The Atsuta Revolution Starting from a Business Hotel: The Role of "Charichari" in Connecting Attractions

2026.09.17

""Charichari" " is a shared bicycle service that allows you to hop on and travel anytime, anywhere. This time, we visited Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta, a business hotel in Atsuta Ward that has installed a bicycle parking port, to learn about the hotel's appeal, the benefits of "Charichari", and the future of Atsuta.

Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta is a business hotel with a "Charichari" port.

Following our previous coverage of the " Atsuta Miyajuku Association ," we visited the business hotel "Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta" in Atsuta Ward again this time.

The person who kindly agreed to be interviewed was Haruki Kariya, the manager of Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta .

During his student years, Mr. Kariya majored in aerospace engineering. He then joined a foreign consulting firm, where he gained experience consulting for large manufacturing clients. After several years in consulting, he was involved in the launch of several venture companies. He then took over the family business, becoming the representative director of Excel Inn Co., Ltd. Currently, while continuing to work as a manager, he is a multi-talented individual who also manages companies in the hotel cleaning industry and IT ventures.

When Mr. Kariya took over as manager, the business environment was not exactly smooth sailing and was a challenging one. However, thanks to his experience and business improvement skills, he has now improved the business environment and is currently undertaking various activities, centered on hotel renovations, to enhance the appeal of the Atsuta Ward area.

At Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta, a Charichari (a "Charichari") port is neatly installed next to the entrance .

The benefits and unexpected results obtained from having a port

The reason why a "Charichari" port was installed at Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta was because Mr. Kariya received a proposal from a sales representative he met when he attended a meeting as a member of the "Atsuta Miyajuku Association."

By installing a port,
The advantages they saw were: - People who tour the Tokaido on foot can explore a wider area by using bicycles; - It becomes one of the port owners' sources of income; - Maintenance is handled by the operating company Charichari, so it is hassle-free for the port owners; - The port and bicycles have nice color schemes, and they felt that it would make the scenery more beautiful than just having a simple bicycle parking area .

After actually installing the bike racks, they've seen the expected benefits, such as becoming a source of income and requiring minimal maintenance. They also appreciate the positive impact the neat and tidy appearance of the bike racks gives to the hotel, and are feeling good about the overall effect .
Another surprising finding after installation was that while the rental bicycle ports were primarily intended as a means of transportation for tourists, a significant number of actual users are residents living near the hotel, indicating that they are proving useful for getting around for people living nearby .

Mr. Kariya says that there are many people in Atsuta Ward who say, "I want to go, but it's a little too far." It seems that "Charichari" is proving effective as a short-distance mobility solution.

A business hotel with a clean and calm atmosphere.

Upon entering Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta, you are greeted by a clean and bright front desk. As you take the elevator to the guest room area, you are greeted by a very comfortable atmosphere created by warm lighting, calming colored walls, and wood-grained interiors, and this tone continues throughout the guest rooms.

The room had a comfortable bed and a desk suitable for business work, making it a perfectly adequate environment for a business hotel room.

We want to renovate the hotel and use this business hotel to revitalize Japan.

When I asked Mr. Kariya about the attractions of sightseeing in Atsuta Ward, he gave me this answer.

"Atsuta Ward has Atsuta Shrine , Atsuta Horai-ken restaurant, and is easily accessible to concert halls. There are also tourist attractions under construction in front of the station ... While there are various tourist spots, we haven't been able to bring about much change or innovation in our activities over the past 10 years."
As the Atsuta Miyajuku Association, we are working to create attractive content, but we are also thinking about how we can promote the appeal of this hotel to our guests in ways that we can do ourselves.
For example, there's the "nighttime visit to Atsuta Shrine," where you can thoroughly learn about the history within the hotel and then visit Atsuta Shrine at night. This offers a different perspective and is interesting compared to visiting during the day, and it's an experience that can only be provided by staying overnight.

While the concept cannot be made public yet, we are renovating the hotel's interior and aiming to transform it into a hotel by the fall of 2024 that offers a refreshing and clean atmosphere while also allowing guests to learn about the history and charm of Atsuta .
However, we are not trying to change our customer base at all. We will remain a business hotel that we particularly want to serve business users and those involved in the manufacturing industry, who currently use our services in large numbers.

We want to strengthen the Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta to be a hotel that makes people want to go to Nagoya and stay in Nagoya Atsuta, so that guests can feel energized here, work hard, and ultimately revitalize Japan . I believe this is my way of giving back to the manufacturing industry, with whom I had a close relationship during my time as a consultant.

The renovation of Excel Inn Nagoya Atsuta is something to keep an eye on.

Increasing innovative content in a space and connecting it with "Charichari"

Mr. Kariya says that you can't create innovative content just by having a place and funding.

"Ultimately, it's about people. Innovation can't move forward without people who have a passion for it."

First, I want to innovate the hotel within my own capabilities. While "Charichari" has become a short-distance mobility option, it's still limited to being a means of transportation that connects stations to stations, stations to hotels, and hotels to workplaces—essentially a "connection between transportation and daily life."

They want to increase the number of places with interesting content in Atsuta Ward and create content that makes people think, "I want to go to Nagoya just for this." They also have high hopes for "Charichari" as a means of connecting and transporting these different pieces of content .

Kariya, with his multifaceted perspective, envisions a near future for Atsuta that will be filled with even more brilliant and understated content.

Port Owners Wanted! Challenges of ""Charichari" " for Community Contribution

While "Charichari" is expected to be a convenient mode of transportation for tourists in Atsuta Ward , there are some challenges. First, the number of ports and bicycles is still insufficient . Ideally, bicycles should be available in easily accessible locations, and there are requests for more bicycles to be available at ports that are frequently used.

The second point is the creation of itinerary using shared bicycles . While they offer a degree of freedom as a means of transportation, there is currently a lack of communication about how people can enjoy them. This kind of initiative is an essential aspect of regional revitalization through shared bicycles.

In any case, we believe that you are satisfied with the current "Charichari", and we see this as encouragement and constructive criticism in anticipation of further service improvements. If there are any businesses or community development organizations that are willing to set up a port to help improve the convenience of tourism in the city, we would be delighted if you would contact us .

Interview and text by: Kojiro