Satofull: Experience-Based Furusato Nozei Gifts Gain Momentum, Listings Up About 4.3x in Four Years

Satofull Co., Ltd., operator of the furusato nozei portal site “Satofull,” reported growing interest in experience-based return gifts ahead of the summer vacation and leisure season, as consumers look for ways to enjoy travel, outings, and local experiences. On Satofull, the number of listed return gifts in the “travel and accommodation vouchers” and “experiences and tickets” categories has continued to rise. As of April 27, 2026, listings were about 1.4 times higher than the same date a year earlier and about 4.3 times higher than four years ago. Donation counts during the leisure season from April to August 2025, including Golden Week and summer holidays, also increased about 1.6 times year on year, showing growth in both supply and actual use. While rising prices and higher travel costs have made consumers more cost-conscious when planning trips and outings, interest in going out and having experiences remains strong. In this environment, experience-based return gifts that can be enjoyed in local regions, as well as more accessible options such as dining vouchers, are expanding as new choices. Satofull said municipalities are strengthening the appeal and development of these gifts. Because many experience-based gifts require visitors to go to the area, they can create opportunities for travel triggered by donations and often lead to local spending on accommodation and dining, helping build stronger ties between donors and regions. In Satofull’s January-April 2026 ranking of popular “experiences and tickets” return gifts, items usable in everyday life, such as dining vouchers, gift certificates, and golf course vouchers, ranked highly. At the same time, gifts that encourage outings and leisure activities were also selected, indicating that experience-based gifts are being used across a wide range of occasions. The top-ranked item was a dining voucher for special reserved seats at the Tokyo branches of conveyor-belt sushi restaurant “Nemuro Hanamaru” from Nemuro City, Hokkaido, with a donation amount of 25,000 yen. Second was a 3,000-yen voucher for Yoshimi Golf Course from Yoshimi Town, Saitama Prefecture, with a donation amount of 10,000 yen. Third place was shared by a 3,000-yen hometown support gift certificate from Otaki Village, Nagano Prefecture, and a 5,000-yen eel restaurant dining voucher from Seki City, Gifu Prefecture. Satofull also highlighted distinctive local experiences, including a guided walking and lodging plan on the Nakasendo Kisoji route in Nagano; a knife-making workshop guided by swordsmiths in Omuta City, Fukuoka; a traditional straw craft experience with artisans from Waramu, the company that makes sumo ring surfaces for Japan’s official grand sumo tournaments, in Iijima Town, Nagano; and a day-trip pair plan in Hakusan City, Ishikawa, featuring a private tent sauna and local meal. Satofull promotes regional revitalization through furusato nozei donations. It provides donors with services for selecting municipalities and return gifts, applying for donations, and making payments, while also offering municipalities operational support such as donation recruitment, application handling, payment collection, inventory management, and delivery of return gifts.