Our story
Cocoro (kokoro / 心) is directly translated to heart, but more often used for the emotion or mind of someone. We interpret it as sincerely, a chance to sincerely create the best trip we can for anybody going to Japan. Cocoro Japan is a dream come true, shaped by our love for Japan and the joy of sharing it with others.
We are Moe and Tom, now happily married since 2022, we met in 2019 while Moe was doing an exchange in the Netherlands at the same study Tom was doing his full degree. Tom previously came into contact with Japan doing his own exchange in Japan. In 2020, while Moe started to work full time in Japan at JTB, the largest tourism agency in Japan, Tom started his internship at Tokyo Ramen Tours.
During this time we had the chance to travel extensively through Japan. While Tom didn’t have love at first sight with Japan back in 2018, together we helped each other appreciate Japan to fullest. Moe helped Tom see the deeper levels of Japan, the small details in everything around us, the meaning behind things. Moe got to see Japan through a fresh set of eyes to appreciate Japan in a new way.
Starting our own travel agency was something we’ve always talked about, but never dared to take the leap. Since that time Moe has built up experience in creating tailor made trips to Japan and we have continued to travel extensively through Japan. After getting more experience in the field, we decided to start Cocoro Japan.
We believe Japan is not just a destination to cross off your list, we want people to experience Japan the way we experienced it, not just the big tourist spots, but the hidden places, the genuine moments, the feeling of being welcomed and surprised, the way we fell in love with travel in Japan. That is the feeling we want to share and give to you. We want you to feel the Japanese hospitality from the moment you visit our website, we will help create the best holiday you could ever have in Japan. Everyone is different; we listen to you and help create the perfect trip that you will never forget.
Two worlds, one passion
About Moe
My grandfather loved to bring my sister and me to many cultural places during my childhood. Born and raised in Saitama for over 20 years, most of our trips were around my neighborhood, but they made me love travelling. As I grew older, that passion led me to explore many other cities and regions across Japan.
After graduating, I began working at travel agencies in Tokyo and the Netherlands, where I learned tourism from various perspectives, from domestic MICE projects to creating and arranging tailor-made trips to Japan for European customers. Using my knowledge and experience, I hope to help you discover Japan on a deeper level.
About Tom
My first time in Japan was during an exchange to Kansai Gaidai in Osaka. At that point clueless about Japan and doing the standard tourist things, while I enjoyed the experience a lot, I didn't fall in love with Japan. It wasn't until I started to travel with Moe, that I started to fully enjoy all that there was to see and do in Japan. She was a guide in our travels that took every experience to the next level. And this is why this project is so important to me, I believe that with the right plan, guidance and information you can take your holiday to Japan to the next level.