Japanese Final Fantasy 14 Players Can Get a Cute Giant Dog by Paying Taxes

Final Fantasy 14 fans, get ready to celebrate: you can snag $88 worth of in-game cosmetics just by paying your taxes—if you happen to live in Japan. Thanks to a collaboration with Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward, Square Enix is offering digital goodies to Japanese citizens who choose to allocate part of their taxes to the district.

Japan has a unique hometown tax contribution system that allows individuals to direct a portion of their income taxes to a town of their choice, even if they don’t reside there. This initiative was designed to support rural areas facing depopulation. When towns receive these tax contributions, they often send back gifts, which can include local specialties or, in this case, gaming-related items.

In recent years, some communities have started to offer digital rewards, similar to Shibuya Ward’s previous partnerships with mobile games like Monster Strike and Kotodaman. Shibuya is a well-known area in Tokyo, famous for its vibrant otaku culture, encompassing anime and video games.

As for the specific Final Fantasy 14 rewards for those contributing to Shibuya, players will receive five Phials of Fantasia (used to change character appearances), Collegiate Attire slacks and skirt, the Magitek costume, four dance emotes, and the standout Megashiba mount. This large dog is a nod to the Shibuya mascot Hachiko, an Akita Inu celebrated for its unwavering loyalty to its owner. While these items aren’t exclusive to Shibuya contributors, it’s likely that many dedicated FF14 players will be sending their taxes to grab these digital treasures.

Earlier this month, Final Fantasy 14 rolled out its 7.51 patch, introducing new Ultimate raid challenges featuring Kefka Palazzo, the antagonist from Final Fantasy 6. This update is the second of four promised for the year. The game’s last major expansion, Dawntrail, launched in 2024, and the upcoming add-on, Evercold, is slated for 2027. Plus, the game is set to make its debut on the Nintendo Switch 2 this August.