Yatra (Travel Japan Together) was founded in August 2023 around one belief: that travel, done right, can alter the course of a life.
We are a Japan-based inbound tourism company — curating experiences that go beyond sightseeing and into something that stays with you long after you've returned home. Through our media and tour services, we connect curious travelers with a Japan that rarely makes the highlight reels: the quiet, the crafted, the genuinely alive.
The name Yatra comes from the Hindi word for "journey." It was the obvious choice. Founders Kensuke Ko and Soma Tashiro first met as university students at a guesthouse in Kolkata — two strangers who ended up traveling together for nearly a month. What started as chance became a friendship, and years later, a company.
That trip left a mark on both of them. Travel has a way of doing that. The encounters you didn't plan, the perspectives you couldn't have found at home, the moments that quietly reshape how you see everything after. When the pandemic made international travel impossible, they turned their gaze toward Japan — and found a country of extraordinary depth: layered history, remarkable natural landscapes, living traditions, and a culture that rewards those willing to slow down and look closer.
From our office in Taito Ward, Tokyo, we are building journeys worthy of that Japan — and inviting the world to discover it.
Co-CEO & Founder: Kensuke Ko
Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Meiji University and originally from Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture. During my college years, I launched a business and interned at a venture capital firm. After graduating, I joined GA technologies Group and was seconded to ITANDI, Inc., where I spearheaded a SaaS business tailored for real estate companies—achieving Product-Market Fit and securing the No. 1 market share in the industry. In 2023, I co-founded Yatra Inc. Beyond work, I’m an avid traveler who has visited over 50 countries and all 47 prefectures in Japan. My most memorable trips so far have been summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania abroad, and visiting Zamami Island back home.
Co-CEO & Founder: Soma Tashiro
Graduated from the College of Image Arts and Sciences at Ritsumeikan University and originally from Kobe. During my college years, I worked on over 200 projects as a freelance filmmaker—spanning commercials, movies, and documentaries—while also growing an audience as a YouTuber using my fluency in Indonesian. After graduating, I joined CACTAS Inc., where I established an overseas video production branch in Malaysia. In 2023, I co-founded Yatra Inc. I also serve as an official reporter for Sabah State, Borneo. Having visited over 30 countries and all 47 prefectures in Japan, my most memorable travel destinations so far have been Kolkata, India abroad, and the Momoiwa-so Youth Hostel on Rebun Island back home.
Executive Officer: Takaya Fujii
Graduated from the School of Business Administration at Kwansei Gakuin University and originally from Kobe. During my college years, I researched consumer behavior before joining Rakuten Group, Inc. after graduation. Working in the Business Strategy Department at Rakuten Travel, I led sales for corporate travel management services catering to major enterprise clients—managing accounts worth billions of yen while driving both key account expansion and overall business growth. I joined Yatra Inc. during its founding phase and also serve as an official reporter for Sabah State, Borneo. Having visited over 30 countries across all seven continents and all 47 prefectures in Japan, my most memorable travel destinations so far have been Antarctica abroad, and Awaji Island back home.
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▼CEO's note: About Inbound tourism and travels
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Company
Headquarters
6-17-14 Higashi-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo 110-0015
Sales Branch
3F Shimbashi Tokyu Building, 4-21-3 Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0004
Founded
August 2023
Capital
￥6,000,000
Representatives
Kensuke Ko, Soma Tashiro
Number of employees
102 (including part-time and contract staff)
Travel Agency License
Tokyo Governor Registered Travel Agency No. 3-8532
Contact
contact@yatra.co.jp