People in southern Japan are looking to an ancient fishing tradition to breathe new life into their town.

Residents of Amakusa City in Kumamoto Prefecture have launched a new octopus pot rental program.

They hope the program will help attract attention and revitalize the area.

It looks like they may be onto something.

Officials received 395 applications for 50 available pots.

People came from as far away as Tokyo to take possession of their pots.

At an event on Sunday, the proud new owners decorated their octopus pots and received certificates of ownership.

Crews then dropped the pots into the ocean.

Owners get to keep any octopuses caught in the pots until their contracts run out September 7th.

[caption id="attachment_3011" align="aligncenter" width="1704"] Southern town hopes octopus pots prove a draw[/caption]