Japan's biggest crowdfunding successes ever — a ¥910M museum, a ¥300M printer

Bottom line

In Japan, hundred-million-yen crowdfunding is no longer rare. Knowing the peak of each type sharpens how you read any campaign.

The record-setters

  • National Museum of Nature and Science (READYFOR, 2023): ~¥910M from ~56,000 backers in 90 days — a landmark donation-type drive.
  • Japan Shogi Association (READYFOR): six straight campaigns totalling ¥940M from 28,919 backers — a monument to sustained effort.
  • PrinCube (CAMPFIRE, 2020): a mobile colour printer at ¥303.5M from 20,307 backers — then the all-time record for reward crowdfunding in Japan, after raising ~¥500M on Indiegogo first.
  • Kirin whisky (Makuake, 2025): “A toast you'll never forget, 20 years from now” hit ¥100M in 4 minutes and finished over ¥270M, taking Makuake Award GOLD.

What the records teach

  1. Public meaning and story (museums, shogi, regions) scale donation-type drives.
  2. A finished product plus first-day speed detonates reward campaigns.
  3. For both, the existing-fan opening surge is decisive — the first hours set the rest.

Sources

KAKEHASHI Editorial
  • Independent — no fees taken
  • Cross-platform monitoring
  • Primary-source, cited

The editorial desk of KAKEHASHI (“a bridge”). We host no campaigns and take no fees — so we can independently check, across CAMPFIRE, Makuake, READYFOR and more, whether and how to back, always with sources.

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