Q: Could you tell me about your company, "Maimai Tokyo," and your business activities?

Maimai LLC is a company based in Kyoto and Tokyo that plans and operates small walking tours with a capacity of about 20 people. A variety of guides will lead you through the streets of Kyoto and Tokyo, each specializing in a particular theme. Under the name "Maimai Tokyo," they plan and operate approximately 500 tours per year, titled "Tokyo Mini Tours with Specialists."

Q: As a corporation, how do you use the facilities, including meeting rooms and galleries?

We are part of "Maimai Tokyo," which is based in Tokyo, but since many of our members work on a contract basis, we do most of our work from home. Since registering with S-TOKYO, we have a place where we can meet, so we use the meeting room for meetings when members from the Kyoto branch come to visit. We also use it for recruitment interviews with volunteer staff for our tours. At first, we did everything online, but we felt that it was better to talk in person.

We hold social gatherings with our members in the gallery space on the second floor. After our regular in-person meeting with about 15 volunteer members, we ordered catering and socialized. I really like the relaxed atmosphere, which is different from a regular conference room.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Nihonbashi location?

It's conveniently located near Tokyo Station, making it easy to gather. Since we conduct tours in Tokyo, being able to store tour equipment in lockers is very useful for increasing mobility. It's more efficient to store things here and have staff pick them up when needed than to send them to their homes. We also receive mail here. Furthermore, the Kodemmacho area is a wonderful neighborhood with a rich history and stories, so we decided to move here hoping for opportunities to forge connections in this area.

Q: It's a free-address system (no table reservations), but are there any issues with it being inconvenient?

I was a little apprehensive about using a free-address system at first, but so far I've been able to use it without any problems.

We rent a conference room for meetings and discussions.

On the contrary, because it's a free-address system, we can choose our seats according to our daily tasks, such as sitting close to team members during meetings or selecting a monitor seat when we need one. I actually find it quite flexible and easy to use.

Q: What benefits has the existence (community) of S-TOKYO brought to your business? And what potential benefits does it have?

I previously attended a talk event called "Snack Glocal (*1)" hosted by S-TOKYO. I found it appealing that it allowed me to connect with regional areas without having to travel there. I've heard that Linnas Design Co., Ltd., which operates S-TOKYO, also has a base in Kanazawa. It hasn't happened yet, but I hope that someday we can hold a tour in Kanazawa!

(*1) Snack Glocal… An event that invites local players from all over Japan and around the world to enjoy talk and interaction. With local drinks and snacks in hand, you can spend an exciting yet homey time in an atmosphere that feels like you've stepped into a deep local bar.

Comments from community curators

This time, we interviewed Ms. Ojima and Ms. Saito from "Maimai Tokyo," a coworking space that has a corporate contract with us!

S-TOKYO is a local x global coworking space where people who work while traveling back and forth between regional areas and Tokyo, and between the world and Tokyo, come together. Maimai Tokyo also has a base in Kyoto and is a wonderful company that is truly conveying the hidden charms of Japan's local areas! We hope to create many opportunities for companies like them to connect with digital nomads around the world and players in regional areas of Japan.

S-TOKYO's corporate plan is available at a minimum price because it's a co-working space with free desks. Meeting rooms are also available for confidential meetings and visitor receptions. Furthermore, it's one of the few co-working spaces in Tokyo that's open 24 hours a day. You can use it flexibly to suit your needs while keeping costs down.

Why not consider S-TOKYO as your creative base in Tokyo?

Please feel free to contact us with any questions!

s-tokyo@linnas-design.com