Culture Experience and ESG Holdings Promote the Introduction of Step Golf to TSUTAYA

2025.03.06 Press Releases
Culture Experience Co., Ltd. / ESG Holdings Inc.

- Collaboration begins with the aim of creating local communities and extending healthy lifespans -

Culture Experience Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Shinichiro Kamaura; hereinafter referred to as "CX"), which operates approximately 750 "TSUTAYA" franchise stores nationwide, and ESG Holdings Inc. (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takanobu Enomoto; hereinafter referred to as "Step Golf"), which operates 129 "Step Golf" stores nationwide, have signed a memorandum of understanding for a business partnership aimed at creating local communities and extending healthy life expectancy. As a result, we will first acquire and operate two Step Golf stores (Tamasakai store and Seiseki Sakuragaoka store) from Step Golf Co., Ltd., and while cultivating know-how, we will deepen our partnership by promoting the introduction of Step Golf to TSUTAYA, collaborating on franchise headquarters operations, and planning and developing new business formats.

CX's theme is "Love is life. With this corporate slogan, we aim to create a place that offers lifestyle suggestions so that local residents can live richer lives through experiences. As part of this experience, we are developing wellness businesses such as "TSUTAYA Conditioning" and "TSUTAYA Conditioning PILATES," which raise interest in health among local residents and provide a space where people can exercise easily and enjoyably. We also hope to continue to offer this product to many customers in the future. Step Golf's vision is to "create 1 million golfers" and "spread sports culture and aim to extend Japan's healthy life expectancy." Currently, the company operates 129 indoor golf schools with 665 bays* and boasts a total of 88,621 members, making it one of the largest indoor golf schools in Japan and a leader in the market. Furthermore, we aim to become a community communication space that goes beyond the boundaries of golf, and as a well-being creation company, we will contribute to a better life for society as a whole through a variety of services, starting with creating new golfers through our indoor golf school business.

*Including new stores scheduled to open in March

CX and Step Golf will leverage the strengths of both companies to contribute to well-being in Japan by expanding Step Golf stores and developing new business formats and services, proposing the future shape of well-being through experiences centered on what people like and what they enjoy.

Comments from representatives of both companies regarding the signing of the MOU

■ Culture Experience Co., Ltd. President and CEO Shinichiro Kamaura
"TSUTAYA is becoming a 'new-generation experiential bookstore that creates interaction in the local community.'To achieve this, CX has launched a wellness service called "TSUTAYA Conditioning" to help align the mind and body. Like a bookstore you can drop into anytime, we hope to create a place where you can cultivate habits that will improve your mind and body. We are very excited that our partnership with ESG Holdings, one of Japan's largest indoor golf companies, will enable us to realize this vision even more quickly. We are also very grateful to ESG Holdings for allowing us to enjoy the wonderful franchise network value that they have cultivated over the years, including the golf instructor training programs they offer. In addition to expanding our stores through the development capabilities we have cultivated at TSUTAYA, we will also work hard to attract new golf users. Step Golf and I are working together on "Living with Love."By collaborating with CX, whose slogan is "Well-being," we will work together to contribute to the realization of a "well-being society.""

■ ESG Holdings Inc. Representative Director, Takanobu Enomoto
"Step Golf aims to not only create one million golfers and create a better society through golf, but also to take on the role of a well-being creation company that goes beyond the scope of golf and promotes initiatives to extend healthy lifespans. Meanwhile, CX operates its TSUTAYA and wellness business, "TSUTAYA Conditioning," nationwide, raising interest in health among local residents and providing a space where they can exercise easily and enjoyably. Both companies share the same goal of "realizing a well-being society," leading to the partnership.

The partnership will not only expand Step Golf's store network and promote the introduction of Step Golf into TSUTAYA, but also see new collaborative initiatives between the two companies. Not only will we create a space for local communication that goes beyond the scope of golf, but we will also implement initiatives to extend the healthy lifespans of more consumers and accelerate the realization of a "well-being society.""

About Step Golf

Step Golf Co., Ltd. aims to have a garden where you can enjoy golf in your everyday town. Based on the concept of "Indoor Golf School," the first store opened in Akishima, Tokyo in 2012, and the company has expanded to 129 stores and indoor golf schools with 665 bays. We boast the largest cumulative membership (88,621 as of the end of February 2025) and the largest number of indoor golf schools in Japan in terms of both number of stores and number of members. We plan to open new stores in the future to further expand nationwide, and aim to create facilities that make golf feel more accessible.

In addition to our indoor golf school business, we also aim to expand our activities to play a role as a well-being organization that supports healthy and better lives by helping people of all ages and genders experience the joy of moving their bodies and the fun of spending time with friends who share the same hobby through the sport of golf.

Overview of each company

Company name: Culture Experience Co., Ltd.
Address: 3-4 Kanda Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
President and CEO: Shinichiro Kamaura
Business: Headquarters management of franchise chains related to "TSUTAYA," "TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE," and "TSUTAYA BOOKS" in Japan, etc.

Company name: Step Golf Co., Ltd.
Address: 9-17 Sakuragaokacho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Representative Director: Takanobu Enomoto
Business activities: Management of indoor golf schools, planning, manufacturing and sales of golf equipment, planning, development, management, administration, operation and consulting of franchise chains, etc.

Materials related to this matter

Culture Experience and ESG Holdings Promote the Introduction of Step Golf to TSUTAYA

Inquiries regarding this matter

Culture Experience Co., Ltd. Public Relations Office
TEL: 03-6774-7814／MAIL: cx_press@cl-ex.co.jp

Step Golf Co., Ltd.
Step Golf PR Office (Initial Co., Ltd.) Persons in charge: Yamazaki, Nagaoka, Uchida, Kameda
TEL: 03-5572-6316／FAX: 03-5572-6065／Email: STEP_GOLF@vectorinc.co.jp