The story of ZI starts with the story of its Founder, Lauren Zelek.

Born in Upstate NY and raised in Tokyo since age eleven, Lauren spent much of her

youth traveling back and forth between the U.S. and Japan. There she developed a deep fascination and love for Japanese culture, language, customs and traditions, traveling to other parts of Asia, as well as a desire and respect for helping others understand and navigate cultural differences between the East and the West.

In 2016, Lauren traveled to the Summer Games in Rio and a light bulb turned on. She wondered, in addition to the strenuous physical training athletes undergo to make it to the Games, if they as well as support staff experienced cultural training to make for a richer travel experience.

In February 2017, Lauren relocated to Colorado Springs and became a Hiking Guide at the Broadmoor where she ultimately founded ZI in August 2017. Preparing for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Lauren and her team worked and counseled with hundreds of Japan-bound American athletes and Olympians (from as far back as 1964) and their families, identifying ways to support their unique travel concerns and goals.

Lauren returned to Tokyo multiple times to meet with various international and domestic partners, from hotels and ryokans to transportation operators. She was able to share with ZI's clients everything from navigating Tokyo's complex train system, to traveling throughout Japan and avoiding any faux pas when interacting with locals.

Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic almost brought the entire industry to a halt. But that didn't stop us from pivoting as a team and continue to serve as a bridge between the West and East through the art and science of travel.

Now, with international travelers ready to explore again and Japan fully open, the ZI team is back in the saddle and committed to educating its travelers on ways to be a culturally sensitive, responsible traveler to many amazing destinations throughout the country and soon, others parts of Asia.