The Starting Point is "Touken Ranbu ONLINE." Will the "Oshikatsu" of 100,000 People Become Infrastructure to Save Japanese Museums?
Over 100,000 paid members supporting the Touken Cultural Research and Preservation Organization, originating from the game Touken Ranbu ONLINE, are impacting Japan's struggling museums.Summary
The number of paid members with donations to the 'Touken Cultural Research and Preservation Organization,' stemming from the popular online game 'Touken Ranbu ONLINE,' has surpassed 100,000 in less than a year since its launch. This system automatically donates 10% of the monthly/annual fee from the 'Honmaru Touken Preservation Society' service to the organization, which uses these funds to support research and preservation grants for swords. The article explores how the passion and donations from this massive community—far exceeding initial expectations—are poised to change the landscape of Japan's fatigued museum sector, highlighting new possibilities for cultural property protection and the structural challenges museums face, based on interviews with key figures from the organization.
(Source：美術手帖)