Aiming to
Revitalize the Local Community
through Tourism
We aim to contribute to the revitalization of the local economy through the means of tourism.
Having been involved in Okinawa's tourism industry as National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter, I felt that the leading industry in Okinawa is tourism. However, not many Okinawans benefit from the tourism industry. Like many cities around the world, Okinawa faces many social problems such as child poverty and gender equality. I wanted to create a society where all Okinawans can benefit from tourism.
We founded Tour Designers Inc. in September 2021 with the hope of using the power of tourism to address the social issues facing Okinawa and help revitalize the local communities. We aim to contribute to the revitalization of the local economy through the means of tourism.
Through cultural experiences and exchange programs by foreign tourists, we aim to promote activities to create a gender-equal society and sound upbringing of children, support and protect local traditional performing arts, preserve the environment and create a sustainable community, and realize local economic revitalization.
We would like to make gradual progress by inviting housewives (househusbands), local elderly people, and others who have not had much to do with tourism in the past to serve as guides, and participating the tour by guests to preserve the natural environment and traditional culture.
Thoughts behind
the company logo
Our company logo is a dreamy fruit tree with various kinds of fruits growing on one tree. These fruits represent the smiling faces of each resident of Okinawa, the local culture and history, each one of our guests who participate in our tours, and people who work with us to design the tours. It is our wish that each one of people in Okinawa will benefit from tourism, and that many people will be able to use their individuality to interact with society.
Dear Local Residents
When we talk with local residents, we often hear, "We have nothing to introduce to tourists when they come to our area." We definitely believe that the smiling faces of local residents, the local community that they love and cherish, are what attracts people to your area. Alleys filled with the laughter of children, strong sugar cane fields, nutritious crops grown in the sun and sea breezes, the shallow sea that brings bounty, and the bonds between people. Shall you add some story to your thoughts and precious treasures. Let us help revitalize the local economy together so that 100 or more years from now, your grandchildren and great-grandchildren will continue to protect your beloved hometown and its treasures.
Dear Valued Customer,
If your idea of a trip to Okinawa is white sand beaches, blue ocean, delicious Okinawan cuisine and awamori (traditional Okinawan distilled alcohol beverage), driving around with beautiful scenery, taking pictures, etc., then perhaps the tours we offer are a little different from what you imagine. We are designing tours that will help revitalize the local economy through tourism in order to pass on the culture, history, and smiles that the Okinawan people have carefully preserved for the next 100 years. We have a culture that we can protect by inviting you to participate in our tours. There are smiles to be protected. We are designing tours that will help you to incorporate the insights you gain from the tours into your daily lives, and to remember the smiles you had in Okinawa sometimes. We wholeheartedly design such tours one by one.
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CEO
Tour DesignerAi Munakata
Born in Tokyo. After graduating from high school, studied abroad in Canada and moved to Okinawa after returning to Japan. She worked as a store manager at a scuba diving shop specializing in inbound travel. After that, she started her career of National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter throughout Okinawa Prefecture including remote islands and deeply engaged with tourism industry in Okinawa by involving in a wide range of tours, from one-day tours to FAM trips, accompanying foreign media on photo shoots and so on.
In addition to tour guiding, she has been involved in many other field, including interpretation and English MC (Okinawa Karate International Convention, ATWS 2022 Switzerland JNTO "JAPAN ADVENTURE", etc.), instructor for Okinawa Prefecture and Amami Islands Regional Interpreter Guide Training and Skill Up Training, "Training to enhance inbound response capabilities of local tourism personnel" as a Tourism Agency certified Level 1 instructor, and is registered as an external expert personnel for the "World Level DMO Formation Promotion Project" by the Tourism Agency.
In 2020, she completed the Cabinet Office Core Human Resource Development Project's “Adventure Tourism Coordinator Human Resource Development Program” and in 2021, she also completed the Okinawa General Bureau’s "Adventure Tourism Through Guide Training and Tour Coordinate Training". She has been deeply involved in Okinawa's Adventure Tourism (hereinafter referred to as "AT") as a coordinator and through guide, and was selected to represent Okinawa Prefecture at the ATWS 2022 in Switzerland, where she is deepening her knowledge of AT.
She enjoys cooking and vegetable gardening and has an otaku side with her love of anime. She values flexibility, safety, and security as her first motto, and values the care and concern she gives to her customers. -
Tour Designer
Yasufumi Yamashiro
He was born and rising in Okinawa.
After graduating from University in Okinawa, he moved to Taiwan to study Chinese and started his career in tourism industry. He mainly arranged school trips to Japan for local high schools in Taiwan. The destination was not only Okinawa but also various places in Japan, and he also engaged to arrange cultural exchange programs between Taiwanese and Japanese students. After returning to his hometown of Okinawa, he worked at a travel agency specializing in inbound tourism and was at the forefront of the travel boom to Japan, especially in Asia.
Based on these experiences, he focuses on adventure tourism as a new form of travel, aiming for sustainable travel that allows local communities to pass their cultures and customs to the future. In 2021, completed the “Adventure Tourism Coordinator Human Resource Development Program”.
He likes playing football and likes gardening which including growing vegetables. He also became interested in cooking with the vegetables he grew. His popular menu is pumpkin soup made with pumpkins from his garden.