HOSEI Business School of Innovation Management’s Global MBA Program is built around its Project courses. Through GMBA’s internship programs, students have the opportunity to gain practical skills and real-world business experience in Japan, and apply what they are learning in their classroom courses. This is known as “active learning” or “project-based learning,” and aims to support students as they develop their careers after graduation.
The first of these is Project 1-A. These are internship projects with host organizations including regional government organizations, related regional organizations, and non-profit organizations (NPOs). The second of these is Project 2-A, individual internships with companies.
In 2025, 12 students did internships at 10 companies. Of these, two students this year had the opportunity to work with Singapore-based HistoricStays101 in entering the Japan market.
HistoricStays101 specializes in curated accommodations with historical significance in France, India and now Japan, enabling immersive experiences that go beyond the usual tourist spots. A subsidiary of Trip101, which in turn is part of Japan’s Venture Republic, founded by Kei Shibata and Kenichi Shibata (no relation, both pioneers in travel and lifestyle online platforms), Trip101 is led by co-founders Venkatraman Dhamodaran and Shaw Chian Kuck.
While over-tourism is fueling anti-foreigner sentiment in Japan, HistoricStays101 offers an alternative to Instagram-driven “fast tourism,” connecting travelers with places that carry cultural meaning. Locations and accommodations become an intentional part of the engagement experience and not just part of the tourist routine.
Gaining acceptance from traditional inns is challenging for anyone, and even more so for an overseas company. But this is exactly what makes this business journey compelling. It reminds me of the Bookin.com Japan journey, which raised the bar on the marketing of accommodations and activities, forcing a change that provided better services for travelers in Japan. In the case of HistoricStays101 Yume Towhida (from Bangladesh) and Edward Fernando Tanamas (from Indonesia) had to figure out not only how to get in touch with the owners of these historic accommodations, but how to get to YES — or at least MAYBE.
Japan doesn’t suffer from too many tourists: the problem is over-concentrated tourism in too few areas – and travelers looking to bag a photo rather than engaging with an experience. Solutions like HistoricStays101 could be one way to keep the tourism coming without the wrong kind of baggage. Only time will tell.