AND CRAFT Raises 56 Million Yen to Open Small Hotel “EKI THE TRAVEL BASE EKI” Near Nagano Station in August 2026

AND CRAFT Inc. (Head office: Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture; Representative Director: Ryoya Usui) announced that it has raised a total of 56 million yen from the Shinshu Startup and Business Succession Support No. 2 Investment Limited Partnership, Hachijuni Nagano Bank, Ltd., and the Japan Finance Corporation. Using the funds raised, the company plans to open a small hotel, “EKI THE TRAVEL BASE EKI” (hereafter “EKI”), in August 2026 as a travel base for inbound visitors to Japan, located one minute on foot from Nagano Station. Background: Turning the Nagano Station area from a “transit point” into a sustainable cultural exchange hub. While inbound tourism has been recovering in recent years, issues such as overtourism in some destinations have also emerged. Although the Nagano Station area serves as a gateway to world-class destinations such as Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen, Togakushi, and Jigokudani Monkey Park, there have been few places where travelers and local residents can interact casually. Like many regional cities across Japan, Nagano also faces challenges such as the hollowing out of its city center and the aging or underutilization of vacant buildings and idle real estate. To address these issues, the concept for EKI was created as a sustainable local exchange hub that uses idle real estate, meets the needs of inbound travelers, and contributes to revitalizing the local economy. The project will renovate the second and third floors of an existing building located one minute on foot from Nagano Station, repurposing it as a new tourism and exchange base. The third floor will serve as an accommodation floor, while the second floor will operate as a combined community cafe and accommodation floor. The facility will provide spaces and services where foreign travelers can do more than simply stay overnight, enabling them to encounter and connect with local people and culture. AND CRAFT’s philosophy is not to tear down the old and build something new, but to inherit the architecture and culture that remain in the region, add new value, and pass them on to the next generation. Through this project, the company aims to preserve local culture for the future while making use of existing architecture. About EKI: EKI is an accommodation facility designed for inbound travelers enjoying tourism in Nagano, taking advantage of its highly convenient location just one minute on foot from JR Nagano Station. The name carries the meaning of not only a station as a transportation node, but also a “platform” where people, culture, and the local community intersect. The community cafe on the second floor will provide a space where travelers and local residents can interact casually. In the stairwell area, mural art themed around Shinshu culture is planned by artists active in Japan, offering inbound travelers an opportunity to experience Japanese culture throughout the building. Key features of EKI include: a prime location one minute on foot from Nagano Station; two suite rooms on the third floor offering Japanese-style relaxation, each approximately 50 square meters and accommodating up to four guests; four guest rooms on the second floor themed around a “sleeper train,” including one room for four guests and three rooms for two guests; an attached community cafe on the second floor designed as a space for local residents and travelers to interact; and tourism information for inbound travelers, including local food, culture, and sightseeing information. The facility aims to function as an “entry point to discovering Nagano” for inbound travelers and as a “new exchange hub” for local residents. AND CRAFT is also recruiting sole proprietors who would like to open a cafe using the cafe space on EKI’s second floor. The company invites inquiries from people interested in taking on this challenge as a new business model with reduced startup costs, especially those who can provide breakfast service. Benefits for new cafe operators include securing sales through use by hotel guests, reducing capital investment, and reducing rent. For future development, AND CRAFT is seeking building owners and business operators who share the concept of EKI and want to help energize tourism in Nagano Prefecture. Those interested in opening complex lodging facilities using idle real estate at tourism bases within Nagano Prefecture are encouraged to inquire. The company is also developing “make i trip,” a tourism information service for inbound travelers based on the theme of “creating your own unique journey.” It is scheduled for release in autumn 2026 as a tool connecting accommodation operators in Nagano Prefecture, including EKI, with inbound travelers. The service will feature local information from Nagano Prefecture created in collaboration with local writers, including restaurants, nature, festivals, and lodging experiences, as well as an AI trip concierge to help travelers enjoy their stay in Nagano in their own way. Representative Director Ryoya Usui commented that Nagano has nature, culture, and tourism resources that can be proudly shared with the world, while also having many underutilized assets such as existing regional buildings and vacant properties. Rather than simply creating something new, the company wants to inherit local architecture and culture, add new value, and connect them to the future. EKI is a project that uses an existing building in front of Nagano Station to create a new hub where travelers and the local community intersect. The company aims to make it both an “entrance to the journey” for inbound travelers visiting Nagano and a place the local community can be proud of. Facility overview: The facility name is EKI THE TRAVEL BASE EKI. It is scheduled to open in August 2026 and will be located in Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture, one minute on foot from Nagano Station. The second floor will contain a community cafe space and accommodation floor, while the third floor will be an accommodation floor. Company overview: AND CRAFT Inc.; Representative: Ryoya Usui; Established: July 2019; Address: 2-5-10 Shin-Suwa, Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture 380-0873, Japan. Company website: https://and-craft.co.jp/. Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andcraft.inc/. Contact for inquiries: info@and-craft.co.jp.