An experience report on using Bitcoin payment system with Lightning Network at Awabar Fukuoka, Japan.
Bitcoin payment with Lightning Network is now available for ordering foods and drinks at Awabar Fukuoka located in Fukuoka City, Japan. This is a limited time field trial to explore the usability of the payment system (May 30th - June 31st). This article is our experience report on the payment.
First of all, the location of this field trial is very unique and special. Why? Because the bar is located within Fukuoka Growth Next, a start-up support facility empowered by Fukuoka City. Fukuoka city works to intending to become Japan’s start-up city. Also, Fukuoka Growth Next says, “we aim to produce startups that create new values with their various ideas and technology.”
For more information about Fukuoka City and Fukuoka Growth Next, please read the following;
At the time we visited the bar, many people were gathering and enjoying communicating with each other. In the front of the bar, stickers from communities to start-ups or even unicorns caught my eyes.
Well, I wanted to have a pint of beer, Carlsberg. I opened Eclair Mobile in my smartphone and sent 0.00055128 BTC (55128 Satoshi) which is equivalent to 499.10 JPY. It took just a few seconds, I remember.
Besides me, some people who paid Bitcoin with Lightning Network. It seemed they knew that the field trial started via Nayuta/Awabar/Fukuoka Growth Next’s twitter or some media’s reports. The following video was recorded on another day;
One of them told us “It’s my first time to use Lightning payment. I feel it’s so fast!”
On the Lightning Network payment system, Nayuta uses BTCPay Server, a payment service developed as an open-source, bitcoind, and Ptarmigan, a Lightning Network software for which we served a central development role. We will provide support in the following areas: management of Node and Channel, provision of the liquidity required for the Lightning Network payment, and introduction of the payment flow.
This time, we technically cooperate with the facilities where start-ups and supporters gather together. Many people here keep their eyes open for new technological innovations. It is so exciting!
This field trial just kicked off. Cheers for the development of Lightning Network and open-minded people gathering in Fukuoka!
Lightning Network is a second-layer technology of Bitcoin. The technology enables several features, such as the real-time payments with lower transaction fees while achieving high TPS (Transactions per seconds) performance. Especially noteworthy is its micropayment (minute amount) capability with the potential to cultivate new markets.
