In japan
Real Japan opens doors that stay closed to outsiders. We connect foreign individuals and businesses to the right people in Japan and turn those connections into opportunities you can act on.
Access, Co-ordination & Procurment
What We Do
Educational Experiences
Materials & Makers
Timber Supply
We work mill-direct to source the finest timber from the world's oldest wooden building culture. Name the species and specification you require, and our domestic export team will handle grading, compliance documentation, and export logistics.
Educational experiences and workshops hosted inside Japan for overseas groups. From timber industry tours to architectural itineraries and Kendo workshops, we handle the required operations, logistics, and etiquette to operate a smooth inbound tour in Japan.
Many of Japan's best craftsmen and artisans don't sell abroad or work in other languages. We identify and connect with the right craftsman for your project, and facilitate the whole process in Japanese until you receive your goods.
Who Are We?
Real Japan exists to reach the part of Japan that was never built for export. The best of it sits behind closed doors, guarded by language, formal introductions, and decades of precedent.
As a permanent presence on the ground, we work to make Japan accessible to foreigners: establishing long term trust, facilitating end to end procedures, and creating win-win opportunities for everyone.
Our expertise lies in interpreting foreign requirements into workable Japanese terms and ensuring the right actions take place.
Success Stories & Projects
The following case studies are all recent and showcase how we work and make a difference to people seeking access to Japan.
Sugi Cladding for New Zealand
Connecting a Japanese mill to an overseas customer sounds simple. It rarely is. Our Sugi cladding proves this. New Zealand has some of the strictest building regulations in the world. So developing a special cladding product for the NZ market requires a deep understanding of customer needs and close collaboration with sawmills to balance aesthetic, economic, and environmental demands.
But the real story is the relationship. What began as a commercial arrangement with Sugi NZ grew into genuine friendship built on trust, openness, and shared standards. Through our efforts, Sugi NZ are now leading manufacturers and suppliers of quality Japanese timber products.
We don't seek to buy a commodity at the lowest possible spot price. We aim to build long-term relationships with our Japanese suppliers and overseas customers.
Alex Goldberg: Direct Access to Japan
But we don't simply make the introduction and walk away.
We nurture the relationships, translate the requirements, find the right Japanese partners, and stay involved until the job is done.
Our business is ultimately about building trust between:
Japanese suppliers and international buyers.
Craftsmen and the people who value their work.
People come to Real Japan Group because of our expertise in facilitating genuine, direct, and transparent access to Japan.
Educational Workshops
Alejandro (Alex) Goldberg, a prominent international artist, approached us in mid-2025 for a major studio and home project. His needs went far beyond purchasing timber. He wanted genuine access to the finest Japanese materials sourced by people who understand the country's forests, craftsmanship, and cultural traditions.
That relationship has since grown considerably. We now source and procure premium Japanese timber, large Bizen-yaki pottery, Japanese garden materials, art installation objects, and commissioned furniture direct from Japanese craftsmen for Alex and his business, handling transport, storage and consolidation before shipping.
Our access to Japan isn’t a catalog, and we don't operate as a middleman with hidden surprises. Transparent from the start, we share the story behind every material and its true cost, arranging in-person visits with craftsmen when required.
The result? Relationships based on trust and a deeper connection between our international customers and Japan.
What Do These Stories Have in Common?
Education is another way Real Japan Group opens doors that apps and agencies can't. We don't simply organise tours. We carefully select the teachers, craftsmen, architects and specialists who partake and produce experiences no conventional itinerary can offer.
Our Kaizen Kendo Workshop delivers a focused five-night immersion into Kendo (Japanese fencing) twice a year. It's not a casual Japan trip with Kendo practice, but an educational experience inside Japanese Kendo culture.
For architecture and design professionals, we lead week-long workshops that move through forests, sawmills, and carpentry studios, connecting participants directly with the craftsmen and builders shaping Japanese timber culture.
Although the stories above are very different from each other, they all demonstrate the following principle:
Real Japan Group creates connections that would otherwise be difficult to make.
Specifically, we connect:
Email:
grahams@north21.co.nz
Phone / WhatsApp:
+818057446446