"Neo Hioki" has been selected as a national model project and combines the local currency "Toppa" to enliven Hioki from both the "virtual" and "real" sides.

What was the background, history, and purpose behind the launch of "Neo Hioki"?

Shigemizu Norio (hereinafter, Shigemizu): It all started when we received many complaints from people living outside the city and prefecture that they "couldn't go to Hioki or couldn't return home" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this backdrop, Hioki City discussed population-related policies with LR Corporation, a local company with which it has a comprehensive partnership agreement, and was exploring whether something could be done through online exchanges. In the process, we received many complaints about whether it was possible to "feel Hioki through online interactions," and so we came up with a strategy to create "another Hioki" in the metaverse.

However, since the city is working on this project, the costs are covered by tax money, so it is difficult to secure a budget or take action as a project unless the effectiveness can be verified. So we conducted crowdfunding and began the challenge with people who supported us.

Are you still running "Neo Hioki" without using city tax money?

Shigemizu: Yes, in terms of using city tax money. This project was launched on August 8, 2022 as the "Neo Hioki Project: Creating Another Hioki." In the first year, we received 7 million yen in crowdfunding support, and in the following year, we received more than double that amount, about 20 million yen. Just last year, it was selected as a national model project and we started receiving subsidies from the government. Therefore, we are currently working on "Neo Hioki" using the subsidy from the national model project and the money raised through crowdfunding.

What was the background behind your decision to proceed with creating a space in the metaverse and your ability to push forward with it?

Shigemizu: In terms of how hard you want to push forward with it, there is the crowdfunding that I mentioned earlier. The fact that we have received so much support is also proof that there are people who have high expectations.

Please tell us what efforts you are making to increase awareness of "Neo Hioki" and its users.

Shigemizu: Currently, we are introducing Neo Hioki-related events and famous places within Neo Hioki on the web media "Hiokito" run by Hioki City. In addition, the monthly "Hioki to TV Live" segment "Welcome to Neo Hioki" is broadcast live from Neo Hioki. We are actively encouraging organizations interested in Neo Hioki to use the site, and we are also working on collaborations.

As a future initiative, we are currently planning to hold a fan service event at Neo Hioki with TikTokers and artists from Hioki City. We have already completed the technical preparations to handle the event, and are currently in the process of holding multiple meetings to implement it. We hope you will look forward to the progress of this event.

What is the current state of awareness of Neo Hioki, and the metaverse in general?

Shigemizu: Neo Hioki is compatible with mobile environments and is marketed as being easy to access from a smartphone, but it is difficult to penetrate to the farthest reaches, and as a result, I think that only people with a certain level of literacy can set foot on the site. Also, depending on the network environment, the loading time to enter Neo Hioki can be long, which may be troublesome for some people. Considering this situation, we are currently aiming to attract people who are interested in the metaverse and the like. On top of that, we are collaborating with them on a new initiative called "Machi no Coin."

▶ "Neo Hioki" is an initiative that has been launched to create "another Hioki city" in the metaverse. "Neo Hioki" features famous places from the real Hioki city, and has been selected as a national model project and is attracting attention as an advanced initiative.

In September, Hioki City signed a partnership agreement with Kayac, Inc., which is developing the local currency project "Machi no Coin." What exactly is the plan?

Shigemizu: This partnership agreement was concluded as part of Hioki City's "Hiokito Project," a related population creation initiative, and aims to create connections with Hioki City both domestically and internationally through the local currency. By the way, the name of the "Machi no Coin" in Hioki City is "Toppa." "Toppa" was named after Shimazu Yoshihiro, a Sengoku warlord with ties to Hioki City, who broke through enemy lines.

"Toppa" began operation on October 26th, in conjunction with the "Myoenji Temple Pilgrimage," one of the three major events in Kagoshima Prefecture. It is scheduled to begin operation in "Neo Hioki" from December this year. "Machi no Coin" has been introduced in various areas across the country, but Hioki City is the first municipality to support it in both the metaverse space and the real world.

▶ "Machi no Coin" is a community currency to create connections between people both inside and outside the region. While the name varies in each region, Hioki City has named it "Toppa." Hioki City plans to support it in both the metaverse space "Neo Hioki" and the real world, which will be the first case of this being done by a local government in Japan.

What will be possible when "Toppa" begins operation in "Neo Hioki"?

Shigemizu: At the moment, we are preparing a game in which "Toppa" is scattered in the "Neo Hioki" space and can be accumulated by picking them up. "Toppa" that you pick up can be used at affiliated stores, and can also be sent between users.

How many affiliated stores that can use "Toppa" are increasing?

Shigemizu: Currently, it can be used at about 90 stores and organizations in the city. Please note that "Toppa" is like a point and cannot be exchanged for legal tender. The same goes for affiliated stores. For example, if you sell a 100 yen item with "100 Toppa," you will not receive 100 yen later. Based on the premise that the "town coin" itself is a community currency that connects people, the concept is "what kind of experience can we provide" with the coins circulating in each region. Therefore, the distribution of "Toppa" does not directly generate profits for affiliated stores, but rather the goal of this initiative is to create a related population in the region and create connections.

Based on what you've said so far, it seems that "Neo Hioki" and "Toppa" are first focused on attracting young people.

Shigemizu: That's correct at the moment. We would like to appeal to the local community by incorporating the characteristics of Hioki City.

However, the number of users of "Neo Hioki" is currently about 1,000 people per month, which is not growing as much as expected. We think it will be important to attract the general public, especially young people.

Currently, "Neo Hioki" is a space where we mainly post links to our homepage, which we particularly want people to see. In that case, after entering once or twice, people will not bother to access it. Therefore, we believe that it is urgent to proceed with creating a place that people can visit repeatedly.

We want to create "Neo Hioki" as "another Hioki city," while also encouraging people to visit the real Hioki city. We want people to experience Hioki city in "Neo Hioki," while also creating an opportunity for them to experience the townscape and people of the real Hioki city. As with "Toppa," we want to increase the number of people who are not actually in Hioki city but who try to connect with Hioki city as a place of spiritual refuge. We hope that "Toppa" can play a role in making that happen.

Do you have any goals for how many users you want to increase for "Neo Hioki" in the future?

Shigemizu: First, we would like to aim for a total of 3,000 people per month in six months. Even so, it is still less than initially expected.

Finally, please tell us your enthusiasm for the future.

Shigemizu: Taking advantage of Hioki City's strengths, we will first make "Neo Hioki" more attractive by combining it with "Toppa" and increase the number of users. Hioki City is a town with deep ties to the history of the Warring States period, and has a spirit of proactively adopting new technology. We are proud that Hioki City's efforts, including "Toppa" and "Neo Hioki," are novel even within Kagoshima Prefecture. We would like to make this a sustainable effort that creates a synergistic effect between "Neo Hioki" and the real Hioki City, the metaverse space and the real world.

Profile

◉Kenrou Shigemizu

Assistant Section Chief, Community Development Section, General Affairs and Planning Department, Hioki City

He is responsible for the Hioki City-related population creation project "Hiokito Project," and also works as "Zenryokubozu," the editor-in-chief and writer for the city's web media "Hiokito." He also serves as the leader of the volunteer group "Hioki PR Busho-tai," which is mainly made up of city employees.