From all around the world they come, staying at Japan’s luxury hotels and dining at the country’s most acclaimed restaurants. Business executives are increasingly making their way to Tokyo for conferences and events, for off-site team gatherings or to be wooed by companies competing for contracts.
Hotels are booked, often a year in advance, and itineraries are refined to accommodate groups of hundreds. They arrive with high expectations and a big budget, and travel agencies and hotel operators are cashing in on the trend, targeting cash-rich corporate executives for the best and most expensive iteration Japan’s omotenashi culture can offer.
James Kent, general manager of the J Team that specializes in corporate travel experiences, is one of the individuals facilitating such travel and “making dreams come true.”