Gacha capsules in the Japanese village of Hakuba facilitate interactions between tourists and residents; Tourists receive unique experiences for ¥500

HAKUBA, Nagano – Inserting a ¥500 coin into a gacha capsule machine gives users a unique experience popular with tourists in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture.

After inserting the coin and turning the dial, a capsule comes out containing a photo of a resident and a coupon to meet them and share an experience with them.

Gacha capsules usually contain toys. However, the Hakuba version, called “Mura Gacha”, which means village gacha, allows users to purchase a unique opportunity to meet locals, instead of purchasing items. These meetings have been used to promote the village and introduce tourists to lesser known areas.

Hakuba is located in the northwestern Nagano Prefecture at the foot of the Northern Japan Alps and has a population of approximately 8,400. It is home to an internationally renowned resort, which attracts more than 2 million tourists annually. In the summer, visitors often go hiking, and in the winter they go skiing or snowboarding. Hakuba provided three venues, such as alpine skiing and ski jumping, for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

Takayuki Kemuriyama, 51, who currently lives in the village for work and away from his family, visited an ice cream shop on September 10. He visited the store of local resident Akiko Tsutaki, 63, after receiving a photo of her and a discount coupon. to use in her shop in a Mura Gacha capsule. When he walked in, he started talking to her and asked why she was opening the store.

Kemuriyama said he has purchased about 50 Mura Gacha capsules and has met about 20 villagers so far.

“I eat things I normally wouldn’t eat,” Kemuriyama said. “It also allows me to expand my network of people.”

Tsutaki said, “I’m happy that people are interested in my store and the village.”

Mura Gacha machines are located at six locations in the village, including at tourist attractions and shops. In addition to a photo and a coupon, the capsule also contains a description of the resident’s personality. The residents found in the capsules are members of the Mura Gacha system.

The coupons vary depending on the resident and include experiences like a meeting with the Hakuba Station chef and a tour of a ski jumping stadium.

The idea of ​​the Mura Gacha system was conceived by Atsutoshi Sato, 44, who moved from Chiba Prefecture and operated a snowboard shop in Hakuba. Sato believed that in recent years, tourists only visited specific areas and stayed in certain accommodations, leading to limited interactions with most of the village’s residents.

In July 2022, he launched the Mura Gacha system, which uses residents as a tourism resource, hoping that “tourists will make their trip special by interacting with locals.”

The system also benefits residents who participate. When a tourist uses a coupon, the resident receives ¥300 per coupon from the sale of the capsules. The members are usually owners of food and beverage establishments. They can also expect repeat customers.

Mura Gacha has spread through the Internet and word of mouth. The number of gacha users was 800 in the first year. However, in two years the number has grown to 2,000, and about 50% have actually met with residents. The number of registered gacha residents has now increased to 76.

The system has even led to people moving to the village.

Takahiro Yokota, 28, who works at a glamping facility in Hakuba, was a teacher at a public high school in Kanagawa Prefecture before moving to the village. He decided to change jobs after having a good contact with the president of the facility, whom he met through the Mura Gacha system, and moved in April 2023.

“Gacha changed my life for the better,” Yokota said.

Yokota said he plans to register in the Mura Gacha system soon.

The village’s tourism department estimates that the number of tourists to the village in 2021 was 40% less than in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in 2023 the number reached 2,384,700, approaching pre-pandemic levels.

The village government, looking for new ways to promote tourism, incorporated the Mura Gacha system as a reward into the furusato nozei tax donation system for the home town from last year through this spring.

“We are so grateful that the system has served as a way to attract tourists [and has become a way for tourists] to connect with local residents,” said a village official.

Sato has started selling packaged Mura Gacha capsules that tourists can buy as souvenirs.

Sato said he wants to offer trips where people can connect with each other through the Mura Gacha system.

System spread

Hakuba’s gacha system is spreading throughout the country. Those interested in learning more about the system have visited Sato and it has been implemented in Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture, and Sakegawa, Yamagata Prefecture, among others.

Sato and officials in charge of the system from four municipalities have formed the ‘Mura Gacha Brothers’. They hope to attract tourists by adding “rare capsules” that contain transportation tickets and discount coupons that can be used in other municipalities.

Prof. Tatsuya Uchiyama from the Faculty of Tourism of Josai International University, who specializes in tourism urban planning, said: “The gacha system is an initiative that can be expected to not only attract more tourists, but also encourage more people to have a have an ongoing relationship with local communities. . Because the system also helps tourists disperse, it can be a measure against overtourism.”