COMPANY
Ichimaruichi Design was founded in Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Before we can dig through our finite coal reserves, we must convert that wealth into limitless technology.
This is the philosophy of Yusaku Watanabe, the founder of Ube's world-class Ube Industries.
We are pursuing infinite intellectual property that turns into infinite technology through the power of design. We are pursuing infinite intellectual property that can be converted into infinite technology through the power of design.
Business
Application Development （Web / iOS / Android）
- We design and develop web and mobile apps (iOS/Android) tailored for diverse business scenarios, including workflow automation, matching, booking, payment, and e-commerce. Offering a seamless, one-stop solution from frontend and backend to infrastructure.
We also specialize in cross-platform development with React Native and Flutter. Our expertise ensures quick delivery and cost-effective app development, optimized specifically to your business needs.
- We design and develop web and mobile apps (iOS/Android) tailored for diverse business scenarios, including workflow automation, matching, booking, payment, and e-commerce. Offering a seamless, one-stop solution from frontend and backend to infrastructure.
Application Development Utilizing AI and Web3 Technologies
- We plan and develop innovative applications leveraging advanced technologies such as generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) and Web3 platforms including Ethereum and LINE Blockchain, aiming to create future-ready digital experiences.
We support system development that enhances existing services through NFT issuance and management, wallet integration, token utilization, AI-powered chatbots, automated responses, and AI-generated imagery, adding significant new value to your business.
- We plan and develop innovative applications leveraging advanced technologies such as generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT) and Web3 platforms including Ethereum and LINE Blockchain, aiming to create future-ready digital experiences.
Corporate & Brand Website Development
- We create attractive websites that maximize the appeal of companies and brands through strategic UI/UX planning, impactful design, and effective CMS implementation.
We also offer tailored SEO strategies, mobile optimization, and enhanced loading speeds to meet your specific business goals.
- We create attractive websites that maximize the appeal of companies and brands through strategic UI/UX planning, impactful design, and effective CMS implementation.
Web Marketing & Advertising Management Support
- We offer comprehensive digital marketing services, including advertising management, social media strategies, and traffic analytics, to maximize your website and app performance.
Our dedicated team provides end-to-end support—from strategic planning and execution to continuous improvement.
- We offer comprehensive digital marketing services, including advertising management, social media strategies, and traffic analytics, to maximize your website and app performance.
Greetings from the Representative
Message for the Start of Our 12th Fiscal Year
On July 4th, 2025, I’m writing this message from the terrace of a café in Koga City, Fukuoka.
The weather is beautiful today, with a pleasant breeze in the air. Although a bit belated, I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few thoughts as we begin our 12th fiscal year.
Looking Back on Our 11th Year
Our 11th year was one full of challenges and valuable lessons:
- Despite strengthening our hiring efforts, the number of employees who left the company equaled the number we onboarded.
- Major changes to our organizational structure led to a temporary breakdown in internal governance.
- While revenue slightly exceeded the previous year, profitability remained just on the edge.
There’s plenty to reflect on (and sweat over!),
I believe it was a year that prompted us to rethink how we manage our organization—and in doing so, brought us closer to what we call “genuine growth.” Rather than shy away from setbacks, we’ve come to embrace them as “necessary trials.” We’re now steadily addressing each issue, one step at a time, with care and determination.
Our Focus for the 12th Year
This year, we will strive to elevate the quality of our operations with the following four priorities:
- Organize internal rules and governance and ensure their accurate implementation.
- Further clarify and embed our goals, vision, and evaluation systems across the company.
- Leverage AI tools to improve operational efficiency and evolve into an AI-empowered organization.
- Strengthen our upstream capabilities—consulting and ideation—that precede design and development.
With the addition of our Tokyo base, we are now operating fully with a dual-hub structure between Tokyo and Fukuoka.
In Tokyo, we aim to deepen relationships with new teammates (development partners) and clients through in-person communication, which we believe will drive our next leap forward.
We envision building a compact yet highly capable Tokyo team within the next year and will continue to seek like-minded collaborators.
Furthermore, we reaffirm our commitment to our philosophy: “Designing the Essence,” and “Devotion, Support, and Guidance.”
We will put these words into deeper practice this year.
We ensure we not only provide essential research, ideation, proposals, and designs to our clients, but also translate the insights we’ve gained from working with metropolitan companies into actionable consulting and development support for local businesses. Our aim is to deliver value to society.
We aim to stand as a true partner who dives into the core of a company’s challenges and leads them to resolution—faithful to our principles, and steady in our steps.
Revision of Our 2033 Business Targets
We’ve revised our mid-to-long-term goals for FY2033 as follows:
Previous Goal (FY2033): 300 members, ¥10 billion in annual revenue
→ Revised Goal (FY2033): 100 members, ¥10 billion in annual revenue
By embracing AI and in-house tools, we are shifting our strategy to maximize revenue and profit per person. To achieve this, we must strike a balance between making our services more productized and more streamlined to deliver.
Rather than expanding headcount, we’ve come to believe that building a system where each individual can sustainably generate value over the long term is the best outcome for our clients, our team, and the company.
Here’s the vision of the world we aim to realize by 2033:
- Whenever a company begins planning a new business (involving design or development), 101design is consistently listed among the top five firms to consult first.
- We have ongoing partnerships worth ¥100M–¥300M annually with at least 30 of Japan’s top 100 market cap companies.
- Our company becomes so desirable that people line up to join us—with applicants waiting their turn to be part of our team.
With our feet firmly on the ground, we’ll continue to take steady steps forward this year to make that future a reality.
In Closing
The name “101” comes from American university course codes—such as “Design 101” or “Marketing 101”—which indicate the foundational and essential first step in a subject area.
At 101design Inc., we chose this name to reflect our role as the initial partner who walks alongside our clients, helping turn their ideas and visions into form.
More than just design or development, our purpose is to understand our clients’ thinking and business structures at their core, and to design value that connects meaningfully to the future.
By blending cities and rural regions, technology and sensitivity, strategy and creativity—we aim to make a meaningful contribution to society.
This is the essence and mission behind “101.”
Various Accreditations and Certifications
ISMS認証（ISO 27001:2022）
Certification at the head office and the Komon-do office