Travel Through Human Connection

Be welcomed into the everyday life of rural Japan.

Kanpai Meets Japan is a Japan-based travel service offering private tours, group tours, and local experiences for international travelers who want to connect with local people and experience everyday life in rural Japan.

We believe the most memorable part of travel is not only the places you visit, but the people who welcome you along the way.

Through conversations over local food and sake, shared meals, and time spent in small communities, we hope travelers experience what it feels like to be welcomed into everyday life in Japan.

Our journeys are created together with the people who live and work in these communities—sake brewers, farmers, artisans, innkeepers, chefs, and local families who open the door to everyday life in rural Japan.

Rather than simply visiting destinations, we invite you to spend meaningful time with the people who call these places home—and leave having met someone you’ll want to come back and see again.

The Meaning of KANPAI

KANPAI is more than a toast.

It’s how strangers become friends.

It is how conversations begin, stories are shared, and distance quietly disappears.

At Kanpai Meets Japan, KANPAI is not simply about drinking.
It is about sharing time around the table, listening to local stories, and feeling welcomed into someone’s everyday life.

Every journey begins by meeting local people.
Every meaningful connection begins with KANPAI.

WHY WE STARTED

Built on Years of Human Connections Across Japan

Kanpai Meets Japan is operated by Autabi LLC, a Japan-based travel company founded in 2016 with the theme:

“Journeys to meet wonderful people across Japan.”

Since the beginning, we have focused not only on destinations, but on the people who live there — sake brewers, farmers, artisans, inn owners, chefs, and community members throughout Japan.

Over nearly a decade of traveling and collaborating with local communities, we came to believe that the most meaningful part of travel is often not simply where you go, but who you meet along the way.

Today, many travelers are searching for something deeper than sightseeing alone — genuine conversations, local culture, and experiences rooted in everyday life.

Through long-standing relationships built across rural Japan, Kanpai Meets Japan creates opportunities for travelers and local communities to truly connect.

What Makes Our Experiences Different

LOCAL CONNECTION

Meet Local People

Our experiences are hosted by people who actually live and work in the regions you visit.

PERSONAL JOURNEYS

Small & Personal

We focus on meaningful connections rather than large-scale tourism.

RURAL CULTURE

Beyond Tourist Routes

Discover rural communities, local traditions, and everyday culture across Japan.

SHARED TABLES

Food, Sake & Shared Tables

Many of our experiences include time spent around the table — sharing meals, drinks, and stories together.

Meet Our Team

We are a small team passionate about connecting travelers with local communities throughout Japan.
Together with local hosts, guides, and coordinators across the country, we create experiences centered around human connection, food, culture, and everyday life.

Masahiro Karasawa
Founder & CEO

Born in Tokyo, Masahiro founded Autabi LLC in 2016 with the theme:

“Journeys to meet wonderful people across Japan.”

He loves meeting people, discovering local food and sake, and above all, sharing KANPAI and conversations around the table.

Over the years, he has traveled throughout Japan building relationships with local communities, sake brewers, farmers, artisans, and hosts across the country.

Through Kanpai Meets Japan, he hopes travelers can experience the warmth, culture, and humanity of rural Japan beyond ordinary sightseeing.

Masanori Saito
Executive Officer & CTO

Born in Tokushima Prefecture, Masanori joined Autabi LLC in 2017 after working independently in the field of technology and consulting.

He loves exploring local culture, regional food and sake, and discovering hidden places far from typical tourist routes.

Through Kanpai Meets Japan, he supports the creation of meaningful travel experiences through technology, operations, and close collaboration with local communities across Japan.

Meet Our Friends

Through our journeys across Japan, we’ve built friendships with brewers, farmers, artisans, innkeepers, fishermen, and many others.
These are some of the people who keep bringing us back.