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.
OUR STORY
Built on More Than 10 Years of Journeys and Human Connections
Kanpai Meets Japan is operated by Autabi LLC, a licensed travel company founded in Japan in 2016 with the theme:
“Journeys to meet wonderful people across Japan.”
For more than 10 years, Autabi has organized journeys throughout Japan centered not simply on visiting places, but on meeting the people who live there.
By traveling with guests, returning to the same communities, and spending time with local people, we have built lasting relationships with sake brewers, farmers, artisans, innkeepers, chefs, and local families across Japan.
The experiences you see on Kanpai Meets Japan did not begin when this new service launched.
They grew from the friendships, trust, and local connections Autabi has built through years of traveling across Japan.
Kanpai Meets Japan brings this experience to travelers from around the world, creating opportunities to step into everyday life in rural Japan and spend meaningful time with the people who call these places home.
Autabi’s website is available in Japanese.
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.
Messages from Our Friends
Meet some of the people who welcome our guests into their communities and share their stories, traditions, and everyday lives.
“We hope you’ll experience not only our sake, but also the land that shapes it — the Yatsugatake and Asama mountains, the Chikuma River, and the character of this region. We look forward to welcoming you.”
Takao Kurosawa
Kurosawa Sake Brewery · Sakuho, Nagano
What Our Guests Say
“I loved meeting and talking with all the local people.”
“Unique and shouldn’t be missed if you want to really experience rural life in Japan.”
— Margaret & Derek, Hawaii
Company Information
Kanpai Meets Japan
Operated by Autabi LLC
4F Hinode Building, 1-59-8 Akabane,
Kita-ku, Tokyo 115-0045, Japan
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Registered Travel Agency No. 2-7472
Full Member of the All Nippon Travel Agents Association
Email: info@kanpaimeets.com
Website: https://kanpaimeets.com/
TEL: +81-3-6820-7348
Akabane, Tokyo — the neighborhood where Kanpai Meets Japan is based.
Travel is ultimately about people.
Through shared meals, conversations, and time spent together,
we hope your journey in Japan becomes more than sightseeing —
a meaningful human connection that stays with you long after you return home.
And perhaps, it all begins with a simple KANPAI.
