Why One of Japan’s Most Rural Villages is Betting on NFTs: A Resilient Vision for the Frontlines of Population Decline
This article is an English translation of a Japanese blog post by Kenta Murakami, representing the Shiiba Village Local DAO as part of the Nishikigoi NFT project.
Deep in the mountains of Miyazaki Prefecture, right in the heart of Kyushu, lies Shiiba Village. To give you an idea of its scale, it covers an area nearly the size of Tokyo—yet it is home to just over 2,000 people.
In this place, often called one of Japan’s “Three Hidden Regions,” a new challenge began on January 16, 2026: the launch of “Shiiba Kagura NFT / Mouth of the River.”
You might ask:
“Why would a rural village need NFTs?” or
“What can digital art really do on the frontlines of population decline?”
My name is Kenta Murakami, the local coordinator for the Shiiba Local DAO team. It has been two years since we’ve started this project. Today, with deep gratitude to the partners who stayed with us every step of the way, I want to share the “wish” behind this project and the “future” we hope to build with all of you.
Creating the Future We Want
I moved to Shiiba about ten years ago. Today, I am a member of the “Kawanokuchi” community. I run a local campsite and a share house, but I also serve as a volunteer firefighter and help preserve our traditional “Kagura”. Life here is a balance between surviving harsh nature—like typhoons and heavy snow—and enjoying its incredible beauty.
However, we face a serious problem: our population is shrinking fast. Every year, about 100 people leave. Houses become empty, and farms are swallowed by the forest. Some locals tell me, “The future is so uncertain that I can’t even ask my children to move back.”
But I chose this village, and I refuse to give up. My philosophy is simple: “If it’s not there, build it.” This is the same spirit that has kept Shiiba alive for centuries. It’s time for us to build our own future.
In the past, when there were no roads or cars, the people of this village made everything by hand—their homes, their food, and their tools. The same spirit applies to Kagura.
Every year, the villagers create the sacred ornaments and ropes from scratch to prepare for the performance. To live here is to work with your hands and use your wisdom to build your own life. I realized that this “power to create” is exactly what we need to survive an uncertain future.
And the, I started to wonder: What would happen if we combined this “spirit of creation”—which is in our DNA—with modern technology?
The answer is the Shiiba Kagura NFT.
Preserving 1,000 Years of Tradition in Digital Form
"Kagura" and "NFTs" might seem like an odd mix. But through our project, we met artist Hiroyuki Hori, who helped us see things differently. He focused on the "movement" of the performance—the physical energy of the performers—and used 3D technology to bring it into the digital world.
Typically, 3D scanning is done in a studio. But we did something bold as we brought all the equipment deep into the mountains to capture the energy of the village itself. Thanks to Hiroyuki Hori’s passion, we pulled off this difficult challenge.
The resulting collection, “Mouth of the River,” is more than just a video. We extracted the raw movement from the traditional Kagura and preserved it “alive” in the digital world.
This NFT contains the history and DNA of our village, and now it can reach anyone in the world, regardless of distance. I invite you to see the video (at the bottom of the page).
Digital Villagers: A New Way to Connect
We call those who mint the NFTs “Digital Villagers.” To us, you are not just customers, but you are partners helping us “open up” the future of Shiiba.
We are already seeing amazing things happen. Take Arai san, for example. He is a digital villager of Yamakoshi (Nishikigoi NFT), but through the Local DAO community, he decided to visit Shiiba. With his incredible energy, he bonded with the locals instantly.
Seeing an “outsider” enjoy our culture so much—more than anyone else—truly changed the atmosphere of the village. When people from the outside come here, respect our traditions, and genuinely have fun, it gives the local people incredible courage and hope.
People often say that rural areas are closed off. But in reality, that is just a natural caution toward strangers. Once you take the first step inside, you are welcomed with incredible kindness and a deep spirit of mutual support. So the digital villagers system is your ticket to skip that first hurdle.
The proceeds from the NFT sales, after covering expenses, will go directly back into the community and fund the activities of our digital villagers. By holding this NFT, you help capital circulate within the village, and in return, you create a place in this hidden region where you truly belong.
Toward a Future No One Has Seen Before
A shrinking population also means more “blank space.” It gives us the freedom to design a new future from scratch, without the weight of old restrictions. Instead of waiting for the government to act, we are building our own cultural network—driven by the community and connected to the world.
Because Shiiba Village is so rural, it has remained untouched by large corporations. This is our advantage. It allows us to experiment freely. By carrying on our traditional “spirit of creation,” we can open up the village together with our digital villagers.
You don’t need to move here to be a part of this. You can simply own the art, check in on our community chat from time to time, or visit us in person for a drink. We want you to enjoy the future of this village at your own pace and in your own way.
We are minting 1,000 NFTs. To us, these are not just tokens—they are invitations to 1,000 future partners.
Together, let’s build a “quiet excitement.” I truly look forward to meeting you, not just as a holder, but as a digital villager of Shiiba.
Visit the Official Website
The Shiiba Kagura NFT is available exclusively through our official launch page. Click the link below to explore the collection:
Official Website: https://shiiba.nishikigoinft.com/en
■ Social Media
Nishikigoi NFT Official Website
Official 𝕏 Account (Nishikigoi NFT)
■NFT Marketplace
Opensea (Yamakoshi / Nishikigoi NFT)
Opensea (Shiiba Village / Mouth of the River)
Opensea (Tenryukyo / Tenryukyo Dragon)
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