Testimonial

Hello, this is the Orinas Customer Case Study Interview Team.

This time, we interviewed Mr. Iriya (pictured right), Representative Director of Shin Nihonkai Ferry Co., Ltd., and Mr. Nakayama (pictured left), Deputy General Manager of the Corporate Planning Department. Shin Nihonkai Ferry has been supporting various branding projects for the opening of their accommodation facility, "Niseko Kabayama no Satoraku Mizuyama," in Niseko, including concept design, website production, logo creation, and brochure creation. We spoke frankly with them about the challenges they have faced so far, their thoughts on launching a new business, and why they chose Orinas for the project!

The Challenge of Hotel Branding | I Felt an Affinity with Orinas' Fast-Paced Corporate Culture

Orinas:

Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today, President Iriya. First, could you please explain your company's business operations?

Iriya:

Our company, Shin Nihonkai Ferry, opened a route between Kansai and Hokkaido in 1970 and currently operates eight ships on four routes. We have also been running hotels since 1998. When we revised the ferry schedule in 1996 and introduced high-speed ferries, the ferries began arriving in Otaru at around 9 p.m. At the time, there were not enough hotels in Otaru to accommodate overnight guests, so we built the Authent Hotel Otaru so that ferry customers could stay even if they arrived late at night, and that was the start of our hotel business.

This time, we asked your company to help us create the concept for "Niseko Kabayama no Satoraku Mizuyama," a lodging facility that opened in Niseko in 2020. Over the past decade or so, Niseko has become extremely prosperous, primarily due to foreign tourists. We saw this as a business opportunity and decided to develop a lodging facility.

Orinas:

We originally proposed this to Shin Nihonkai Ferry as part of their website creation project, but they also approached us about launching the "Raku Suizan" accommodation facility. What was the process that led to them entrusting us with the project?

Iriya:

An acquaintance of mine introduced me to your company. I heard that it is a very young, dynamic, and growing company, so I thought it might be a good fit for launching a new accommodation facility.

Our current project, "Raku Suizan," is a small, compact hot spring inn targeted at the wealthy. Its concept and target are different from conventional accommodation facilities, and it was something we had never experienced before. Your company is active with a young sensibility, and it seems flexible and quick to act. We also felt that having an international staff was in line with our goals, so we decided to ask them to help us.

The fact that they proposed a stylish and innovative visual was also a factor. This project was a challenge in a new field, so we wanted to incorporate various ideas from outside.

Orinas:

Why did you decide to position your hotel in marketing terms as a "small-scale inn for the wealthy"?

Iriya:

The main reasons for this are the downsizing of travel and the growing demand for value-added travel.

I've been working in the ferry industry for many years, and while there used to be a wide variety of customers, recently there have been fewer group tours. Also, flying has become extremely convenient and prices have dropped. Ferries inevitably take a long time, so we've tried various things to make better use of that time and broaden the scope of so-called sea travel, and as a result, we've gradually seen an increase in customers who are relatively more flexible in terms of both time and money. I also feel that the trend in society is for added value to be added to travel as a whole. Therefore, for this accommodation, we narrowed the concept to a small-scale accommodation with added value.

A Branding Strategy That Expresses This Sentiment in the Hotel Logo

Orinas:

Could you tell us about the thoughts behind the name "Rakusuizan," which you yourself named?

Iriya:

We considered various options when deciding on the name. The starting point was "Satoyama."

Previously, luxurious, urban facilities and services were the norm in the leisure and tourism sector, but recently the trend has been changing. Rather, people are looking for spaces and accommodations that are different from the urban amenities that are an extension of their everyday lives. Therefore, we thought it would be better to provide a mental landscape that reflects the times, something that has been lost to most Japanese people, and something non-urban, and so we chose the theme of Satoyama.

There is a saying in the Chinese classics that "The wise enjoy the water, the benevolent enjoy the mountains." We want you to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy nature. We want you to regain your peace of mind in a natural environment where you can feel safe. Ultimately, we want you to regain your sense of self in a quiet space and time. We named our hotel "Rakusuizan" with the hope of providing such experiences.

Orinas:

It's a wonderful name. The logo also matches the image.

Iriya:

I really like this logo. It was inspired by Ainu traditional clothing and resembles a family crest. It is visually innovative and modern, and I think it will be well-received by overseas customers.

The typeface was an original design by a calligraphy teacher. I thought clerical script would be good, so I searched the internet and found it, and contacted him to ask for his permission to use it. He was very friendly and repeatedly told me, "We will keep the original." Thanks to him, the typeface came out very well, with a casual, informal feel and a tasteful touch.

Orinas:

It's a font that really evokes the original landscape of Japan and is very reassuring.

Iriya:

It's originally a Chinese style of calligraphy, but I liked how you broke it down and wrote it in a Japanese style.

Evaluating Creative Work That Follows the Concept

Orinas:

We worked together for two years until the opening. Could you please give us your honest thoughts about our company?

Iriya:

He has a good sense of visuals, and it was great that he was able to delve deep into the hotel's concept and provide a variety of suggestions.

In conjunction with the logo mentioned earlier, we were also given a suggestion for the hotel brand color while finalizing the concept. Originally, we wanted to connect the image to the mountains and rivers of Niseko. Since it's water and mountains, the brand color is usually one color, but they expressed it well by using a two-tone color scheme. This calm color scheme was very good.

Should we bring out the native feel of Satoyama? Or, to what extent should we incorporate persuasive, sophisticated expressions? If we go too far, it will become edgy, but it will lose its Satoyama feel. It was difficult to strike that balance, but we were able to express it well through the coloring and website in a way that matched the feelings we had for "Rakusuizan."

Orinas:

Thank you. On the other hand, were there any areas for improvement or points that concerned you?

Iriya:

If I had to say, it would be the copywriting. There was a point where it felt a little out of place because we put too much effort into it. I think it's easy to get hung up on literary expressions, but the important thing is how to communicate to the average customer, rather than using difficult words or trying to be pretentious. I made a lot of changes from the perspective of whether or not the message would be conveyed to customers.

Orinas:

Thank you very much. We will continue to work hard, so we look forward to your continued support.

Now that the COVID-19 situation has finally calmed down, I hope many people will visit Rakusuizan. Thank you very much for today, President Iriya.

Finally

It took about two years from the branding concept stage of launching a "small-scale inn for the wealthy" to opening. We started by understanding Niseko's market, which is primarily made up of foreign tourists, and we had monthly meetings with President Iriya and other related parties, which I think has resulted in a wonderful inn that is full of passion.

For our company, the experience of being involved in a major project that was launched from scratch while keeping our positioning in mind, in the important positions of concept design and creativity, was a valuable and educational one.

Niseko's powder snow is of high quality and attracts skiers from all over the world, and with the Hokkaido Shinkansen line set to be extended to Sapporo in 2030, the market is expected to continue to expand.

We hope that Niseko Kabayama no Sato Raku Suisan will become a representative inn in Niseko, and we will continue to provide our full support in any areas where we can be of assistance.