First in Japan! Three Cities Jointly Pay Furusato Tax in Joetsu, Niigata! 　Toki Aji TOMI Enmusubi" filled with delicious foods from each city

Local Motion Project (Location: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture; Representative: Eiichi Nitta), in cooperation with Joetsu City, Myoko City, and Itoigawa City in the Joetsu region, announces "Tokimi TOMI Enmusubi," the first three-city joint Furusato tax return gift in Japan.

Furusato tax payment acceptance started on September 22, 2025 on each city's Furusato tax payment website and major portals.

Three-city joint return gift

Toki Aji TOMI Enmusubi" is a set of sake from Joetsu City, snacks from Itoigawa City, and closing ingredients from Myoko City to enjoy at home. Feel free to enjoy the high quality sake and food products yourself, or use it as a gift.

The greatest feature of this project is the "wide-area collaboration" beyond the boundaries of local governments.

Furusato tax returns can usually only be composed by a single municipality, and there have been few cases of collaboration.

*There have been some examples of tourism in the past in the three cities and other municipalities concerned.

This is the first time in the history of the system that the three cities have joined hands to offer a joint return gift.

Issues of Furusato Tax Payment System (Background)

The Furusato tax payment system started in 2008 and has spread throughout the country over the past decade, becoming established as a major mechanism to support local communities.

At the same time, however, it has been pointed out that the competition among municipalities has become heated and that there are disparities among municipalities.

In addition, the abolishment of the point system on October 1, 2012 may temporarily slow down the hometown tax payment.

In light of this situation, we strongly feel the need to reconsider the transmission of the original characteristics and charms of the region, product variations, and hometown tax payment, while keeping in mind the original concept and philosophy of hometown tax payment.

We believe that going back to the basics will contribute to the creation of local communities.

Philosophy of Furusato Tax Payment

1. to be a system that encourages taxpayers to choose where to donate and to think about how the money will be used

2. to contribute to the hometown, the region with which one has a connection, and the region one wishes to support.

3. publicize the efforts of local governments and encourage competition among local governments.

*From "The Philosophy of Furusato Tax Payment" by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications

https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/jichi_zeisei/czaisei/czaisei_seido/furusato/policy/

Innovative project started from the private sector (Background)

We believe that this project is an opportunity to communicate "the significance of inter-regional cooperation", "solutions to the challenges of the system" and "local food culture and stories".

This attempt is not just about creating a single returned product.

Contribution to the local economy through the emergence of new products

∙ Seek cooperation rather than competition among municipalities

・Improve the brand value of the entire region, leading to an increase in the number of people involved and interacting with the region

Presenting new enjoyment for donors, such as "experiencing the region collectively.

Our representative, Nitta, is from Joetsu City and is managing a local development platform project that connects urban and rural areas.

As part of this project, "Toki Aji TOMI," a select store brand of sake and food products, handles products from businesses in Joetsu City, Itoigawa City, Myoko City, and the three cities.

Product: "Toki Aji TOMI Enmusubi" (Aji TOMI Enmusubi)

Each region of Japan is wonderful and full of charm.

Consumers are also looking for special gems that are easily superior, and the trend is toward experiential consumer behavior.

On the other hand, this often means that the characteristics of the region are often buried, making it difficult to communicate.

We believe that it is important to focus on the micro level and highlight the unique characteristics of each region and producer.

Toki Aji TOMI" focuses on the "fermentation culture unique to Joetsu City, a snow country," the "wisdom of fishermen and rich marine resources" in Itoigawa City, and the "rare food culture born from the blessings of the harsh but gentle land of Mt, We market products from businesses with a spirit of challenge.

The "Toki Aji TOMI Enmusubi," which combines sake, snacks, and a final dish in one package, consists of sake from Joetsu City (Kubiki Sake Brewery and Takeda Sake Brewery), snacks from Itoigawa City (Denbei Suisan), and soba noodles from Myoko City (Nikonobatei), allowing donors to enjoy the unique flavors of all three at the same dining table. Donors can enjoy a new form of hometown tax payment that allows them to experience the Joetsu region as a whole.

Products handled

Name: Tokimi TOMI Enmusubi

Description: "Sake (Kubiki Sake Brewery, Takeda Sake Brewery)" from Joetsu City

　　　　　　　Itoigawa City "Sweets (Denbei Suisan)", Myoko City "Soba noodles (Nigonobatei)", and Myoko City "Soba noodles (Konebatei)".

Donation acceptance start date: September 22, 2025

How to apply: Each city's hometown tax payment website, major portal sites

Price: 25,000 yen (tax included)

Future: Prospects for the future

This joint return of tax is not just an example.

It has the potential to develop into a revitalization of the local economy and tourism by further expanding the circle of collaboration and connecting with other regions and other industries.

The regions are not disconnected, but rather connected to create new value.

We hope to see more similar attempts in the future as we continue to develop return gifts through wide-area collaboration, meeting makers and creating examples of new products.

■About the Local Motion Project

This is a platform project that started in the Joetsu region of Niigata Prefecture, linking cities and regions where Tokyo is also defined as one region. We operate and develop businesses based on the three pillars of activity, product sales, and solution services.

Specifically, we are developing a regional promotion business using helicopters, operating a select store brand "Toki Aji TOMI" for sake and food, and developing a local media business using video images.

Name: Local Motion Project

Representative: NITTA Eiichi

Office Address : 199-13 Sachikawa, Nishi-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama

Business description: Local development business, helicopter utilization business, liquor sales business, food e-commerce site business, video contents business

　　　　　　　 Food e-commerce site business, Video contents business

　　　　　　　 Management support business for small businesses

Website: https://www.lmpup.com/

Instagram ： https://www.instagram.com/localmotion.up/

About Representative: Nitta

Born in Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture and lived there until the age of 18. Leaving his hometown at the age of 18 to pursue higher education, he entered a university in Niigata and dropped out to pursue a career in music. He moved to Tokyo and has been active in the Kanto and Kansai regions, mainly in Tokyo, through music.

At the age of 24, due to family circumstances, he returned to Joetsu City and gained experience in management practices, including working for a local company managing a difficult situation. Currently, he is engaged in management consulting services such as organization building, business improvement, and management strategy, mainly in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

The Corona disaster brought me closer to online and gave me a good opportunity to reconsider my hometown as a third party by making a connection with people in the Joetsu area once again.

I learned about the wonderful people and things in Joetsu that I had not noticed when I lived there, and with the hope of contributing to my hometown by strengthening contacts with Tokyo and other urban areas, I launched the "Local Motion Project" in 2013, a local development platform project originating from the Joetsu region.