Founder

Ayaka Ono

Founder of MOTO Coliving and RIPPNIS Inc.

Ayaka Ono is the founder of MOTO Coliving, a small coliving guesthouse in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, at the foot of Daisetsuzan National Park. She designs places and experiences that connect people, nature and creativity, and hosts guests from around the world who come to live like locals, work, ski and rediscover their ikigai.

Background

• ・Master's degree in science from a Japanese national university
• ・Backpacked through more than 25 countries
• ・Business development at startups in developing countries, working across 6 countries in Africa
• ・Produced nature-positive projects in partnership with local governments
• ・Produced and led talent development programs in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Cambodia
• ・Art projects supporting recovery in disaster-affected regions in Japan
• ・Founder of RIPPNIS Inc. and MOTO Coliving in Kamikawa, Hokkaido

Why MOTO

Her journey began in Africa, where the Swahili word moto, meaning fire, flame and life force, became the guiding idea behind everything she builds. After years of moving between countries, startups and projects, she chose a small town in Hokkaido to build a place where people can slow down, reconnect with nature and community, and find what makes them feel alive.

At MOTO, she hosts guests in English and Japanese, guides them to places in Kamikawa they would not find alone, and runs culture experiences and international exchange events with the local community.