[Kyogoku Town] LINE Open Chat "Kyogoku JOY's" Exceeds 100 Members in Half a Year - A Real-World Example of Regional DAO Starting in a Small Hokkaido Town

Alyawmu Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Sapporo City, Representative Director: Hiroaki Hatanaka), which promotes regional revitalization through NFTs, announced that the number of registered members of "Kyogoku JOY's," an official LINE Open Chat operated by Kyogoku Town's DAO Manager Yamachu under their regional revitalization cooperation team DAO solution, exceeded 100 in mid-April 2026, approximately half a year after its establishment.

"Kyogoku JOY's" is a place for exchanging regional information and interacting, connecting people interested in Kyogoku Town from both inside and outside the town. This article, based on a questionnaire response from Yamachu, who is in charge of its operation, will convey the strategy that supported the achievement of over 100 members in about half a year since its launch, unique regional initiatives, and the vision for the next phase.

What is "Kyogoku JOY's"?

"Kyogoku JOY's" is an official LINE Open Chat of Kyogoku Town, launched on October 13, 2025.

Kyogoku Town, despite having a population of approximately 2,800, is a charming town rich in attractions such as the spring water of Mt. Yotei and tourism resources in the Niseko area. It was created as a digital "gathering place" where fans and local stakeholders can easily exchange information.

As of mid-April 2026, the number of registered members has exceeded 100. Information from local hot springs and yakiniku restaurants, announcements of town events, and daily exchanges of information directly related to daily life are constantly flowing, strengthening its character as a community-rooted "neighborhood community."

Why LINE Open Chat? - Designing "Entry Barriers" from a Resident's Perspective

Yamachu had a clear aim in choosing LINE Open Chat as the foundation for the community.

"I believe that installing a new, unfamiliar app on a smartphone is a significant mental burden. Discord is still a niche app. LINE, on the other hand, is reportedly installed by 99% of smartphone users, so I thought it would be easier for people to join," says Yamachu.

When involving local residents in the community, "not having to install a new app" is a decisive advantage. The growth into a community where local businesses and residents can easily exchange daily life information is precisely due to this low entry barrier.

The first 10 members came from "horizontal connections." Nationwide cooperation team DAOs supported initial recruitment.

Immediately after its launch, the first 1 to 10 members were recruited through "Shin Chihou DAO," a cross-DAO mutual support community operated by Alyawmu for regional revitalization cooperation teams. DAO managers in similar positions from all over the country successively participated, filling the initial 10 or so spots.

Instead of immediately attracting members only from within the town, the foundation was solidified first by the support of "fellow challengers." This was a quick start unique to the horizontal collaboration of DAO operations.

Turning point for rapid growth: Local "Kyogoku Onsen" and "Niku no Manjiro" created a local circulation.

The decisive factor for exceeding 100 members was not an online measure, but a highly local initiative involving local businesses.

One was a campaign conducted at "Kyogoku Onsen." A mechanism where those who posted photos of the hot spring facility on SNS or Open Chat would receive free admission led to a rapid increase in participants and posts.

"I think the campaign where people who uploaded photos of the hot spring facility received free admission had a big impact," says Yamachu.

The second was "Niku no Manjiro," a local yakiniku restaurant. By utilizing the Open Chat as a notification channel for limited lunches, "town residents who wanted lunch information" successively joined through word-of-mouth. It functions as a "life-directly-related information" channel that steadily boosts numbers, albeit subtly.

This structure, where town businesses utilize the Open Chat as "their own media," is a symbolic movement indicating that DAO communities are beginning to be integrated into the local economy.

Posts are "few and rich." Compact operation focused on event announcements.

Yamachu's operating style is also unique.

"Basically, it's just event announcements. The frequency is very low compared to other Open Chat operators," says Yamachu.

The stance is to deliver "only truly useful information" rather than trying to stand out with a large number of posts. This avoids the common pitfall of communities where members leave due to too many notifications, building trust as a channel that delivers necessary information when needed.

Offline measures: Business card-sized QR flyers posted in 16 locations in town.

In addition to online design, offline channels are also meticulously designed.

QR codes for participation were made into business card-sized flyers and posted in 16 locations in town.

Participation is always promoted at events organized and hosted by Yamachu.

"The strength of LINE Open Chat, where you can easily join with your smartphone."