Privacy Policy
Last updated: 29 October 2026
This policy explains how Route_N collects and uses personal information when you visit theroute-n.com, use our contact form or email us. It is written with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the EU GDPR and Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information (APPI) in mind.
1. Who we are
Route_N is a sole proprietorship run by Naoya Nomura and based in Gifu, Japan. Route_N is the controller of the personal information described in this policy.
Contact: info@theroute-n.com
Our postal address is available on request. Please email us and we will provide it without delay.
2. What we collect
When you use our contact form or email us, we receive:
- your name and email address
- your company or studio name, if you give it
- the type of enquiry you choose and the content of your message
- anything else you choose to include in your message
When you visit the website, our hosting provider processes technical information such as your IP address and browser type. This is needed to deliver the site securely and to protect it from abuse.
We do not use analytics or advertising tools, and we do not build profiles of visitors.
3. How we use it
- to reply to your enquiry and continue the conversation
- to discuss and manage business relationships, such as sales, wholesale and partnerships
- to keep the website and contact form secure and free from spam
We do not sell your personal information. We will not add you to a mailing list unless you ask us to.
4. Legal basis
Under the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, we rely on our legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and running our business. Where you contact us about buying from or working with us, we also rely on taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.
5. Service providers we use
We use the following providers to run the website and handle email. They process information on our behalf and only as needed to provide their service.
| Provider | Purpose | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Formspree | Receives contact form submissions and forwards them to us | United States |
| Cloudflare | Website hosting, security and email forwarding | United States (global network) |
| Google (Gmail) | Storing and answering email | United States (global network) |
We may also disclose information where the law requires it.
6. International transfers
We are based in Japan, so your information is handled in Japan. The UK and the EU recognise Japan as providing an adequate level of data protection. Our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries. For those transfers we rely on the safeguards the providers offer, such as the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework or standard contractual clauses, where applicable.
7. How long we keep it
We keep enquiries and related correspondence for up to two years after our last contact with you. We keep information longer only where we need it for an ongoing business relationship or to meet a legal obligation, such as tax records. After that, we delete it.
8. Your rights
You can ask us to:
- give you a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- correct information that is wrong or incomplete
- delete your information
- restrict or stop using your information, or object to how we use it
- send your information to you or another organisation in a portable format
To make a request, email info@theroute-n.com. We will reply within one month. If you are in the UK, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). If you are in the EU, you can complain to your local data protection authority. We would appreciate the chance to help first.
9. Cookies
This website does not use cookies for analytics or advertising and does not track you. Our hosting provider may set cookies that are strictly necessary for security. The site chooses English or Japanese from your browser's language setting and does not store your choice.
10. Children
Our website and services are not intended for children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their information.
11. Security
The website is served over an encrypted connection (HTTPS). We protect access to our accounts with strong passwords and, where available, two-step verification, and we limit access to the people who need it.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed.