27th Co.,Ltd. Company Introduction(EN)

This is the company introduction document for 27th Inc.
(Updated in January 2025)

We provide "gokigen japanese," an online Japanese conversation service for foreigners interested in Japanese culture (such as anime and history).

Our primary users are English speakers residing in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Our Japanese instructors, who are proficient in English, utilize a wealth of original materials (100 grammar lessons, over 150 explanatory videos and homework exercises, and more than 50 article-based materials) to help even beginners efficiently and enjoyably learn the Japanese language and culture.

Company Website: https://27th.co.jp/
Service Website: https://gokigen.jp/

Transcript

1. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 27th Co.,Ltd. Company introduction 2025_006
2. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 2 Contents ① Company Profile ② Service Overview ③ Appendix
3. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Company Profile 3 Date of Establish -ment April 27, 2022 Company Name 27th Co., Ltd. Hirofumi Naramura CEO 1-3-11-4th Floor, Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Address ・ Japanese Online Conversation Service (details provided in subsequent sections) ・ Business Skills Training Service ・ Management Consulting Service Business 5,000,000 yen Capital Stock ・ MUFG Bank, Kagurazaka Branch ・ Dai-ichi Kangyo Credit Union Kagurazaka Branch ・ Mizuho Bank, Tokyo Central Branch ・ Japan Finance Corporation Shinjuku Branch Main Banks Yu Mizuno , City Lights Law Office Legal Advisor Natsumi Hayashi(Japanese Instructor, Asian Studies Program, Knox College, Illinois, U.S.A.) Japanese Education advisor Certified Public Accountant Mari Yamauchi Office https://27th.co.jp URL ① Company Profile Advisory Tax Accountant
4. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 4 Planning & Management Member Hirofumi Naramura (Founder) Completed a master’s in the Division of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences at Kyoto University Graduate School of Science. He joined Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in 2010 as a Project Leader. After that, he founded 27th Co., Ltd. in April 2022. Yuki Komiya (Tutor and Material team) Earned a master’s in applied linguistics at the University of Queensland, Australia. After founding the Language Design Office in July 2022, he has focused on conference interpretation and game localization. At 27th, he is responsible for tutor management and material development. Graduated from the Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Hitotsubashi University. Completed the Master’s program in Design Engineering at Harvard University. Worked at BCG in Tokyo, Malaysia, and Singapore offices, and later led the business development team at The Walt Disney Company. She has provided advice on marketing and UX to 27th. Hana Yamaki (UX Advisor) As of January 1, 2025, all team members except the founder are working on a freelance or part-time basis. ① Company Profile Material team member Graduated from Kyoto University. After working for a creating teaching materials at a major educational company, he became a product manager at a B2C online service startup. At 27th, He is responsible for creating teaching materials. Service planning team member Completed a master's course in the Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University. He is a product manager at a strategy consulting firm and an educational startup. At 27th, he is responsible for user experience. Service planning team member Completed a master's course in the Department of Systems Informatics, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo. He is a manager of a strategy consulting firm, a founding member/division partner of an AI development company. At 27th, he is responsible for management and service planning.
5. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 5 Company History 2022 • April: Established 27th Co., Ltd. • July: α1 test conducted • September: α2 test conducted 2023 • July: Launched the “gokigen japanese” service • August: Official YouTube channel opened 2024 • March: Chiyoda CULTURE x TECH Business Contest 2024 Award • April: Selected as a member of NEXs Tokyo (sponsored by Tokyo) • May: Exhibited at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 Global Startup Program • May: Partnered with Living in Peace, a certified NPO, for refugee support programs ① Company Profile
6. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. New Needs for Learning Japanese 6 Study Abroad and Work in Japan About 90% are in Asia and South Africa Group classes in a classroom at a Japanese school Direct method (all classes are conducted in Japanese) objective users place method Motivated by interests in Japanese culture(anime, manga, etc.) Rapid increase in Japanese learning in North America and Europe Online Classes Indirect method (Japanese taught in English) ② Service Overview Existing needs New and Growing Needs
7. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Reasons to learn Japanese 51% of users in North America indicate 'Learning Japanese culture' 7 Europe 1st 2nd 3rd Asia North America Registered service users(August 2023 - July 2024) Main target countries for gokigen japanese Work in Japan 48% 24% 48% Travel to Japan Linguistic interest Learn Japanese culture 42% 40% 51% 38% 30% Learn Japanese culture Live in Japan Travel to Japan Learn Japanese culture 31% Live in Japan ② Service Overview
8. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Main Countries of Users 8 1st USA 4th Canada 5th Australia 9th France 2nd Japan 3rd UK 7th New Zealand 6th Germany August 2023 - November 2024 10th Taiwan 8th Singapore ② Service Overview
9. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Service Overview and Key Features 9 Service Overview Service Japanese Online Conversation Service Four Features of gokigen japanese (See image below) Website Online private lessons: Take lessons at your own pace anytime. • Choose your preferred time and no travel is needed. • One-on-one lessons make it easy to progress and ask questions. Comprehensive Learning Materials: All on the website. • Grammar materials (for beginners): 100 lessons. • Pre-study videos & homework: 152 lessons. • Articles (for intermediate+ learners): 50+ lessons (and growing). Japanese culture explanations: Learn through lesson materials. • Gain cultural insights through interactive 'Coffee Break' discussions. • Articles explore unique Japanese culture with discussions with tutors. Lessons in English: Beginner-friendly with in-depth explanations. • Easily understand word meanings and grammar. • Tutors are fluent in English and can answer questions in English. End of July 2023 Launched https://gokigen.jp/ ② Service Overview
10. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Service Features: 3-step learning 10 ② Service Overview STEP1:Pre-study STEP2: Lesson STEP3:Review Pre-study videos Lesson slides Review Handouts Material STEP (76 videos) (100 slides) (76 handouts)
11. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Original Materials and Contents (1) 11 Grammar&Conversation Coffee break/Manga Article Approx. 100 materials More than 60 materials Approx. 100 slides Explanations and exercises of Japanese grammar content level image qty Beginner(JLPT N5/N4) Commentary on Japan culture and manga Reading comprehension and discussion Intermediate ~ Advanced (JLPT N3/N2/N1) Beginner(JLPT N5/N4) ② Service Overview
12. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Original Materials and Contents (2) 12 Travel Japanese Japanese Blog Instagram Approx. 10 teaching materials (approx. 300 sheets) About 100 posts 100+ page Knowledge and conversation about travel to Japan Entry(JLPT pre-N5) Understanding Japan Culture and Examples in Manga Japanese proverbs, holidays, etc. Beginner ~ Advanced (JLPT N5～N1) Beginner(JLPT N5/N4) content level image qty ② Service Overview
13. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Lesson Progress & Can Do 13 4 lessons 12 lessons 24 lessons 48 lessons 1month 3months 6months 12months サッカーが得意です “I’m good at soccer” • Describe daily activities. ⁃ “I wake up at…” ⁃ “I often cook…”. • Describe hobbies and interests. ⁃ “I like…”. • Introduce yourself (name, occupation, nationality etc) • Engage in common shopping conversation ⁃ “How much is…?” ⁃ “Where is…?”. • Read the hiragana/katakana. • Use and understand common daily greetings. • Ask and tell time and money using numbers. 旅行に行きたいです “I want to go on a trip” Study for Lessons • Ask and answer about familiar everyday topics (hobbies, favorite food, weekend plans etc). * JLPT N5 equivalent Phrases you learn What you can do こんにちは “Good evening” わたしは だいがくせい です “I’m a university student” Study once a week to reach up to JLPT N5 level in one year ② Service Overview
14. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Business Model 14 Service PF • Lesson Payment • Lessons Materials • Lesson Tickets • Monthly Lesson Fees • Japanese lessons (online & via in-house PF) • Lesson Reservation • Instructor Registration • Set available time slots Japanese Tutors Users … ② Service Overview Monthly subscription plan
15. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Comments from users 15 Beginner user Lives in the U.S. (20s) Intermediate user Lives in Hong Kong (20s) Advanced user Lives in the U.S. (60s) “The lessons were really nice to go through and having to speak through them was really refreshing for me compared to just doing duolingo.” "I think the learning material is very efficient and easy to understand. One very outstanding point is that the lesson touch on cultural information and also practical usage learning." "I like that the lessons offer such a good mix of culture, vocabulary, grammar, etc. They cover so many topics at once." ② Service Overview
16. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Corporate/Group Plan (1) 16 Issues felt by companies employing non-Japanese speakers Challenges with non-Japanese employees • Communication gaps due to limited Japanese language and cultural understanding • Difficulty building relationships with colleagues, leading to low retention. Issues with Existing Japanese School • Group lessons in Japanese are too challenging for beginners • Fixed schedules and classroom-based lessons are hard to balance with work Features of GOKIGEN JAPANESE Learn Both Japanese Language and Culture • Rich “coffee break” explaining Japanese culture • Abundant materials on Japanese business Beginner friendly Lessons • Beginners feel at ease with bilingual support • Easy to ask questions • Learn at your own pace through private lessons Flexible Online Lessons, Anytime • Choose lesson times that suit your schedule • No commute—ideal for using spare moments efficiently 〈 Introducing gokigen japanese can not only support talent retention but also serve as a compelling point in recruitment efforts for global professionals. ② Service Overview
17. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Corporate/Group Plan (2) 17 Target level: No learning-Japanese experience ~ Intermediate and advanced • For beginners (JLPT N5-4): Teaching materials and classes focusing on grammar learning ➢ 「Lesson Slide」：100 teaching materials (approx. 3,000 pages) ➢ 「Pre-study Video」：76 materials ➢ 「Home work」：76 materials • Intermediate and advanced (JLPT N3-1 level): Teaching materials focusing on reading comprehension and discussion ➢ 「Article」：More than 60 teaching materials (added monthly) Price: 4,500 yen per online individual lesson (50 minutes) (excluding tax) • 18,000 yen per month for 4 times a month (1 time per week) per participant • Depending on the initial trial and attendance volume, discounts can also be considered. Case Study: Working with an NPO to support refugees in Japan for more than one year ② Service Overview
18. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Corporate/Group Plan：FAQ 18 Is it fixed to 4 times a month? Or is it possible to take intensive lessons in a specific month? It is not fixed to 4 times a month. It is possible to take lessons intensively. • Example: Change from 4 times a month to 8 or 12 times a month In principle, it will be online (Depends on availability and conditions of our Tutors. We will consider it on a case-by-case basis.) It can be set in 1 month ~ 1 year according to the frequency / duration of the course Please use the inquiry form on our website （https://27th.co.jp/contactus/） Is it possible to take classes face-to- face instead of online? How long is my ticket valid for? Q1 Q2 Q3 Where can I make inquiries or apply? Q4 Question Answer ② Service Overview
19. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. For overseas (English-speaking) markets, "the 27th New character" For Japan’s overseas expansion "The 27th Japan Attraction” Origin of the company name(27th) 19 Source: 1. "Cool Japan Strategy," Intellectual Property Strategy Headquarters, Cabinet Office (September 3, 2019) The "Cool Japan Strategy" prepared by the Cabinet Office in 2019 introduces 26 examples of "attractiveness" that exist in Japan1) Since “Japanese language" is not listed in this, it is a service that promotes "Japanese", which is the 27th charm, from Japan to overseas. One of the key features of our service is that you can learn Japanese in English, using original teaching materials. Therefore, for overseas (English-speaking) users, it is a service where users can discover the "27th character"—Japanese—following the 26 letters of the alphabet. 1 ２ Alphabet (26 characters) Attractiveness of Japan (26 items) ③ Appendix
20. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Awards & Partnerships 20 March 2024 Chiyoda CULTURE x TECH Business Contest 2024 Award Winner Startup Hub Tokyo Marunouchi (March 19, 2024) May 2024 Partnered with Living in Peace, a certified NPO (Online Japanese lessons for refugees) Press Release (May 31, 2024) ③ Appendix
21. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. © 2025 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Other: Business Skills Training 21 Content Materials Slide Design Lecture & Workshop • Creating slides for logical presentations and explanations Business Planning Model Lecture & Demonstration • How to build a business plan model for new ventures 1 Problem-solving Slide training 2 Proven track record of training delivery for major Japanese companies, global firms, and professional services firms. Business Plan Model 3 Slide Story Training 4 Slide Story Structuring Lecture & Workshop • How to structure multi- slide presentations effectively Foundation Application & Development Problem-Solving Lecture & Workshop • Understanding logical thinking and output techniques ③ Appendix
22. © 2024 27th Co.,Ltd. All Rights Reserved. 22 Thank you for watching For inquiries, please use our website （https://27th.co.jp）