Yamatoya Honten Ryokan, the company that runs the historic Matsuyama inn Yamatoya Honten, will sell all of its shares to Maruhan, a major pachinko hall operator based in Kyoto, according to Nikkei. The two companies reached a basic agreement dated June 281. Further talks on specific terms are to follow1.
The inn, in the Dogo district near Dogo Onsen Honkan, was founded in 1868. It has 90 rooms and a maximum capacity of 350 people, was fully rebuilt in 1996, and includes a large banquet hall and a Noh stage1. It hosted the welcome reception for the G20 labor and employment ministers' meeting held in Matsuyama in September 20191. In recent years its guest numbers had struggled to grow because of the effects of the coronavirus pandemic1.
Under the agreement, the inn business, the trade name and the employment of about 200 staff will continue as they are1. President Toshihito Okumura and others from the founding family will remain as officers after the business sale1.
"旅館業や屋号、従業員約200人の雇用は現状のまま継続する"
Maruhan Group operates more than 300 pachinko halls nationwide1. The pachinko market has been shrinking under the impact of a declining player population and the coronavirus pandemic, and the group has recently expanded into hotels and inns, golf courses and restaurants1. In April this year it acquired all the shares of Yamatoya Bessou, a sister property of Yamatoya Honten located in the Dogo area1.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Agreement date | June 281 |
| Buyer | Maruhan, Kyoto1 |
| Seller | Yamatoya Honten Ryokan, Matsuyama1 |
| Inn founded | 18681 |
| Rooms / capacity | 90 rooms / 350 people1 |
| Rebuilt | 19961 |
| Staff | About 200, employment continuing1 |
| Maruhan pachinko halls | More than 300 nationwide1 |
What it means for players
Pachinko in Japan sits in a legal gray zone: cash payouts are prohibited, and halls instead let players exchange winnings for prizes that are then sold for cash at separate businesses. Maruhan is one of the country's largest operators of these halls, with more than 300 outlets1. The deal itself does not change how pachinko is played, what a hall may pay out, or the rules that apply to players. It is a change of ownership of a hotel company, not of a gambling license or of the legal framework. For visitors to Matsuyama, the inn keeps its name and continues operating, so any plans tied to the property are unaffected on the facts reported1. Details such as the sale price, the completion date and any regulatory review have not been reported1.
What happens next
The two companies will continue talks on specific conditions and other matters1. No completion date for the share sale has been reported1.
Sources1 sources
- 道後の老舗旅館「大和屋本店」 パチンコ大手マルハンが買収へ - 日本経済新聞, nikkei.com
