Get in touch

Free website pilotFor cafés and craft shops

Show what makes your shop special, in Japanese and English.

To build our portfolio, Tobico is making websites for free for independent cafés and craft shops in Japan.

  • Be foundNew customers quickly see what you’re about
  • Be chosenYour menu or work, photos and prices draw people in
  • Be easy to visitHours and directions in Japanese and English
Ask about a free website See sample websites

Getting in touch doesn’t commit you to anything.

Hotori Coffee sample site on a computer Hotori Coffee sample site on a phone
Fictional sample sites

Sample websites

See what your website could look like.

Two sample websites, each in Japanese and English.

What you get

A complete page for your shop, in two languages.

  • One mobile-friendly pageEasy to read on a phone or a computer.
  • Japanese and English versionsWe write the English, so visitors from abroad can understand your shop too.
  • Everything a first visit needsAn introduction, selected menu items or products, photos, opening hours, location, and links to how people contact you.
  • One round of revisionsYou review the draft and send all your changes together, once.
  • Launch and handoverWe guide you through going live and explain what to know afterwards.

Terms and costs

What’s free, and what we need from you.

Free

Making your website: everything listed under “What you get”.

What we need from you

  • Photos and shop details, like your menu or products and hours
  • Confirmation that you can use the photos
  • A check of the facts in both languages
  • Permission to show the finished site in our portfolio

Not included

  • A custom domain or other paid services the site needs. We tell you the cost before we start.
  • Online shops (available as a paid add-on), booking systems and custom integrations
  • Updates and support after launch. We can quote for this separately.

How it works

Five steps from hello to launch.

  1. STEP 01

    Get in touch

    Tell us a little about your business with the form below.

  2. STEP 02

    Check fit and scope

    We talk through what you need, and agree together whether the pilot fits and what the page will cover.

  3. STEP 03

    Send your materials

    You send photos and details such as your menu or products and opening hours.

  4. STEP 04

    Review the draft

    You review the Japanese and English drafts and send your changes in one go.

  5. STEP 05

    Launch and handover

    We put the site live and show you what you need to know from there.

We agree the timing together once we’ve seen what you need and the materials you have.

Questions

Common questions

I already have a website or an Instagram account. Can I still apply?

Yes. We’ll look at what you have and tell you honestly whether a new one-page site would help. The new page can link to your Instagram.

Who writes the English? My English isn’t strong.

Native English speakers on our team write it, from the information you give us, so it reads naturally to visitors. We’ll walk you through what it says in Japanese. Your part is to check that facts like prices and opening hours are right.

Is it really free?

Making the website within the agreed scope is free. If something like a custom domain has a cost, we explain what it is and how much before any work starts, and only go ahead if you agree.

What if I want to change something after launch?

Ongoing updates aren’t part of the free pilot. At handover we explain how changes can be made. If you’d like ongoing support, we can discuss it and quote for it separately.

What happens after I get in touch?

We reply by email within one business day. We’ll ask a little about your business and, if it looks like a fit, suggest what to make and how. Getting in touch doesn’t sign you up for anything. Depending on timing and fit, we may not be able to take on every request.

Get in touch

Ask about a free website

Tell us a little about your business. We’ll reply by email within one business day.

  • Asking is free, and there’s no obligation.
  • Write in Japanese or English, whichever you prefer.
  • Prefer email? Write to hello@tobico.co.
Type of business
A link or an Instagram handle is fine.
For example: “We run a small café near the station. More visitors from abroad come in now, and we’d like to explain our menu and how to find us in English.”

By sending, you agree to our privacy notice.