The castle city of Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, has moved into the digital currency age with the launch of a project to use bitcoin to lure international travelers and preserve the city's historic attractions, an apparent first by a Japanese municipality using a cryptocurrency.
The main purpose of the plan, which is seeking donations via the blockchain technology to help take care of about 2,600 cherry trees and the stone wall of Hirosaki Castle, is actually to promote the city by creating an easy donation platform that will hopefully incentivise those who make contributions to visit the city, said Kenji Suzuki, a Hirosaki city official.
"If people in other countries make donation through bitcoin in a casual manner, it's possible that they will start forming attachments to Hirosaki and maybe think about visiting one day," he said.