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Est. 1989 · Tokyo, Japan

Where European
Precision Meets
Japanese Craft

Otto-Sumisho bridges the world's finest traditions in direct commerce — delivering premium products and seamless customer experiences across Japan and beyond.

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35+
Years of Excellence
19
Countries Served
¥300B
Revenue Milestone
2
World-Class Partners
1989
Founded
Who We Are

A Legacy Built on
Two Worlds

Otto-Sumisho Inc. (住商オットー株式会社) was born from a visionary partnership between Germany's Otto Group — the world's leading mail-order company — and Japan's Sumitomo Corporation, one of Asia's most respected trading houses.

Together, we established Japan's most trusted direct commerce platform, combining German operational precision with deep Japanese market understanding to serve customers with unrivaled quality and care.

Our Full Story
What We Do

Our Core Services

From curated product selection to cutting-edge digital commerce, we offer end-to-end solutions.

01

Catalogue Commerce

Iconic printed and digital catalogues delivering a curated world of premium products directly to Japanese homes with unmatched editorial quality.

02

Digital & E-Commerce

Seamless online shopping experiences powered by best-in-class technology, combining European engineering with intuitive Japanese UX design principles.

03

Brand Marketing

Strategic brand promotion and multichannel marketing campaigns that resonate with discerning Japanese consumers across all touchpoints.

04

Financial Services

Flexible consumer financing and payment solutions that make premium products accessible, backed by decades of financial expertise and trust.

05

Market Analytics

Data-driven insights and consumer behaviour analytics that shape product strategy and enable precise targeting across Japanese market segments.

06

Pan-Asian Expansion

Leveraging Japan as a strategic hub, we build direct commerce frameworks for expansion across key Asian growth markets.

Our Timeline

Decades of
Pioneering Commerce

1989
Otto Group and Sumitomo Corporation form the joint venture, bringing Europe's largest mail-order group to Japan.
1992
Reached the ¥30 billion sales milestone — becoming one of Japan's premier direct commerce brands.
2000s
Digital transformation: launched e-commerce and m-commerce capabilities to serve the evolving Japanese consumer.
Today
Continuing to innovate in direct commerce, brand marketing, and digital retail across Japan and Asia.
"Japan is by far the most difficult market among the industrialized countries — which is why we built the finest partnership to serve it."
— Michael Otto, Otto Group Founder's Heir
Otto Group Hamburg, Germany
Sumitomo Corp. Tokyo, Japan

Ready to Work with Us?

Whether you're a brand partner, investor, or talent seeking to join our team — we'd love to hear from you.

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