Akira Minamiura
- Miyako Hotel Los Angeles
Address: 328 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Website: miyakola.com - Miyako Hybrid Hotel Torrance
Address: 21381 S Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
Website: miyakohybridhotel.com
“When I was in college, a friend and I went on a long journey together—it was my very first trip abroad. We traveled through various countries, from Europe to the Middle East. That experience made me deeply reflect on what it means for a place to have meaning or value. It was a personal journey of discovery. I kept wondering what kind of place held that kind of significance for me, and eventually, I realized it was my hometown of Nara, where I was born and raised. That realization ultimately led me to join Kintetsu Railway, the only train company serving that area. Looking back, that’s how the first chapter of my life unfolded.”
Born in 1965 in Uda City, Nara Prefecture, Minamiura grew up playing baseball as a pitcher during his elementary and middle school years. He went on to attend Unebi High School, a public school in the prefecture, commuting over an hour each way by Kintetsu train. During high school, he and his close friends would often debate the workings of society. They came to the conclusion that “economics moves the world more than law,” which led Minamiura to study economics at the University of Tokyo.
Interestingly, what had the greatest impact on him during college wasn’t the university itself but his experience living at the Nara Prefecture Student Dormitory in Tokyo’s Myogadani neighborhood. About 60 students lived in an aging building near the train tracks. Until his junior year, he shared a room with another student, and only as a senior did he get his own room. He worked part-time at a somen noodle company that had a long history of employing dorm students—doing warehouse work, working sales at department store events, and even traveling for business trips to assist with client hospitality. But more than the jobs, what shaped him most were the strong bonds and human connections he formed in the dorm—his tight-knit community in the heart of Tokyo.
After graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1988, Minamiura decided against an academic path and didn’t feel that working in Tokyo suited him. Influenced by the insights he gained during his travels, he returned to his roots and joined Kintetsu Railway, beginning his professional career as a station staff member at Tsuruhashi Station in Osaka. In 1990, he transferred to the company’s headquarters to join the planning department’s hotel team—a field he’s been involved in ever since.
“It feels like fate. I always wanted to be involved in urban development, and hotel development is very much a part of that. I feel fortunate to have done work that aligns with my passion.”
In 2016, Minamiura served as the General Manager of the Shima Kanko Hotel, the venue for the G7 Ise-Shima Summit, where he led a team of 300 to host world leaders. He also spent over five years in San Francisco in his 30s, and this current assignment in the U.S. marks his second overseas posting. Throughout his career, he has strived to bring light and positivity to every role he has taken on.
As he prepares to celebrate his 60th birthday next month, Minamiura reflects:
“Japan’s economy may have shrunk on the world stage, but the influence of Japanese culture is just beginning to grow. Sharing that culture is one of the greatest strengths of our hotels.”
Today, the mural of Shohei Ohtani at the Miyako Hotel in Little Tokyo has become a landmark in downtown Los Angeles. Looking ahead, Miyako Hotels is planning its third U.S. location in Plano, Texas, with the new hotel scheduled to open in 2027.
■At the unveiling ceremony of Shohei Ohtani’s mural in March of last year.
■A moment from the JBA New Year’s Reception this January.
