handling. In cooperation with travel agencies and concierge services both in Japan and overseas, COBI provides high-quality guiding services throughout Japan.

Web page (Japanese): https://cobi.co.jp/ Web page (English): https://cobi.co.jp/en

Inquiries Regarding This Matter COBI Co., Ltd. Public Relations E-mail: info@cobi.co.jp