During the recent trip to Japan undertaken by some of the MBS and Redditch Members, a local journalist wrote an article about the foreign investment into Japanese temples to help restore them. A translation of the article can be found below.
Depopulated temple reborn with “Japan Fan” funds; key is “joint ownership”
April 6, 2026, 6:00 AM
Article written by Takuho Shiraki
To preserve the temple in the depopulated town for future generations――. A project has been launched to raise funds from around the world to revitalize the temple as a lodging facility for tourists.
Conservation of historic buildings and revitalization of the area. It’s an attempt to achieve that balance.
Crossing the ocean to check investment properties
Approximately 10 km south of Nachi Falls, a World Heritage Site (Nachikatsuura Town, Wakayama Prefecture). The former Hokoji Temple, founded in the Edo period, is located in a small village in the mountains.
Giulio Barros (34), an IT engineer from Portugal who lives in the UK, and his colleagues visited in mid-February.
“It’s very beautiful and you can see that it has been cherished by the local people.” He came across the ocean to check out the properties he had “invested” in.
The group is guided by Nishiyama Tokai (45), the head priest of another temple in charge of management. He explained in English the origin of the temple, the structure of the building, which is about 150 years old, and its relationship to the local community.
Even now, it is not supported by the local community
There used to be dozens of parishioners (danka) at the former Hokoji Temple. However, the population suddenly decreased to around 20, and religious corporations were dissolved.
Although it remains a more important area, high repair costs weigh heavily on it.
Chief priest Nishiyama said, “Unlike in the past, we can no longer cover the costs simply by donating from residents.”
They considered raising funds through crowdfunding, but it would be difficult to raise such a large amount of money as renovating cultural assets.
So Chief Priest Nishiyama decided to participate in a project.
“PlanetDAO (Planet Dao)”. The project aims to preserve and utilize cultural assets, with investors from around the world acting as “co-owners.”
Here’s how it works.
First, a company was established to hold the former Hokoji building and issues shares. Through social media and other means, we seek supporters from around the world who support the cause of preserving and utilizing cultural assets. Minimum investment is 400,000 yen.
26.9 million yen was collected from 52 people, including Barros, and 75% of the investors were from overseas.
“Many of the investors have a strong interest in Japanese history and culture.” Tamaki Nishimura (29), president of Planet Labs (Planet Labs), the startup that is promoting the project, explains:
Barros has also studied abroad in Japan. He is fluent in Japanese and his hobby is bonsai.
President Nishimura once became involved in a business aimed at foreign visitors to Japan and realized that there were passionate “Japanese fans” all over the world.
With the help of Japanese fans, we hope to preserve cultural assets that are becoming difficult to maintain due to depopulation in the future――. President Nishimura also consulted with Chief Priest Nishiyama and others to launch the business.
“So that you can’t sell it without permission.”
Planet Dao’s unique feature is that the property is “jointly owned” by local people along with the shareholders who contribute.
In the case of the former Hokoji Temple, one-third of all shares are allocated free of charge to the local head priest, Nishiyama.
“Local participation in important decision-making is possible. President Nishimura said, “We are preventing investors from outside the region from selling products without their permission.”
Ordinary investors can also attend regular meetings outside of the general shareholders’ meeting and express their opinions. It ensures transparency and allows all participants to participate in the operation in a flat manner.
Investors: “Money is not the goal”
The purpose of this project is to use the funds raised to use the former Hokoji Temple as a lodging facility and preserve it for future generations.
The area around Nachikatsuura Town is popular with tourists due to tourist resources such as the Kumano Kodo. However, there is a lack of accommodation to accommodate this.
Head priest Nishiyama runs a lodging facility to raise funds for the maintenance of his temple, Daitai-ji Temple, and thought that this experience could be used to revitalize the former Hoko-ji Temple.
Investors will receive dividends if the business generates revenue. You can also stay at the lodging. However, Barros says, “money is not the goal.”
“It would be a shame to lose a temple that has been cherished by the local people. I would like to see a system in place where we as shareholders can share our opinions and support each other.”
His interest is “Jizo, even at his grave”
Chief Priest Nishiyama said, “I think many people invest in Japanese temples in search of opportunities to get involved. “The investors are really interested in a lot of things, like Jizo statues and graves,” he said.
Planet Labs is also carrying out similar efforts at other temples in Wakayama Prefecture and at buildings registered as cultural properties in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture.