Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward is handing out Final Fantasy 14 cosmetics to Japanese taxpayers. Donate part of your income tax to Shibuya, and you can ride a massive Shiba Inu across Eorzea. This is a real government program.
The promotion, announced on June 16 by Square Enix and Shibuya Ward, runs through Japan‘s Furusato Nozei system, a tax program that lets citizens direct a portion of their income tax to a specific municipality instead of the central government. In return, the chosen city sends a thank-you gift. Those gifts are usually wagyu beef, rice, fresh seafood or local sake. Shibuya is offering video game items instead.
What you can get and what it costs
There are six reward tiers, each tied to a specific donation amount. The Collegiate Attire set (slacks version), the Collegiate Attire set (skirt version) and the Magitek Attire costume each require a 7,000 yen donation (roughly $44). The Megashiba Inu mount, a giant fluffy Shiba Inu that nods to the famous Hachiko statue outside Shibuya Station, costs a 9,000 yen donation (roughly $56).
A pack of four dance emotes sits at 11,000 yen ($69), and the most expensive option, five Phials of Fantasia that let you completely remake your character’s appearance, race and gender, runs 17,000 yen ($106).
Collecting all six gift packs requires a total donation of 58,000 yen, roughly $362.
The math doesn’t favor the items
The same items can be purchased directly from the Final Fantasy 14 online store for an estimated total of around $88. So purely as a transaction, you’re paying about four times the retail value. But that’s not the point. Furusato Nozei donations are deducted from your income and residence taxes, so the net cost is significantly lower than the sticker price. The items are a bonus on top of a tax benefit you’d be eligible for anyway.
Why Shibuya is doing this
Furusato Nozei was introduced by the Japanese government in 2008 to help shrinking rural towns compete for tax revenue against economic hubs like Tokyo and Osaka. Rural municipalities offer regional products, supporting local farmers, fishermen and artisans in the process.
But metropolitan wards like Shibuya don’t have farmland or fisheries. They can’t send you premium fruit. So Shibuya is pivoting to digital goods, partnering with local companies to offer items that appeal to a different audience. Square Enix has offices in Shibuya, making the Final Fantasy 14 tie-in a natural fit. Shibuya Ward also offers in-game currency for mobile games Monster Strike and Kotodaman through the same program.
The campaign launched on June 1, 2026, and is available to Japanese residents through the Furusato Nozei portal.
