From Creative Competition to Cultural Movement: The Story of BnA Hotels
A Creative Business Cup Japan Winner That’s Reshaping Hospitality Through Art
When BnA Hotels won the Creative Business Cup Japan in 2016, it wasn’t just a prize—it was a turning point. The global competition, held in over 80 countries and coordinated by the Creative Business Network, celebrates startups that merge creativity, innovation, and business. For BnA’s founders, it was the validation they needed to turn a side project into a cultural and social enterprise. Today, BnA Hotels stands as one of Japan’s most visionary hospitality brands—transforming hotel rooms into immersive art installations and channeling revenue back to the artists who create them.
Turning a Dream into a Room You Can Sleep In
It all started in 2015 with a bold experiment: transform an Airbnb into a livable art installation. Keigo Fukugaki (architect), Yuto Maeda, and Yu Tazawa brought in local street artists to co-create the space. The result? Guests loved it. Artists earned from it. Communities buzzed around it. The model worked.
By 2016, the three co-founders launched BnA, short for “Bed and Art.” Their idea was simple but revolutionary: blend accommodation with contemporary art, share the profits with the creators, and build an ecosystem where artists, travelers, and locals connect.
Building an Ecosystem of Creativity, One Room at a Time
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BnA Koenji (2016): Their debut site in Tokyo’s bohemian Koenji district quickly gained attention as the city’s first “art hotel.”
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BnA STUDIO Akihabara (2018): Larger, apartment-style rooms designed for longer creative stays in Tokyo’s tech neighborhood.
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BnA Kyoto (2019): A quiet, elegant expression of local and traditional artistry.
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BnA_WALL Nihonbashi (2021): The flagship—26 rooms, each created by a different artist, surrounding a 6-story public mural wall that hosts live-painting and artist residencies.
Every BnA location reflects a unique creative culture, and each room is a living exhibition with an embedded revenue-sharing model that pays royalties to the artists who built it.
Art, Impact, and the Investment Model
BnA Hotels isn't just about art—it’s about artist empowerment. In a country where street art remains under-regulated and underfunded, BnA provides a rare and recurring income stream for creators. With initiatives like the Mural Rookies Project, they mentor emerging muralists and give them literal walls on which to grow their careers.
Despite its grassroots start, BnA has grown into a sustainable creative business. Winning the Creative Business Cup helped the founders fully commit to the venture and opened doors to real estate collaborations, media features, and investor interest.
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, BnA leaned into its mission—supporting artists with residency programs, activating public art, and reinforcing its position at the intersection of design, urban revitalization, and hospitality innovation.
What’s Next?
With ambitions to expand internationally, BnA is setting its sights on other creative cities across Asia and beyond. But the mission remains clear: support artists, transform urban spaces, and reimagine what hospitality can be.
Their journey—from a CBC Japan victory to one of Japan’s most iconic creative brands—shows exactly what’s possible when creativity meets purpose.