GCF STARTFrom loving culture,to sustaining it.
GCF is a members-only community for people who love Japanese culture. Membership is ¥16,000/year (tax incl.), renews automatically every year, and you can cancel anytime.
- Annual fee (tax incl.)
- ¥16,000
- Joining fee
- None
- Cancel
- Anytime
- No joining fee
- Cancel anytime
- Secure Stripe checkout
One membership, a whole cultural economy.
Beneath GCF is Matsuri, our platform for Japanese culture. Experiences, shop, dining and support — all four categories become your doorway.
Find and book an experience
Experience
Festivals, cultural experiences and guided tours across Japan.
Buy from artisans and artists
Shop
Artisan, artist and regional goods — take culture home.
Find a place to eat
Restaurant
From wagyu and sushi to vegan-friendly — savor food culture.
Back a cultural project
Crowdfunding
Back the people who carry culture forward, together.
Every cost, written out up front.
No hidden costs. You pay the ¥16,000 (tax incl.) annual fee when you sign up, and it renews at the same amount every year. That is the whole story.
Annual fee (tax incl.)
¥16,000/yr
Paid when you sign up, then renews every year
Easy to start, easy to stay.
- Annual fee
- ¥16,000/year (tax incl.) — paid at checkout, then renews automatically every year
- Joining fee
- None
- Application review / seat limit
- None — you are a member the moment checkout completes
- Payments
- Stripe. Your card details are never stored on our servers
- Cancellation
- Anytime from your member page; valid until the period ends
¥16,000/year (tax incl.) · cancel anytime
Loving culture wasn't enough to take part in it.
No way in
Festivals, crafts, tradition — you love them, but beyond watching and buying there's no clear way to get involved.
Too hard alone
You'd love to host an experience or sell your work, but building a place for it from scratch is a huge hurdle.
Support that fades
You want to back the people who carry culture forward — but one-off purchases rarely become lasting support.
GCF gathers all of those doorways into one.
From competition to co-creation.
GCF (Global Community Friends) is a members-only community connecting entrepreneurs, makers and lovers of Japanese culture — growing an economy that sustains culture itself.
As a member you join the cultural economy growing around matsuri.group — experiences, shop, dining and support — and take your first step from consuming culture to sustaining it.
Members-only community
With GCF Start (general membership), you get access to your member page on gcf.works, where you can check your membership or cancel anytime.
Fair pricing
¥16,000/year (tax incl.), renewing automatically every year. No joining fee — cancel anytime and keep access until the period ends.
Not a concept. It is already running.
All three apps in the Matsuri ecosystem are already live on the App Store — the screenshots on this page are those apps.
First partnership agreement signed with an event operator that runs 150 events a year.
Is GCF for you?
- You love Japanese festivals, tradition and culture
- You want to go beyond watching and buying
- You dream of offering your own experience or products someday
- You want to support artisans and food culture
- You want a community built around culture
- You're interested in sharing Japanese culture with the world
If even one rings true, GCF is your place.
Join GCF StartThree simple steps
Apply & pay
Enter your email and password, then continue to Stripe's secure checkout.
Account auto-created
The moment payment is confirmed, your account is created and you're signed in automatically.
Your member page
Review your plan or cancel anytime on gcf.works.
Frequently asked questions
When do I pay, and how much?
You pay the annual fee of ¥16,000 (tax incl.) at checkout when you sign up. It then renews automatically every year at the same amount. There is no joining fee.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, anytime from your member page. After cancelling, your membership stays valid until the end of the current period.
What payment methods can I use?
Credit cards via Stripe's secure checkout. Your card details are never stored on our servers.
What happens after I join?
Your account is created automatically the moment payment is confirmed. Manage your plan on gcf.works — and use the same account across the Matsuri platform.
Welcome to the supporting side of culture.
- GCF Start (general membership), with your member page on gcf.works
- No joining fee and no application review — you are a member once checkout completes
- Cancel anytime — valid until the period ends
You pay the ¥16,000 (tax incl.) annual fee when you sign up, and it renews automatically every year. Cancel anytime.
- Cancel anytime — membership stays valid until the period ends
- Payments handled by Stripe; we never store your card
Already have an account? Go to login
You don't have to decide today.
What GCF actually does, and what members actually do. One email a week about culture and the economy around it. Free, and you can stop any time.