Rural

Kabushiki-gaisha RURAL, operating as RURAL Inc., is a Japanese startup founded on June 1, 2021, by Ryu Hashimoto. The company is dedicated to bridging people and regions through its digital currency platform, aiming to revitalize tourism in Japan.

The company's core product is "Rura Coin," a digital currency specifically designed for tourists to use at participating destinations across Japan. Operating on a 1 coin to 1 yen basis, users can charge their accounts via credit card or dedicated prepaid cards and make cashless payments at affiliated hotels, restaurants, and tourist facilities by scanning a QR code. The platform is designed to overcome the limitations of traditional regional currencies by creating a nationwide network. A key feature of the system is that 1% of the決済 amount is automatically donated back to the tourist area where it was used, supporting local economies directly. To incentivize use, the platform offers premium points on top of charged amounts during promotional campaigns.

In addition to the digital currency, RURAL Inc. has ventured into the Web3 space with "Rura NFT," a location-based NFT platform. This service allows tourists to acquire unique, non-transferable digital collectibles (Soul Bound Tokens) by visiting specific locations, providing a digital proof of visit. The company has collaborated with major entities like JR Kyushu on projects involving popular characters, creating limited-edition NFTs available only at specific train stations to encourage travel and exploration. These initiatives create new revenue streams and engagement models for the tourism industry.

In September 2022, the company announced a seed funding round involving the travel agency H.I.S. and several individual investors to expand its services. RURAL Inc. actively seeks partnerships with local governments, transportation operators, and businesses to grow its network of affiliated locations and develop exclusive travel packages and products.

Keywords: digital currency, tourism technology, local revitalization, fintech, NFT platform, Japanese tourism, cashless payment, travel tech, Web3, location-based NFT, regional currency, community currency, tourist engagement, digital collectibles, startup, Ryu Hashimoto