Hoshino Resorts Wants to Take Japanese Hospitality Overseas
Skift Take
Yoshiharu Hoshino, the CEO of Hoshino Resorts, doesn't follow the crowd. He's taking steps to combat overtourism and brand bloat in Japan while testing travel subscriptions. And he wants to bring Japanese inns to America.
Early Check-In
Editor’s Note: Skift Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill brings readers exclusive reporting and insights into hotel deals and development, and how those trends are making an impact across the travel industry.Yoshiharu Hoshino, the CEO of Hoshino Resorts was named the "master entrepreneur of the year" in Japan by the consultancy EY.
The accolade has a certain logic. Hoshino is a fourth-generation leader of a family-owned, 109-year-old company. He is becoming a voice representing Japanese hospitality to the world. Hoshino's company — the Japan-based operator of inns, hotels, and resorts — has been an innovator, pioneering the separation of management from ownership in Japan. In the past year, it went from running 56 to 64 properties.The company strives to take a purpose-driven approach to running hotels while also reflecting Japanese culture. Key pillars of the philosophy include:
The fair distribution of profits with staff and regional tourism workers. Environmentally responsible business practices, measured as business goals. Combating overtourism. "If you look at the number of prefectures receiving inbound international tourists, the top five, including Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, are welcoming about 65 percent of the total," Hoshino said. "But we have 47 prefectures in Japan. We need to spread the demand around." Superior, locally infused service. Skift columnist Colin Nagy has written about how Hoshino Resorts takes service to the next level, trying to be true to Japanese culture without being cliche. Innovation. The company is testing the subscription model, installment payments, and other responses to consumer tastes.Hoshino runs five main brands:
Hoshinoya, a luxury brand that aims to encapsulate omotenashi, the Japanese philosophy of providing extraordinary hospitality. Its ninth location is planned for 2026, namely, the 62-unit Hoshinoya Lodge Niseko, a ski-in, ski-out resort with a mixed-gender rooftop onsen overlooking a village and toward Mount Yotei. Kai, a set of 22 inns beside hot springs modeled on onsen ryokan, or traditional Japanese inns, that offer Kaiseki-style meals and premium service. Its property in Yufuin was picked as one of the 100 best new hotels in the world this month by Travel + Leisure. Risonare, countryside resorts where guests can enjoy up-close experiences with nature and private saunas. Omo, a series of midscale (premium economy) urban lifestyle hotels, launched in 2018. It has been testing offering rooms to business travelers by the hour, not just by the day. Beb, which offers a next-generation mindset and a premium eco