AI Agent-Led Next-Generation Dining Experience App "UMAME!" Launches English Version

Gurunavi, Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akio Sugihara; hereinafter referred to as Gurunavi) will begin offering the English version of its AI agent-equipped app "UMAME!" (pronounced "Umami!"), which personalizes dining experiences using generative AI, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. This release will provide a next-generation dining experience, enabling inbound foreign tourists who are unfamiliar with Japan's geography and food culture to easily find the optimal restaurants nearby that offer the "now" experience they are looking for.

For inbound foreign tourists, Japanese dining experiences are a major source of enjoyment. However, finding a restaurant that matches their preferences and is available right now from a vast amount of information can be difficult. The English version of "UMAME!" was developed to resolve this "Where to go?" dilemma. It is more than just a search tool; an AI agent that stays close to the user matches them with restaurants where they can experience the "now" of Japan, proposing unique, once-in-a-lifetime encounters during their travels.

Three Values Offered by "UMAME!"

1. Instant Suggestions for "Restaurants Available Now"

Every minute counts when traveling. The app instantly suggests the optimal restaurant from your current location, minimizing time loss spent searching for a place in an unfamiliar area.

2. Encounters with Local Spots to Experience Japan's "Now"

The AI suggests local gems that can only be experienced at that specific time and place. By matching restaurants to the user's mood, it saves search effort and proposes new encounters with Japanese food culture.

3. Evolving Personalized Experience with Every Use

The AI works in conjunction with "Bookmarks" to save favorite restaurants and "Journals" to record dining experiences. With each use, the AI deepens its understanding of the user's preferences, continuing to provide optimal matches like a dedicated concierge.

Future Outlook

Moving forward, we aim to further improve convenience to create an app that users worldwide visiting Japan can utilize more seamlessly. This will also contribute to expanding the fan base for Japan's rich food culture and driving customer traffic to restaurants.

Gurunavi is promoting the "Gurunavi Next Project" to achieve technological innovation and digital transformation across Gurunavi by leveraging generative AI. Moving forward, under the PURPOSE of "Connecting through food. Satisfying people.," we will accelerate the "realization of next-generation dining experiences" and "overwhelming operational efficiency" through the expanded use of AI.

The background and features of "UMAME!" are also explained in detail on "Gurunavi Tsushin" (Gurunavi News).

Gurunavi Fully Releases "UMAME!" (Next-Generation Restaurant Matching App)!

【Article here】https://pro.gnavi.co.jp/magazine/t_res/cat_8/a_4886/

■App Overview

Name: UMAME! (Umami!)

Supported Languages: Japanese, English

Price: Free

Supported OS: iOS / Android

iOS :https://apps.apple.com/app/id6737528819

Android：https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.gnavi.umame

Official Website: https://umame.gnavi.co.jp/

■Gurunavi Next Project Overview

■Gurunavi Next Project VISION

Realization of Next-Generation Dining Experiences

Creating new experiences guided by AI. Personalizing restaurant choices to generate valuable dining experiences.

Overwhelming Operational Efficiency

Reducing employee burden through AI-driven automation, enabling focus on creative tasks.

■Gurunavi Next Project MISSION

・Pioneering a new era in restaurant discovery.

・Organizing and summarizing vast restaurant information using generative AI, allowing users to easily find restaurants and menus that meet their needs.

・Actively utilizing generative AI in internal operations to improve company-wide productivity, and automating human support operations, including sales and consulting activities, to enhance productivity and scalability.