Tobe Town, Ehime, Exceeds Donation Goal with Local Settlement 'Genchi': 1.21M Yen Collected in 2 Days at Event
Steamship Inc. reported that its local settlement-type hometown tax service 'Genchi' collected 1.21 million yen (129 donations) during the 'Tobeyaki Festival' in Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture, exceeding the initial 1 million yen target. About 10% of participants were first-time donors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 19:16
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 11:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:25 (15h 23m after Collected)
Steamship Inc. began offering its self-developed local settlement-type hometown tax service 'Genchi' last October. This time, they accepted hometown tax donations using 'Genchi' at the venue of the 'Tobeyaki Festival' held in Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture.
Coupons usable for purchasing Tobeyaki pottery at the festival were issued as thank-you gifts, and many visitors used them at the venue.
'Genchi' Usage Results at Tobeyaki Festival:
- Number of donations: 129
- Donation amount: 1.21 million yen
* Tobeyaki Festival: Held on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026
* Attended by Tobe Town Hall staff and Steamship employees
■ Points Observed from this 'Genchi' Implementation
Donation amount significantly exceeded the target:
Against our target of 1 million yen, 1.21 million yen (129 donations) was collected during the festival (2 days). The system allowing 'easy on-the-spot donations' met the needs of event visitors. By introducing 'Genchi,' we were able to create a new cycle of donations.
First-time hometown tax donors accounted for about 10%:
Among those who used 'Genchi,' about 10% were 'donating via hometown tax for the first time.' We were able to communicate the hometown tax system and create an opportunity for people to take the first step toward donating. We feel this is the first step in increasing supporters of Tobe Town.
■ Comments from Hometown Tax Personnel
Hometown Tax Representative, Tobe Town Hall:
'By utilizing the opportunity where many Tobeyaki fans gather from all over the country, we were able to have them support the production area through hometown tax while purchasing their favorite Tobeyaki. It became a win-win-win initiative for donors, kilns, and Tobe Town. I felt that the Genchi system was easy to use and donors could use it smoothly. Also, with the generous support from Steamship members including preparation and on-the-day operation, we were able to carry it out with peace of mind despite it being our first attempt. We want to increase opportunities for using Genchi in the future.'
Steamship Representative for Tobe Town Hometown Tax:
'This time, we repeatedly met with the people of Tobe Town to design the flow and promotional materials. Thanks to that, I feel we were able to let people know about Genchi's strength, the ease of payment, leading to donations. It's a great achievement that about 10% of participants experienced hometown tax for the first time. Taking the Tobeyaki Festival as a good opportunity, we will continue to work hand-in-hand with Tobe Town to build fans of the town.'
■ Turning Hometown Tax into an 'Experience to Touch the Region'
Hometown tax is generally completed on a website and thank-you gifts are delivered by mail. We developed 'Genchi' to provide 'experience-based' hometown tax. Through this, we want to instantly connect the action of 'visiting' a region with the feeling of 'wanting to support.'
'Genchi' is a service where you can make hometown tax donations on the spot using a smartphone. By simply scanning a dedicated QR code printed on posters or POP materials in stores, the donation to the desired municipality is completed. By presenting the digital coupon displayed on the smartphone to the store, you can receive the thank-you gift (return gift) immediately.
No app download is required. Even first-time hometown tax donors can use it easily. Steamship aims for 'creating regional fans.' We hope 'Genchi' will further revitalize the 'local' hometown tax market and create smiles for donors, municipalities, and businesses. Please consider introducing 'Genchi.'
* Currently, 19 supported municipalities have decided to introduce it, and operations are starting sequentially.
■ Overview of Genchi
- No dedicated app required. Easy with a smartphone! [Benefits for Donors]
- Easy to manage! [Benefits for Municipalities]
- Just place posters or POP! [Benefits for Stores]
- No limit on registering return gifts as long as they clear local product standards!
▼ For details, click here
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000114.000123175.html
Steamship Inc. is a company that supports local government hometown tax operations. From April 2026, it has been entrusted with the hometown tax operations of Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture. They provide support including planning, development, and management of return gifts, as well as launching and operating web pages.
Coupons usable for purchasing Tobeyaki pottery at the festival were issued as thank-you gifts, and many visitors used them at the venue.
'Genchi' Usage Results at Tobeyaki Festival:
- Number of donations: 129
- Donation amount: 1.21 million yen
* Tobeyaki Festival: Held on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, 2026
* Attended by Tobe Town Hall staff and Steamship employees
■ Points Observed from this 'Genchi' Implementation
Donation amount significantly exceeded the target:
Against our target of 1 million yen, 1.21 million yen (129 donations) was collected during the festival (2 days). The system allowing 'easy on-the-spot donations' met the needs of event visitors. By introducing 'Genchi,' we were able to create a new cycle of donations.
First-time hometown tax donors accounted for about 10%:
Among those who used 'Genchi,' about 10% were 'donating via hometown tax for the first time.' We were able to communicate the hometown tax system and create an opportunity for people to take the first step toward donating. We feel this is the first step in increasing supporters of Tobe Town.
■ Comments from Hometown Tax Personnel
Hometown Tax Representative, Tobe Town Hall:
'By utilizing the opportunity where many Tobeyaki fans gather from all over the country, we were able to have them support the production area through hometown tax while purchasing their favorite Tobeyaki. It became a win-win-win initiative for donors, kilns, and Tobe Town. I felt that the Genchi system was easy to use and donors could use it smoothly. Also, with the generous support from Steamship members including preparation and on-the-day operation, we were able to carry it out with peace of mind despite it being our first attempt. We want to increase opportunities for using Genchi in the future.'
Steamship Representative for Tobe Town Hometown Tax:
'This time, we repeatedly met with the people of Tobe Town to design the flow and promotional materials. Thanks to that, I feel we were able to let people know about Genchi's strength, the ease of payment, leading to donations. It's a great achievement that about 10% of participants experienced hometown tax for the first time. Taking the Tobeyaki Festival as a good opportunity, we will continue to work hand-in-hand with Tobe Town to build fans of the town.'
■ Turning Hometown Tax into an 'Experience to Touch the Region'
Hometown tax is generally completed on a website and thank-you gifts are delivered by mail. We developed 'Genchi' to provide 'experience-based' hometown tax. Through this, we want to instantly connect the action of 'visiting' a region with the feeling of 'wanting to support.'
'Genchi' is a service where you can make hometown tax donations on the spot using a smartphone. By simply scanning a dedicated QR code printed on posters or POP materials in stores, the donation to the desired municipality is completed. By presenting the digital coupon displayed on the smartphone to the store, you can receive the thank-you gift (return gift) immediately.
No app download is required. Even first-time hometown tax donors can use it easily. Steamship aims for 'creating regional fans.' We hope 'Genchi' will further revitalize the 'local' hometown tax market and create smiles for donors, municipalities, and businesses. Please consider introducing 'Genchi.'
* Currently, 19 supported municipalities have decided to introduce it, and operations are starting sequentially.
■ Overview of Genchi
- No dedicated app required. Easy with a smartphone! [Benefits for Donors]
- Easy to manage! [Benefits for Municipalities]
- Just place posters or POP! [Benefits for Stores]
- No limit on registering return gifts as long as they clear local product standards!
▼ For details, click here
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000114.000123175.html
Steamship Inc. is a company that supports local government hometown tax operations. From April 2026, it has been entrusted with the hometown tax operations of Tobe Town, Ehime Prefecture. They provide support including planning, development, and management of return gifts, as well as launching and operating web pages.